- Suffolk County Council – Beacon House, Ipswich, IP1 5PB - Hybrid
- £27,711 per annum (pro rata if part time)
- 37 hours per week - Flexible working options available
- Permanent
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Suffolk County Council (SCC) Emergency Duty Service (Out of Hours Team) as an Emergency Duty Service Coordinator. This role can be worked from home with the requirement to be in the office for training and team meetings (Beacon House).
- Would you like to work in an incredibly varied, challenging and rewarding role?
- Are you passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of children and adults in Suffolk?
Your role and responsibilities
You'll be the first point of contact for social care enquiries relating to Suffolk residents, including Adult Services, Children and Young People’s services and Mental Health referrals. There are various contact channels which you will be expected to manage (telephone and email) and multi-task while providing exceptional customer service.
You will be responsible for dealing with a wide range of people with a variety of queries and demands of differing complexity. Some contacts will be from vulnerable individuals and the post holder will be expected to use their skills and knowledge to support customers to achieve the best outcome, in line with Suffolk’s organisational values, drivers and operating models.
If successful, you will be responsible for a seamless transition between day and night services enabling the Council to fulfil its statutory duties to vulnerable adults, children, and families.
This a great opportunity for anyone wanting to gain experience within Social Care, with the opportunity to develop knowledge and support those in the community.
You will
- act as the first port of call for the public for enquiries relating to children and families, vulnerable adults & mental health concerns and for professionals in accessing social care services both in and out of hours
- communicate effectively with customers by demonstrating listening skills and using appropriate questioning techniques to promptly and accurately identify the reason for the customer contacting social care
- maintain effective use of customer information systems and databases to ensure high quality and accurate recording and data quality
- work quickly and effectively to ensure information is passed to the appropriate team or worker as soon as possible.
You will need
- good level of literacy and numeracy skills
- relevant compute literacy (Explorer, Chrome, Word, Excel, Outlook)
- excellent customer service skills.
You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (docx). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.
The team
The Emergency Duty Service is an out of hours service that works as a team to support one another, we work together to ensure a high standard service is achieved. We have a variety of individuals within the team at differing stages in their careers and we can support career development opportunities.
We will offer an in-depth training plan, both online and face to face. You will be supported by a mentor throughout the start of employment as well as direct line manager.
Out of hours shifts
The Emergency Duty Service is a team that works out of hours and includes shifts that cover evenings, weekends, and overnights. You do not need to be able to complete all shifts listed below. Your availability or preference for specific shifts can be discussed at interview.
Monday – Thursday:
17:00 – 22:00
17:30 – 23:00
23:00 – 08:00 (overnight, 20% additional pay for hours 12am – 6am)
Friday:
16:00 – 22:00
22:00 – 07:00 (overnight, 20% additional pay for hours 12am – 6am)
Saturday / Sunday:
07:00 – 12:00
08:00 – 13:00
12:00 – 18:00
13:00 – 18:00
18:00 – 22:00
22:00 – 07:00 (overnight, 20% additional pay for hours 12am – 6am)
Shifts worked on bank holidays will receive an enhanced rate.
Training
The ideal training environment is 1 to 1, office-based training therefore you would be expected to complete a mixture of training shifts both office and home based. Training can be offered over a mixture of daytime, evening, overnight and weekend shifts however there is flexibility based on the your availability.
Once training is complete, the role is hybrid with the expectation of coming into the office base for occasional shifts, training, and team meetings.
Empowering Everyone
We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.
For more information
Please contact Kelvin Padmore for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01473 263140 or emailing Kelvin.Padmore@suffolk.gov.uk
How to apply
Step 1: Read the advert and the Job and Person Profile (docx)
Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.
Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template.
1. What skills and qualities do you feel you have that will make you successful at this role?
2. What does good Customer Service look like to you and can you provide an example of a time you have provided good customer service?
3. Can you think of a time where you have had to deal with a difficult or stressful situation, how did you handle this and what was the outcome?
Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details).
Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.
We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.
Closing date: 11.30pm, 6 January 2025.
Interview date: W/C 14 January 2025.
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid
As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.
In return, you’ll enjoy:
up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
diverse and active staff networks
flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day
Plus lots more!
If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .