We are looking to recruit 2 x Welfare Assistance Officers to join our Benefits & Welfare Team and help us administer the Household Support Fund and crisis support. Both posts are fixed term for 24 months however they may be extended if funding allows.
We can offer you a hybrid working arrangement where for the most part you will be working from home but can also access the council’s offices, and you will be expected to take part in drop-in sessions held by local partners and agencies. We recognise and value the importance of supporting our employees to balance their home and work life and to be able to work in the most efficient way.
As well as flexible working we offer an exceptional range of employee benefits including an unrivalled Pension Scheme, cycle to work scheme, eye care voucher scheme, all-inclusive membership of our 6 leisure centres, green travel discounts, access to discounts and corporate benefits through Wider Wallet, long service awards and 23 days holiday per year, plus public holidays and 3 extra days (normally taken at Christmas).
About you
You will be experienced in working in a customer focused role and comfortable talking to people about sensitive subjects. A confident decision maker, you will be able to prioritise your workload and remain calm under pressure. You will make sure that accurate financial records are maintained and that your decisions are clearly communicated and recorded.
About the role
As a Welfare Assistance Officer you will be dealing with customers in need of additional financial support. This will include online and telephone applications made through specific schemes such as the Household Support Fund as well as cases identified through other areas of the team’s work. You will be focused on understanding the customers’ needs and providing the most appropriate help to them. Working with colleagues across the council and from external groups supporting our customers, you will aim to resolve short term essential needs and identify opportunities to make customers more resilient in the future. With access to sensitive customer data, the post holder will be required to undertake pre-employment checks to satisfy the Baseline Personnel Security Standard.
About the team
The Benefits & Welfare team run the statutory benefits schemes for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support. These deliver vital help to thousands of low income households across the city. For those households that need extra help, we also have a number of discretionary support schemes. These can vary based on the funding available, with the current focus being on helping with the cost of living crisis.
What next?
If we sound like the right fit for you and you feel like the right fit for us we would welcome your application.
Alternatively if you would like to find out more about the post, the team or working with us at the Council please contact Chris Buckman, Benefits & Welfare Lead, by calling 01392 265703 or via email at chris.buckman@exeter.gov.uk
We reserve the right to close any vacancy before the closing date if enough applications are received.
Our commitment
At Exeter City Council we are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve.
To support this commitment we will strive to implement reasonable adjustments to support any members of our communities who face barriers in recruitment processes, irrespective of the reason.
We are also proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
If you would like further information on this please contact our HR Team at hr.admin@exeter.gov.uk
