Assessment Officer

TAMESIDE COUNCIL; Tameside; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Tameside Council is seeking an Assessment Officer to join the Adults Client Finance team. You will undertake financial assessments, determine client contributions toward care costs, support invoicing and debt recovery, and act as Appointee or Deputy where required.

Working 36 hours per week in Ashton-under-Lyne, the role is permanent with a salary of £29,071 to £31,525. The post is customer-facing and requires good communication and careful handling of sensitive information.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting customers, service users or their representatives in a professional and equitable manner.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to provide advice and guidance confidently and sensitively.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working effectively within a team.
• Ability to organise, prioritise and manage a varied workload.

Responsibilities

• Completing financial assessments in line with legislation, national guidance and local policies.
• Advising service users, families and representatives on care charging processes.
• Supporting debt collection and recovery activities.
• Preparing documentation relating to Deferred Payment Agreements.
• Managing and monitoring service users' finances where the Council acts as Appointee or Deputy.
• Applying to the Department for Work and Pensions and Court of Protection where appropriate.
• Maximising income through benefits, discounts and exemptions.
• Maintaining accurate financial records and managing online banking accounts.
• Building positive relationships with service users, families, colleagues and partner organisations.
• Visiting service users in their homes when required.

Skills

Customer support

Communication skills

Advising others

Analytical thinking

Teamwork

Organisation

Professional standards

Independent work

Education

GCSEs including English & Maths

Job description

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: Grade E. Scale 11 - £29,071 to Scale 16 - £31,525

Hours Per Week: 36

Base Location: Tameside One, Market Place, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6BH

Assessment Date: To be arranged

We are looking for a motivated and compassionate Assessment Officer to join our Adults Client Finance team. This is a rewarding and varied role that combines financial assessment, customer support, debt recovery, and appointeeship/deputyship responsibilities to help ensure vulnerable residents receive the financial support and protection they need.

About the Role

As an Assessment Officer, you will undertake financial assessments, determine client contributions towards care costs, support invoicing and debt recovery processes, and help manage the finances of vulnerable residents where the Council acts as an Appointee or Deputy.

Key responsibilities include:

• Completing financial assessments in line with legislation, national guidance and local policies.
• Advising service users, families and representatives on care charging processes.
• Supporting debt collection and recovery activities.
• Preparing documentation relating to Deferred Payment Agreements.
• Managing and monitoring service users' finances where the Council acts as Appointee or Deputy.
• Applying to the Department for Work and Pensions and Court of Protection where appropriate.
• Maximising income through benefits, discounts and exemptions.
• Maintaining accurate financial records and managing online banking accounts.
• Building positive relationships with service users, families, colleagues and partner organisations.
• Visiting service users in their homes when required.

About You

We're looking for someone who is customer-focused, organised and committed to delivering a high-quality service.

You will have:

Essential Qualifications

• A minimum of 4 GCSEs (or equivalent), including English Language and Mathematics.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Experience supporting customers, service users or their representatives in a professional and equitable manner.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to provide advice and guidance confidently and sensitively.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working effectively within a team.
• Ability to organise, prioritise and manage a varied workload.
• A commitment to high professional standards, equality, integrity and excellent customer service.
• Ability to work independently and use initiative.

About Us

At Tameside, we are committed to ensuring all our Citizens lead long, fulfilling and healthy lives. We are committed to supporting economic growth, providing high quality health and care services, protecting our most vulnerable and creating strong and supportive, self-sufficient communities.

We recognise that our people drive our success and enable the organisation to deliver on its vision, purpose and priorities, and that our people are our most important resource and asset. Our values underpin our practice and behaviours and are at the heart of everything that we do; and we understand that how we do things is just as important as what we do. We pride ourselves on living by our STRIVE values of Support, Trust, Respect, Integrity, Value Diversity and Engage. Our values underpin our practice and behaviours and are at the heart of everything that we do. How we do things are just as important as what we do.

Our employees’ skills, experience and knowledge are essential to our success along with their happiness, wellbeing, commitment, enthusiasm and motivation to be the best they can be.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. This position is subject to Basic Disclosure Procedures.

This post is a designated customer facing role under the fluency duty and requires a specified level of spoken English.

Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship.

We are committed to developing a culture which respects individuals, appreciates difference and allows everyone regardless of background to reach their full potential. We are proud to be an accredited disability confident employer. Reasonable Adjustments will be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the Job Role Criteria.

Our rewards and benefits package can be viewed here

We have made a commitment to improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers, carers, and ex-military personnel. Please click here for more information on our guaranteed assessment scheme.

For further information about this role please contact Sheri Clarke, Operations Manager on sher i?