Financial assessor

Thrive Oldham are currently recruiting a Financial Assessor in the Blackburn and Darwen Area 1. PURPOSE OF THE JOB To support the management and leadership of the People Transaction Finance Team providing cover for the Team Leaders as and when required. To assist the Senior Team Lead and Team Lead in providing a robust and efficient delivery of financial services to providers and service users of Social Services. To assist with the implementation of new ways of working and best practise to drive efficiency throughout the transactional finance team. Develop and train team members in line with business requirements. Resource management to ensure business continuity for key activities is maintained across the team. To provide a robust and efficient delivery of Finance Administration for the Transaction team ensuring accurate and timely recording of data within information systems. To develop and maintain accurate reconciliations of financial systems to ensure robustness and integrity of records together with a sound audit trail of transactions within the Adult Social Care System (Mosaic) and the finance system (Civica). 2. MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY To assist in the management of the Transaction Finance Team to maintain high professional standards and a quality Finance Administration Service advising Line Managers on key financial issues affecting the team. Carry out financial assessments for Adult Social Care Clients to assess their ability to pay towards the cost of their care, and to ensure their benefit entitlements are maximised. Promote the team #39;s activities and engage Social Services teams through regular cross cutting meetings. Arrange and conduct home visits in order to access and calculate financial assessments for residential and non-residential clients in an accurate and timely manner. Ensuring client benefits are maximised through the assessment, by completing the relevant checks and application forms. Support the Team Leader to maintain detailed records of all charges secured against client properties and any Deferred Payment Agreements entered into between the Council and Clients in accordance with the authority #39;s obligations under the Care Act 2014. Provision of information, advice and guidance on the Deferred Payments Scheme, to work alongside the Team Leader to set-up and maintain records of Deferred Payment Agreements (DPAs) with Adult Service clients on behalf of the authority, in accordance with emerging legislation and current accounting standards and practice including the maintenance of DPA administration and interest charges and provision of periodic statements on the DPA account for the service user or their financial representative.. Support the Senior Team Leader in the review and implementation of key policy and procedure developments for Deferred Payment Agreements (DPAs) including on line systems within the local authority. Report suspected financial abuse to direct line management as soon as possible and in a sensitive manner. Ensure working knowledge of client benefits is current and in line with latest developments. Accurately update the computerised financial information system with details of completed financial assessments, as well as any other information relating to clients, providers and other related issues. Assist with co-ordinating the Council #39;s register of death records ensuring they are accurately recorded and processed through the information system in a timely manner. Review tasks to ensure all processes required through expenditure and commissioning have been completed to required deadlines. Maintain accurate reconciliations of financial systems to ensure robustness and integrity of records. Ensure notification of changes in information systems from the Transactions finance team has been actioned and authorised in accordance with Council #39;s policies and procedures. Supervision and appraisal planning in line with the Council #39;s policy and guidelines. Identifying key training needs as and when required. Effective sickness monitoring, ensuring return to work interviews are conducted in a timely manner and within the Council #39;s policy. Assist with the regular review of team workloads and proactively resource/ manage key activities. Participate in regular individual and team meetings agreeing priorities and sharing of information on key business activities and issues with People Services and the wider Council. 3. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS ABILITIES include specific ESSENTIAL qualifications needed. Qualifications English and Mathematics GCE or equivalent relevant qualification It would be desirable to be a Member of/Working towards a professional accountancy body (CCAB), AAT qualification or equivalent. Knowledge Experience Experience of working within a finance environment, it would be desirable to be within the are of Social Services within the Public Sector Analysis and interpretation of financial information Working successfully to tight deadlines Excellent communication and people skills including face to face interactions with members of the public It would be helpful to have experience of supervising staff, workload planning together with technical and soft skill training to enhance team #39;s ability to optimise performance. A good working knowledge of IT packages including Microsoft Office. A good working knowledge of the ASC financial system is desirable. It would be desirable to have knowledge and understanding of the range of services provided by local authorities and associated accounting issues together with knowledge of social care financial policy and procedure and of central and local government legislation in relation to charging and costing of packages of client care Skills Ability High quality interpersonal skills including good oral and written communication skills. Ability to deliver work accurately within tight deadlines using initiative and developing new ideas Strong analytical and interpretation skills Ability to work effectively in a Team understanding problems and offering constructive and practical solutions GBP14.91 - GBP16.63 7.4 Hours over 5 days