Clerical assistant

Caithness Voluntary Group; Wick; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

The Highland & Western Isles Valuation Joint Board is hiring a Clerical Assistant for their Wick office. The role requires managing public inquiries, handling clerical tasks, and dealing with sensitive information while ensuring a high-quality service. Candidates should possess excellent literacy and numeracy, alongside strong communication skills. The position offers a competitive salary with benefits including a pension scheme and generous leave entitlements.

Benefits

Local Government Pension Scheme

Generous leave package including annual and public holidays

Flexitime

Family friendly policies

Qualifications

• Experience of dealing directly with the public.
• Reliability and commitment to the department.
• Ability to work effectively to deadlines and own initiative.

Responsibilities

• Handle inquiries from the public via phone, email, and in person.
• Process electoral registration forms and maintain filing systems.
• Perform various clerical tasks, including operating in-house computer systems.

Skills

Good literacy

Good numeracy

Excellent communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Reliability

Education

Relevant qualification at SVQ level 2 or equivalent experience

Tools

MS Office applications

Job description

The Highland & Western Isles V A L U A T I O N J O I N T B O A R D
CLERICAL ASSISTANT

Salary - £22,859.20 - £24,388.00

Post: Clerical AssistantLocation: 3a Bridge Street, Wick, Caithness

Hours: 35 hours per weekGrade: GS1-2Salary: £22,859.20 rising to £24,388.00Contact: Fiona Gove ([e-mail]) 01463 383768 orJimmy McCarthy ([e-mail]) 01463 383756

Applications are invited for this full-time permanent post based in the Board’s office at 3a Bridge Street, Wick, Caithness, KW1 4AG.The Highland and Western Isles Valuation Joint Board is an independent public authority established by The Valuation JointBoards (Scotland) Order 1995.

We provide a professional valuation and electoral registration service for both Highland and Western Isles areas in respect of compilation and maintenance of the Valuation Roll, Valuation(Council Tax) Lists, and Registers of Electors. As part of a team, you will be required to carry out all clerical tasks associated with the post. You will also deal with enquiries from members of the public and others by letter, e-mail, on the telephone and at the public reception desk.

Good literacy and numeracy skills are essential along with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Experience of working in a business support environment is desirable.

Benefits of working for us include access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, a generous leave package including annual and public holidays, flexitime along with a range of other family friendly policies. The Highland and Western Isles Valuation Joint Board values diversity and offers equality of opportunity. All applicants will be considered fairly and on merit. As a disability confident employer, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria requirements for the post. Application form, job specification/person specification are available on our website www.highland.gov.uk/hwi-vjb (jobvacancies)


You will be required to undertake a basic Disclosure check.

Job PurposeTo undertake a range of clerical duties including daily database processing and dealing withenquiries from the public. The postholder will provide a high quality, efficient and effectiveservice to end users.Further InformationEach of the 32 local Councils within Scotland is a valuation authority and responsible forappointing an Assessor. The Assessor is responsible for assigning a value to properties for taxpurposes:• The Council Tax list records the Council Tax band of every home in Highland andWestern Isles• The Valuation Roll records the owners, occupiers and rateable values of businesspremisesThe Electoral Registration Officer compiles the Electoral Register which lists the names andaddresses of everyone registered to vote in all UK and Scottish Parliament elections and inLocal Government elections.The Highland & Western Isles Valuation Joint Board is made up of 10 elected members:• 8 from the Highland Council• 2 from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (The Western Isles Council)The Board appoints and is responsible for the administrative oversight of the Assessor andElectoral Registration Officer.2The successful applicant should be a team player by nature with good communication skills anda sound understanding of health and safety. Professionalism, self-motivation and an ability toproblem solve will be required in order to carry out the role. The successful applicant should actat all times with honesty, integrity and self-respect.Employees of the Highland & Western Isles Valuation Joint Board are required to undertake abasic Disclosure check. The successful applicant will be required to work overtime at times ofpeak pressure in order to meet work deadlines. This includes delivery of elections, the annualcanvass of electors and other key electoral projects.Salary placing will normally be at the first point of the scale.Employee BenefitsThe Highland & Western Isles Valuation Joint Board is committed to their employees and offersan excellent benefit package that can include:• Competitive salary with an incremental scale and annual pay review.• 21 days paid holiday plus 14 Public paid holidays (pro rata for part-time staff), rising to 26days paid holiday (pro rata for part-time staff) after 5 years continuous service at thecommencement of the next leave year.• Pension Scheme, including employer’s contribution of 17.5%.• For members of the Local Government Pension Scheme there is an opportunity to join theSalary Sacrifice Shared Cost AVC Scheme.• A genuine commitment to the health and wellbeing of our employees.• Family Friendly staff policies including Parental Leave.If you are interested in working for the Highland & Western Isles Valuation Joint Board andbeing part of a team providing a first-class service, please view the job description and personspecification below.1. Job Description – Key Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe post holder will carry out the following key duties and responsibilities:• Operate a range of in-house computer systems.• Carry out all clerical tasks associated with the post.• Deal with enquires from members of the public and others by letter and e-mail, on thetelephone and at the public reception desk.• Assist with maintenance of filing systems following appropriate Board policies.• Prepare, save and send letters, and other documents as required.• Process confidential, personal and sensitive information.• Open and deal with incoming mail.• Participate in special projects organised from time to time by senior staff.• Assist senior staff with updating of excel spreadsheets and word documents.• Promote and maintain a highly professional approach in dealing with the public.• Behave at all times with honesty, integrity and self-respect.• Process electoral registration forms including those arising from rolling registration andannual canvass.• Process valuation and council tax list changes in line with the Board’s statutory duties.32. Other DutiesYou may be required to perform duties appropriate to the post other than those given in jobdescription. The particular duties and responsibilities attached to the post may vary from timeto time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibilityentailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and would not in themselves justifyreconsideration of the grading. As a result of such variations, it may be necessary to updatethis job description from time to time.3. Person Specification – Essential Attributes• Good literacy and numeracy skills.• ICT skills including the use of MS Office applications.• Apply confidentiality appropriately, taking account of data protection.• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.• Able to work remotely as part of a team across multiple areas.• Experience of dealing directly with the public.• Reliability and commitment to the department.• Work effectively to deadlines, work on own initiative and as part of a team.• Be able to adapt to change.• Manage and prioritise constant and often conflicting demands.4. Person specification – Desirable Attributes• Good general education along with relevant qualification at SVQ level 2 or equivalentexperience.• Experience of working in a business support environment.• Knowledge of SharePoint would be advantageous.Candidates should demonstrate on their application how they meet the essential criteria.5. Health and SafetyHealth & Safety is an integral part of any role within the Highland & Western Isles ValuationJoint Board. As such we would expect that all employees:• Undertake a continual program of Risk Assessment in relation to their role.• Have an understanding of the importance of Health and Safety in the workplace andfamiliarise themselves with the Valuation Joint Board’s Health & Safety Procedures.6. Guaranteed Interview SchemeThe Highland and Western Isles Valuation Joint Board operates a guaranteed interview schemefor anyone who has a disability. You will be guaranteed an interview if you meet all theessential criteria as outlined in this job and person specification.

Closing date is Monday 23 rd June 2025.

Last edited by Bill Fernie; 07-Jun-25 at 12:36 .

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