Benefit Support Officer

Overview

Coventry City Council value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

The Revenues Service is a large team of more than 60 people working together to collect £340 million of corporate revenue to help the Council provide vital services to Coventry residents. From council tax to business rates to invoices for stalls at the Godiva Festival, the team performs a range of roles to ensure Coventry City Council provide excellent services to residents and internal council departments, maximizing the collection of public funds.

Coventry City Council's team interacts with every one of Coventry’s 140,000 residential properties and 9,000 commercial properties, challenging those who can pay and don’t, while supporting vulnerable residents find a way out of debt.

Coventry City Council's Values:

• Open and fair: Coventry City Council is fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: Coventry City Council help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: Coventry City Council talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: Coventry City Council embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: Coventry City Council work together to deliver the best services for Coventry City Council's residents.
• Value and respect: Coventry City Council put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all Coventry City Council do.

Job Role:

The Benefits Service is responsible for the assessment of Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Free School Meals, and Discretionary Grants. Coventry City Council is looking to recruit a Benefits Support Officer to join Coventry City Council's department.

Working closely with the Benefits, Hostel, and Overpayment Teams will be the initial focus. Duties include obtaining information for benefit claims and indexing documents onto Coventry City Council's internal electronic system, handling and analyzing large amounts of data accurately and efficiently. The role involves tracing and establishing appropriate methods of recovery for overpayments.

The successful candidate will handle information subject to the Data Protection Act.

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; appointment will be conditional upon a satisfactory police records check via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Who Coventry City Council is Looking For:

Applicants should be able to work independently and with a high degree of accuracy. Experience with various computer systems, including Microsoft packages, is essential.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate a need for confidentiality and a non-judgmental approach when dealing with customers, possessing excellent customer service skills.

Application Requirements:

• Awareness of Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Universal Credit & Free School Meals
• Experience of dealing with a wide range of people to handle and resolve enquiries
• Ability to prioritize own workload, work flexibly, and respond to changing priorities
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver team objectives
• IT skills, including Microsoft Office packages (Word, Outlook, Excel)
• Experience of handling customer inquiries over the phone

For assistance with your application, please visit Coventry City Council's accessibility page.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme: Coventry City Council offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups meeting minimum requirements. Qualifying criteria include:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Individuals currently in care or have previously been in care
• Individuals considering themselves disabled or with a long-term health condition

Interview dates: 7th & 8th November 2024

About Coventry: Coventry has a proud, innovative, and creative spirit, bringing communities together for social change. Coventry City Council's commitment is to recruit and develop talented people focused on customer service and community impact.

If you join Coventry City Council, Coventry City Council offer a fantastic rewards and benefits package.