Southend on Sea City Council is a Unitary local authority, providing vital services to meet the needs of the local community. We employ around 1,800 staff who are working alongside our partners and local communities to deliver the city vision and make lives better for the people of Southend. Working for Southend on Sea City Council offers a challenging and rewarding career in local government within a collaborative and innovate environment, with the benefit of flexible working practices to support a positive work life balance. As a Unitary Authority we are responsible for all local government functions ranging from social services, transport, public health and parks through to planning, trading standards, community safety and education, so we offer a wide range of career opportunities. The diversity of our economy and communities and investment in a number of exciting regeneration projects makes our Council a great place to work, learn and make a difference. The Court of Protection Team works to protect the finances for vulnerable adults in Southend. We act on instruction from the Court of Protection and Department for Work and Pensions in receiving and paying out money and also protecting property and belongings. The ideal candidate will be able to use their initiative to work pro-actively in the team and have experience of working in an accounting role. The officer will assess and manage the finances for allocated people using the online banking system, reconciling payments as well as investigating and resolving payments received in the suspense account. The role also includes the administration and monitoring of spend on pre-paid card accounts, benefit applications and managing the assets of allocated people, management and settlement of Deceased Estates. To be successful in this role, it is essential that you have good levels of numeracy and literacy having worked in an accounting role and possess the ability to analyse financial data. You need to have strong communication and interpersonal skills as you will be liaising with various stakeholders. You need to be able to work on your own as well as be part of a team and you must be able to manage your own workload. Full driving licence and use of a car will be required for attending meetings and visiting properties to collect personal possessions. Previous experience of internet banking is highly desirable in this role. When joining the council, you can enjoy a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave, flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities. They are committed to ensuring that you are supported in this varied and challenging role with the appropriate level of training. A full list of benefits provided by Southend Council can be viewed on the "Why Work For Us?" tab. If you are interested in this role, please click 'apply online' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV. If you would like a copy of either the Job Description or Person Specification emailed to yourself, please click here Please note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above so you are advised to apply as soon as you are able to. All applicants for this role will require an enhanced DBS check. The Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age or religion or belief.