Senior Financial Inclusion Officer

Job Title: Senior Financial Inclusion Officer

Location: Leeds

Salary: £33,118 plus Essential Car User Allowance based on the emissions of your vehicle

Job Type: Permanent, Full time

The closing date for this role is noon on Monday 3rd April 2023

Interviews will take place on: Thursday 13th April 2023

Leeds Federated is a housing association with around 4,300 properties across Leeds, Wakefield and North Yorkshire. Our mission is to enable the maximum number of people to access and live sustainably in good value, affordable housing.

About the role:

The Senior Financial Inclusion Officer's role is to provide in-depth specialist advice to customers on welfare benefit appeals and assist with the completion of mandatory reconsiderations. Where required the Senior Financial Inclusion Officer will attend appeal hearings to support customers through this process. The Senior Financial Inclusion Officer also plays an integral part in our arrears recovery policy, providing advice and assistance to customers at risk of court action and operates on an internal referral basis, working with customers identified by colleagues as being at risk of debt or financial exclusion. The Senior Financial Inclusion Officer will also have a role in delivering our wider policy objectives in relation to affordable warmth, co-ordinating our approach to the advice element of this work. The Senior Financial Inclusion Officer has a key responsibility in ensuring that our customers receive a high quality service, are kept well informed, and have a relationship with the organisation that is based on trust and mutual respect.

The Senior Financial Inclusion Officer works closely with other members of the Area Teams to maximise the performance of our assets while achieving high levels of customer satisfaction and tenancy and neighbourhood sustainability.

Key Duties include:

• Provide advice, information and support to customers on all aspects of money management
• Contribute to minimising arrears of rent and other charges through consistent application of the Association's policies
• Supports the financial wellbeing of customers and maximises the Association's income through effective preventative activity and communication with customers
• Supports the wellbeing of customers by engaging tenancy support, reducing fuel poverty and promoting energy efficiency
• Collaborates with Area Team colleagues to maximise the performance of assets and ensure tenancy and neighbourhood sustainability
• Support, train and motivate team members to deliver financial inclusion services ensuring high levels of customer service are given to customers and colleagues
• Enables customers to engage with the organisation and influence how services and improvements are provided and delivered to consistently high standards

About you:

Knowledge and Experience:

• Understanding and in depth knowledge of welfare benefits and debt advice legislation accompanied by a practical ability to assess benefits and interpret financial information
• Experience of dealing with a range of complex welfare rights and benefit issues of customers up to and including the appeal stage
• Experience of providing advocacy services, debt management and basic budgeting advice
• Experience of carrying out administrative tasks to a high level of accuracy and quality
• Understanding of the principles of Value for Money
• Good knowledge of computerised systems

Benefits:

As well as a competitive salary we can offer you:

• An agile working environment
• 30 days annual leave
• DC pension scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Health cash plan

Additional Information:

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted regarding an interview.

We reserve the right to close this recruitment if it is deemed that we have received a suitable number of applications. On this basis we would advise that applications are submitted as soon as possible.

Leeds Fed is an equal opportunities employer and promotes diversity in everything we do, and therefore welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Please click on the APPLY button to be redirected to the company's careers page to apply for this role.

Candidates with the experience or relevant job titles of; Financial Inclusion Officer, Finance Consultant, Financial Assistant, Accounts Administrator, Accounts Clerk, Finance Officer, Accounts Officer, Customer Service Administrator, Customer Service, Senior Finance Assistant, Accounts Reconciliation, Finance Accountant, Social Housing Officer, Housing Officer, Housing Support Officer, Housing Assistant, Housing Officer may also be considered for this role.