Emergency Response Officer - Fixed-term

Bracknell Forest Council; Bracknell; Hybrid; GBP 34,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity awaits as an Emergency Response Officer at a forward-thinking council. This role is crucial in ensuring the safety and support of residents through a person-centred approach. You will manage emergency calls and provide personal care, making a significant impact on the lives of vulnerable individuals. Join a dynamic team dedicated to excellence in emergency response, where every day brings new challenges and rewards. If you are compassionate, calm under pressure, and eager to make a difference, this position is perfect for you. Embrace the chance to contribute to your community in a meaningful way.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Opportunity to buy/sell annual leave

Hybrid working opportunities

Life insurance cover

Enhanced parental leave

Career development opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounted gym membership

Qualifications

• Ability to remain calm under pressure while delivering exceptional customer service.
• Experience in emergency response and personal care assistance.

Responsibilities

• Manage emergency alarm calls and respond to personal care requests.
• Monitor community lifeline alarms and ensure safety of staff.

Skills

Customer Service

Emergency Response

Compassionate Communication

Crisis Management

Job description

£34,072 - £35,020 FTE (inclusive of £706 London Weighting)

Location:

Contract:

Temporary

Working Pattern:

Full Time

Hours:

37 hours per week.

DBS Check:

Closing Date:

17/02/2025 at 23:59

Reference:

People/25/303732

Fixed-term contract or secondment opportunity for internal staff: until 30th September 2025.

We are delighted to announce an exciting opportunity for a fixed-term Emergency Response Officer position at Forestcare. Based in our fast-paced control centre, this role is integral to ensuring our customers feel safe and supported through a person-centred approach. The key responsibilities include managing emergency alarm calls from lifeline customers, responding to emergency personal care calls and handling out-of-hours telephone calls. With the variety this role offers, you will play a vital part in delivering emergency assistance to residents across multiple authorities and organisations.

About the team...

Forestcare's mission is to achieve excellence in the delivery of a new and enhanced 24-hour emergency response to vulnerable people in crisis living in Bracknell as well as to others within Berkshire. We strongly believe in person-centred care. We therefore strive to enable our customers to live independently, supported and cared for at their time of greatest need.

At Forestcare, every day is different. In our dynamic office environment, our team members provide care and support to over 30,000 service users from all walks of life. The decisions you make will directly impact the quality of life for many people on a daily basis. The level of support varies with each call - whether it is something as simple as ensuring a person’s carers arrive on time or you may need to action the emergency services to assist a customer in the midst of a crisis.

Key responsibilities...

• Monitoring community lifeline alarms and residents’ alarms in sheltered accommodation.
• Monitor Lone Worker alarms to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff working within Bracknell Forest Council and other local authorities.
• Be the contact point for Bracknell Forest Council, and partner agencies, for emergencies outside of normal office hours.
• Respond to emergency homecare requests and provide personal care and assistance in the individuals' own homes.
• Participate in all appropriate internal/external training as identified through the supervision and appraisal system and utilise the skills and knowledge gained to improve services to individuals.

This role requires flexibility and willingness to attend to clients in the community, as well as being a first responder to ensure the safety and security of council property. Forestcare staff assist customers who have fallen within the community and are responsible for maintaining lifesaving equipment for vulnerable individuals in their homes. At times, our service users need extra support to live independently and manage daily challenges. Staff at Forestcare attend and assist people during their greatest time of need.

We are looking for someone who can remain calm under pressure while delivering exceptional customer service. A polite, compassionate telephone manner is essential. The ideal candidate will go the extra mile to ensure our customers are always satisfied.

Benefits...

• 25 days* increasing to 28 days* after 3 years’ continuous service.
• The opportunity to buy up to 10 additional days* annual leave per year and sell 5 days.
• Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.
• An inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks.
• Life insurance cover (linked to the pension scheme)
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.
• Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits such as annual leave entitlements, occupational maternity/paternity leave, and more. (Terms and Conditions apply – please refer to candidate pack for more information.)
• Career development through internal and external training opportunities.
• A great office location next to travel links and Bracknell Forest’s thriving town centre.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing.
• Sports and Social Club.
• Discounted leisure centre and gym membership.

Our Values

At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you’re excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we’d love to hear from you.

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting [e-mail]. We will work with you to support you throughout the process.

Interview date

Interviews will be held on Friday, 28th February 2025.

Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.

We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.

Want to ask us a question?

For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:

Name: Kevin May

Phone Number: 01344786500

At Bracknell Forest we champion equality, diversity and inclusion. At Bracknell Forest Council, we are always learning, ambition and inclusive. Please see our candidate pack for more details.

Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.

Any successful internal candidate will be offered the position as a secondment and, in line with Section 8.1 of the Secondment Policy, must consult with their manager before applying.

We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.

Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.

No agencies please.

Bracknell Forest Council – Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.

How to apply

Please apply online via the link provided.