Financial Assessment Officer – AR

Carrington Blake Recruitment; Northampton; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority is seeking a Financial Assessment Officer to evaluate financial situations for Adult Social Care services. The role emphasizes providing support to vulnerable adults and requires strong numerical, communicative, and mentoring skills. Responsibilities include conducting assessments, maximizing benefits for clients, and ensuring compliance with regulations. Located in Northampton, this position is pivotal to enhancing the financial wellbeing of service users.

Qualifications

• Demonstrate a high level of numeracy and literacy.
• Proficient in writing reports clearly.
• Ability to engage with vulnerable adults for service delivery.
• Effective communication both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to interpret legislation and ensure compliance.
• Experience in processing financial data for management reports.
• Ability to mentor and motivate staff.
• Willingness to travel to service users.
• Competence in Office 365 or willingness to learn.

Responsibilities

• Produce client financial assessments for Adult Social Care.
• Maximise income for users and Council through benefits advice.
• Resolve service requests, adhering to service standards.
• Identify and implement service improvements.
• Support system implementations and train staff.
• Mentor Apprentices and new Financial Assessment Officers.
• Collaborate on projects within the assessment service.
• Manage workload and maintain high-quality information.
• Embed customer service excellence in team processes.

Skills

High numeracy and literacy

Clear and concise report writing

Stakeholder engagement

Effective communication

Understanding of legislation

Data processing

Mentoring skills

Travel for service user visits

Office 365 proficiency

Education

GCSE level, NVQ Level 2 or related experience

Full Driving Licence

Job description

Job description and person specification

Financial Assessment Officer

Finance Operations, Commissioning and Performance

Thank you for your interest in this role. Our vision at West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is: ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality, and at WNC it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bring new ideas, demand better ways of working, care about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge.

Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people. When potential is unlocked, talent thrives.

Purpose and impact

To financially assess adults for social care services for both Residential and Community Care in accordance with the Care Act 2014 and Council policy and to provide financial support to vulnerable adults and their carers. To maximise the income of service users and the Council by providing advice and assistance on appropriate Welfare Benefits.

To provide an effective, customer focused support service to users of the Financial Assessment service, systems, and processes. A point of contact for colleagues and service users for queries.

To ensure an integrated approach to Financial Assessments through assisting with the implementation of new technologies, methodologies and processes that meet the needs of service users, customers, and client organisation.

To work alongside Social Care colleagues and vulnerable service users in a hospital setting, where significant emphasis is placed on providing expert advice in a pressured environment.

To identify and investigate potential safeguarding issues which can be conducted in difficult circumstances and environments.

Accountable to: This role is accountable to the Financial Assessment Team Leader and Client Funds Manager. The role sits within Finance Operations Service, part of the Commissioning and Performance Directorate in West Northamptonshire Council.

Responsibilities

1. Responsible for the prompt and accurate production of client financial assessments and reassessments for Adult Social Care service users ensuring that financial regulations and statutory obligations are met through home visits, postal and telephone correspondence. This includes, where appropriate, identifying and recording Service Users’ Disability Related Expenditure and seeking advice about such expenditure from Adult Social Care Team Managers and also investigating property issues and establishing eligibility for Deferred Payment Applications.
2. To maximise the service users and Council’s income through advice and assistance, identifying customer benefits and assisting the service user with these claims.
3. Investigate, respond to and resolve service requests and queries ensuring operational service priorities are met through ownership, adhering to agreed service standards, legislation and guidance and according to operational procedures. Escalate any complaints and potential safeguarding issues in accordance with the relevant procedures.
4. Take responsibility and ownership on areas of the service where improvements could be made. Recognising and adapting to the changing needs of the service by making recommendations and implementing agreed changes to improve efficiency and the service provided.
5. Support system implementations including conducting system testing and delivering training to staff on new system processes.
6. Work as part a team supporting your colleagues, mentoring Apprentices and Assistants to a high standard. Provide training to new Financial Assessment Officers as and when required to ensure high levels of standards are met.
7. Work collaboratively on projects that support developments and improvements for the Financial Assessments service in a professional and positive way.
8. Manage own workload, processing high quality information / data accurately and in a timely manner, ensuring that case notes are made and recorded to a high standard.
9. Embed customer service excellence within the team through contributing to the design of customer focussed processes, active participation in one-to-one meetings / the PADP process and own behaviours.

Safeguarding commitment

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults. We require you to understand and demonstrate this commitment.

Person specification

The requirements for the role are outlined below and will be part of the selection process. Each of the criteria listed below will be measured by:

• (A) Application Form
• (T) Test
• (I) Interview
• (P) Presentation
• (D) Documentation

Minimum levels of knowledge, skills experience and qualifications required for this job.

Skills and abilities

• Demonstrate a high level of numeracy and literacy.
• Demonstrate the ability to write clear and concise reports Essential A, I
• Demonstrate the ability to work with internal and external stakeholders, in particular vulnerable adults, and their carers, to support the delivery of the Financial Assessments service in line with the annual service plan Essential A, I
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively both verbally (face to face and by telephone) and in writing, in particular with vulnerable adults and their carers, to achieve desired outcomes. Be able to influence and negotiate when advising and supporting customers and service users Essential A, I
• Demonstrate the ability to understand and interpret national legislation, policies, and guidance and to ensure processes remain compliant with national requirements Essential A, I
• Demonstrate the ability to process data and financial information related to the Financial Assessments Service to support the production of management reports Essential A, I
• Demonstrate the ability to motivate and mentor Apprentices and Assistants to provide staff development. Desirable A, I
• Demonstrate the ability to travel to visit service users where appropriate Essential A, I
• Demonstrate effective use of Office 365 (incl. Teams, OneDrive, etc.) or willingness to undertake training during the probation period. Essential A, I

Knowledge

• Demonstrate a Knowledge of the Care Act 2014 and Welfare Benefit legislation Desirable A, I

Relevant experience

• Demonstrate experience of working independently scheduling and prioritising own work to meet service requirements Essential A, I
• Demonstrate a proven customer service background with experience of conflict resolution, negotiation, and diplomacy skills Essential A, I
• Demonstrate experience of working in a customer focused role and in a fast-paced environment. Essential A, I
• Safeguarding. Demonstrate an understanding of the safe working practices that apply to this role. Demonstrate the ability to work in a way that promotes the safety and well-being of children and young people/vulnerable adults. Essential A, I

Education, training, and work qualifications

• Educated to GCSE level, NVQ Level 2 or experience gained in similar or related working environment Essential A, I, D
• Full Driving Licence Essential A, D

All appointments are subject to standard pre‑employment screening. This will include identity, references, proof of right to work in the UK, medical clearance, and verification of certificates. Additional pre‑employment checks specific to this role include Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.