Direct Payment Officer - Set-Up

In the Direct Payments Set-up Team, we work to arrange Direct Payments for vulnerable adults who live with a variety of challenges such as physical disabilities, learning disabilities, mental ill-health, old age frailty and cognitive deterioration, including dementia. These payments allow them to pay for the support they arrange to meet their care needs.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.
The team works with Social Care Professionals (including Social Workers, Occupational Therapists and Mental Health Teams), the external Care Personal Assistants market and other internal departments including Commissioning and Finance.
We pride ourselves on making sure Direct Payments are accurate and are received in a timely way and are looking for someone with the right skills and enthusiasm. Attention to detail and good interpersonal skills are essential qualities we are looking for.
The role requires a person who is committed to working on behalf of vulnerable people, ensuring they receive high quality and safe services to meet their care needs.
About the role
We are looking for a motivated individual who has the desire to continuously improve our Direct Payments offer and drive up the number of people in Reading who meet their care needs via a Direct Payment. 
In this role you will be explaining to vulnerable adults or their representative how a Direct Payment works and what their responsibilities towards this are. This may be on the phone or on occasions at a home visit.
You will be providing expert advice on Direct Payments to Social Care professionals to assist them with their assessment and review processes.
Strong IT and numeracy skills are essential to this role. Part of the role is to verify personal budgets and generate payments through our social Care database.
The team works with our colleagues in the Commissioning Team. You will be required to gather and analyse information to share with colleagues, to help us develop the Direct Payments service we can offer to the residents of Reading.
 

You will have the benefit of working in a well-established and very supportive team. You will receive regular supervisions and training to help you develop your professional skills.  Previous experience of working in a similar role would be desirable however not essential as training will be given.
We are open to flexible working patterns and can provide a hybrid working environment which utilises the best of both worlds with a mix of office working in central Reading and homeworking according to the needs of the Service.
You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.
Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:
Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed
 

Our offer
A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• Maternity, adoption, parental and sick pay
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities 
• Access to a range of training and learning opportunities to help you develop
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years.  The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
• Salary sacrifice scheme for Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) to help you save for your retirement
   

If you would like to know more about this role, please contact Steve Saunders on (phone number removed) or Cliff Clynch on (phone number removed).
 

Closing date: Wednesday 31st January 2024
Interview date: TBC
 

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.