Westmorland and Furness Council is seeking to recruit a Senior Benefit Officer to work within the Benefits Team. This is an exciting opportunity to become part of Westmorland and Furness Council’s Revenues and Benefits service.
The Benefits team provides a vital service for its residents, where support is given to those on the lowest income with Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims. You should have previous experience of administering and processing all types of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims, in accordance with Regulations and the Councils procedures and policies. You will undertake more complex cases that will require a more detailed understanding of relevant service processes and compliance, regulations, and legislation in all aspects of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, including supported accommodation, self-employed, students and Persons from Abroad assessments. You should be an excellent team player with good communication skills and able to respond to enquiries in a polite and professional way. Remote/hybrid working will be considered for the right candidate.
Who we are looking for…
* Have experience of working in a local authority Benefits Team
* Possess and maintain a working knowledge of Housing Benefit Regulations and other welfare benefits and an ability to comply with those Regulations.
* Be educated to GCSE or equivalent or extensive experience of working in a Benefits environment.
* Have an excellent working knowledge of a Revenues & Benefit System
* Have excellent communication skills with a range of different audiences.
* Be able to work on your own initiative.
* Experience in resolving complex benefits cases.
* Have the ability to provide technical advice and guidance to customers, colleagues, and external organisations, in the most appropriate way.
* A flare for working with systems and well-developed ICT skills, with an ability to learn new systems quickly.
* A proven ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines with high levels of accuracy.
* Proven ability to be accurate, detailed and professional in approach to work.
* Proven ability to deliver high standards and good customer service.
* Proven ability to analyse and respond to requests and understanding when to escalate a case.
* Proven ability in decision making with minimum supervision.
* Proven ability to work in an agile way.
What can we offer you!
Working at Westmorland and Furness Council you will receive a variety of benefits, including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave allowance and other various perks and discounts schemes. For more information about life at Westmorland and Furness Council and what we can offer you, please visit our Careers site.Our benefits | Careers (westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk)
Would you like to find out more?
For further information about this role, such as responsibilities and essential criteria please view the below documents:
* Post Specification
* Role Profile
If you have any queries about this role or would like an informal chat about this opportunity, then please email Marina Jepson on Marina.Jepson@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
To apply please click the Apply Now link below.
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