2-3 months contract with a Local Authority Job Summary: To financially assess adults for social care services for both Residential and Community Care in accordance with the Care Act 2014 and Council policy and to provide financial support to vulnerable adults and their careers. To maximise the income of service users and the Council by providing advice and assistance on appropriate Welfare Benefits. To provide an effective, customer-focused support service to users of the Financial Assessment service, systems, and processes. A point of contact for colleagues and service users for queries. To ensure an integrated approach to Financial Assessments by assisting with the implementation of new technologies, methodologies, and processes that meet the needs of service users, customers, and client organisation. To work alongside Social Care colleagues and vulnerable service users, where significant emphasis is placed on providing expert advice in a pressured environment. To identify and investigate potential safeguarding issues that can be conducted in difficult circumstances and environments. Key Duties/Accountabilities (Sample): Responsible for the prompt and accurate production of client financial assessments and reassessments for Adult Social Care service users ensuring that financial regulations and statutory obligations are met through home visits, postal and email correspondence. This includes, where appropriate, identifying and recording Service Users' Disability Related Expenditure and seeking advice about such expenditure from Adult Social Care Team Managers and also investigating property issues where necessary. To maximise the service users and Council's income through advice and assistance, identifying customer benefits and assisting the service user with these claims. Investigate, respond to and resolve service requests and queries ensuring operational service priorities are met through ownership, adhering to agreed service standards, legislation and guidance and according to operational procedures. Escalate any complaints and potential safeguarding issues in accordance with the relevant procedures. Take responsibility and ownership on areas of the service where improvements could be made. Recognising and adapting to the changing needs of the service by making recommendations and implementing agreed changes to improve efficiency and the service provided. Support system implementations including conducting system testing and delivering training to staff on new system processes. Work as part of a team supporting your colleagues, mentoring Apprentices and Assistants to a high standard. Provide training to new Financial Assessment Officers as and when required to ensure high levels of standards are met. Work collaboratively on projects that support developments and improvements for the Financial Assessments service in a professional and positive way. Manage own workload, processing high quality information / data accurately and in a timely manner, ensuring that case notes are made and recorded to a high standard. Embed customer service excellence within the team through contributing to the design of customer focussed processes, active participation in team and one-to-one meetings Skills/Experience: Demonstrate a high level of numeracy and literacy. Demonstrate the ability to write clear and concise reports. Demonstrate the ability to work with internal and external stakeholders, in particular vulnerable adults, and their careers, to support the delivery of the Financial Assessments service in line with the annual service plan. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively both verbally (face to face and by telephone) and in writing, with vulnerable adults and their careers, to achieve desired outcomes. Be able to influence and negotiate when advising and supporting customers and service users. Demonstrate the ability to understand and interpret national legislation, policies, and guidance and to ensure processes remain compliant with national requirements. Demonstrate the ability to process data and financial information related to the Financial Assessments Service to support the production of management. Demonstrate the ability to motivate and mentor Apprentices and Assistants to provide staff development. Demonstrate the ability to travel to visit service users where appropriate. Demonstrate effective use of Office 365 (incl. Teams, OneDrive, etc.) or willingness to undertake training during the probation period. Demonstrate a Knowledge of the Care Act 2014 and Welfare Benefits le isolation. Demonstrate experience in working independently, scheduling and prioritising own work to meet service requirements. Demonstrate a proven customer service background with experience of conflict resolution negotiation and diplomacy skills. Demonstrate experience working in a customer-focused role and in a fast-paced environment. Safeguarding. Demonstrate an understanding of the safe working practices that apply to this role. Demonstrate the ability to work in a way that promotes the safety and well-being of vulnerable adults. Additional Information: Hybrid - 2-3 days per month in the office. The closing date: 20/12/24 17:00. Driving Licence required.