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This full-time, permanent position has a starting salary of £29,697 per annum based on a 36-hour working week.
Are you looking for a new and exciting role where every day presents an opportunity to touch people's lives in the most meaningful way?
We are excited to be hiring two new Registration Support Officers to join our fantastic Registration team in Guildford. The team is based at Guildford Register Office Artington House, 42 Portsmouth Road, Guildford although there will be occasions when you will be expected to work from other Surrey Register Offices.
If you're driven by providing exceptional customer service and have a passion for making a positive impact during life's most significant moments, then we have a perfect and unique opportunity for two empathetic and dedicated individuals to join our team where you will play a pivotal role in assisting our valued customers during their most memorable key life events.
Rewards and benefits
- 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
- Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
- An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
- Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
- Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
- A generous local government salary related pension
- Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
- 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
- Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
- Annual staff conference
- Opportunities to visit key stake holders as part of the enhanced training
About the team
Surrey County Council is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 1.2 million residents. The council is committed to delivering a service to be proud of and that makes a positive difference in people's lives.
Surrey Registration Service is an essential part of the council's community and plays a significant role in recording important life events that have legal significance. We are responsible for the registration of 18,000 births, 11,000 deaths and 3,500 civil marriages and partnerships occurring in the county of Surrey each year.
We are a friendly and supportive team who work out of the elegant mid-Victorian Artington House, which is located in a semi-rural location on the outskirts of Guildford. It is a multi-purpose building where we undertake statutory transactional services as well as being a ceremonies venue. We also have an out-station in the Surrey Heath Borough Council offices at Camberley that you will also work from.
Please note, the Registration Service is a statutory and customer facing service and there is no option for remote working in this role.
About the role
In this unique and rewarding role, your empathy and dedication will be essential in dealing with customers who may be going through emotionally charged situations when registering their key life events.
You will be required to deputise for the Registrars in registering births and deaths and completing the preliminaries to marriages and civil partnerships. As well as using bespoke Registration Systems, you will be required to use electronic diaries and booking systems and manage Excel accounts.
Your day-to-day duties might include:
- Interviewing parents and relatives after a birth or death
- Completing computerised and paper records
- Issuing birth, death and marriage certificates
- Liaising with the Coroner's office
- Collecting statistics to send to the General Register Office
- Taking payment for copies of certificates
- Keeping accurate records
You will be required to perform your day-to-day duties in accordance with the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953. Registration officers are personally responsible for their duties performed under this act and associated legislation. Any breach of this act and associated legislation committed by a Registration Officer, is a statutory offence.
As an employee of the council, you must work in line with our Data Governance policy and all associated policies, procedures and guidance for managing personal data and information. Any breach of this policy may result in disciplinary action.
Shortlisting Criteria
With the ability to operate within a team environment, as well as independently, you will have a proven ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of people. Although this role involves registering births, deaths and notices, previous experience of this is not required as full training will be given.
To be shortlisted for interview, your CV and personal statement will clearly evidence the following:
- Ability to relate to people from all backgrounds and cultures
- Tact, patience and empathy for dealing with people in emotive situations
- Ability to understand the legal nature of this role and to apply rules and laws
- A clear understanding that you will be accountable for your statutory responsibilities as a Registration Support Officer
- That you have clear and accurate handwriting
- Ability to work under pressure
- Strong administrative ability with a high standard of IT and keyboard skills
Surrey has both urban and rural areas and Registration Support Officers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.
Contact us
Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Avril Itani, Registration Area Manager / Superintendent Registrar at Guildford Register Office on 01483 518264 or via email at avril.itani@surreycc.gov.uk
The job advert closes at 23:59 on Sunday 26th May 2024 with interviews planned for week commencing 3rd June 2024.
We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit. If your application is shortlisted, you will be invited for an interview and technical assessment which will include an IT skills test.
A basic DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) will be required for this role.
Our values
Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values.
Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook also attached provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.
Our commitment
Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:
- The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
- The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form
Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.
