West Northamptonshire Council has been on a dynamic journey of transformation since the change to become a unitary authority in April 2021. We have an exciting opportunity in our Debt and Money Advice team as a Debt and Welfare Benefits Officer. The team offers a full range of debt and benefit support to our residents including maximising income and reduce debt and budgeting advice.The successful candidate will be appointed to support the recent increase in demand due to the cost of living crisis to ensure that we can continue to deliver a valuable service to the residents of West Northamptonshire.The role is based at One Angel, with work at other offices as required, including offsite home visits.Our benefitsYou can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council.What will you be doing?Completing financial assessments to seek opportunities to maximise income and minimise expenditure for residents.Assisting with checking eligibility for benefits, completing forms and supporting residents with the appeals process all the way through to court representation where necessary.Exploring an extensive range of debt options for residents and support with executing those debt options.Negotiating and liaising with creditorsLiaising with internal and external partners to ensure full support for residents.Record outcomes and a comprehensive account of work completed on our software system.About youAn in-depth knowledge of welfare benefits and/or debt advice casework as well as the ability to understand and explain complicated government legislation is vital to this role. Excellent communication, negotiation and advocacy skills are essential.You will also be able to demonstrate the ability to work both as part of a team and flexibly, on your own initiative.Skills and experience needed:A suitable recognised qualification in debt advice or welfare benefits or qualified by experience.A high degree of numeracy and literacy skills.Good interpersonal skills.About us At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring 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.Our vision 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. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what it's like to work at West Northants Council https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partnerThe following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us. If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.West Northants Council, where careers thrive.
