Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Housing Benefits Team Leader |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Adult and Community Services |
Service |
Community & Customer Services |
Business unit |
Customer Services & Benefits |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Operations Manager |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Operations Manager |
Salary grade |
24 - 27 |
JE ref |
CUST86 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To provide knowledge, and interpret appropriate legislation and regulations relating to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support to ensure a customer orientated service is delivered to members of the public in relation to the effective and accurate administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support.
- To be responsible for organising and daily management of housing benefit operations for a team of 16 assessors, ensuring that all enquiries, tasks and changing priorities are successfully delivered. Directly line manage 8 of the benefit assessors to include daily support, appraisals, 121’s, training, and monitoring.
- To create, organise and deliver projects that will positively improve and implement service change whilst managing team resource, performance, and customer engagement. This includes proposing new ideas and initiatives for implementation and subsequent review to ensure they are working effectively.
- To lead in ensuring that service provision is complaint with all DWP performance targets and that standards of assessing meet the required standards as detailed with Housing Benefit regulations and circular notifications.
- To lead in the development and manage additional mandatory DWP workstreams as and when received such as HBAA (Housing Benefit Accuracy Award), VEP (Verify Earnings & Pension),NFI ( National Fraud Initiative) in accordance with DWP instructions to ensure all associated activities are completed within grant funding allocation.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- A high-quality benefits service to ensure audit compliance and receipt of full subsidy allocation.
- Attainment of all DWP benefit processing targets.
- Efficient and accurate processing of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support claims in line with current regulations, ensuring overpayments are minimised.
- Additional DWP work streams are fully undertaken to ensure accuracy of Housing Benefit.
- A Housing benefit assessment team that is fully supported and work together efficiently and effectively to achieve positive delivery of duties whilst embracing Torbay Council’s core values of being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable – always with integrity.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- Workloads are prioritised and monitored to ensure required tasks are undertaken and deadlines met.
- Management of the team to include motivation, guidance, support, monitoring output and performance against targets, undertaking staff appraisals, identification of training needs and maintenance of accurate records, such as flex cards, work logs, time sheets and statistics to ensure cover is maintained across the service.
- Deliver feedback on any errors and areas of praise during 121 meetings, creating and maintaining a positive team morale and working environment where team feel that they are supported and are valued by Torbay Council.
- Manage any staff disciplinary and capability issues in line with council policy.
- Carry out risk assessments for team and duties performed and put in place actions to mitigate them. Review any incident reports involving staff and customers and when necessary, put actions in place. Complete DSE’s and other H&S checks and maintain up to date records for team.
- To carry out any recruitment of temporary or permanent staff including building business case, creating adverts, liaise with HR, shortlisting, sending invites, create and deliver interview questions and scoring, be on interview panel. Gather referencing, self-declarations, carry out DBS check, ID checks, gather qualification evidence.
- Maintain and utilise an up-to-date knowledge of benefits legislation and local Council Tax Support Scheme, software, council policies, IT skills and office procedures.
- Assist with the development of staff and provide support to members of the team concerning complex, technical legislation, and procedural issues.
- With the Operations Manager, to regularly review, evaluate and monitor the performance and efficiency of the section, to undertake forward planning to ensure continuing efficiency and service delivery improvement, having regard to changing legislation, corporate requirements, and resources available.
- To represent the Housing benefits section on behalf of the council to a range of our customers relating to technical, legislative, and procedural issues. Customers may include elected members, Council Departments, external organisations, the Employment Service, Welfare Rights Organisations, and members of the public.
- Liaise with the Corporate Fraud team to provide quality referrals to fraud and to administer fraudulent cases appropriately.
- To manage projects and manage day to day operational aspects of a project and its scope. To plan, schedule and track project timelines and milestones using appropriate tools. To effectively communicate project expectations and give updates to team members and stakeholders in a timely and clear fashion.
- To undertake research, gather and analyse information and provide complete and accurate reports.
- To lead in the development and manage additional mandatory DWP workstreams, ensuring work is delivered as requested and grant funding allocation is secured.
- To manage, monitor and organise workflow for the department, identifying and prioritising tasks for completion in a way that maximises the use of resources, to ensure deadlines are adhered to and accuracy of work is maintained.
- Work closely with the QC and HB training officer to identify areas of weakness and implement change to resolve.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
- The elimination or reduction of financial errors made by team members to safeguard subsidy.
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
- Line manage 8 HB assessors and senior assessors.
- Supervise a team of 16 assessors and senior assessors’ allocation of work, output monitoring.
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Office environment.
- Work from home.
7. Physical demands of the post
8. Specific resources used by the post
9. Key contacts and relationships
External
- Tenants & Landlords, DWP, The Pension Service, Inland Revenue, Rent Service, Welfare Rights Organisations, Citizens Advice, Other local authorities Valuation Office, residents of Torbay.
Internal
- Benefits processing staff, Call Centre, Training Officer, Quality Checking, Appeals, Visiting, Systems Teams, IT, Fraud, Exchequer & other Council Sections.
10. Other duties
- To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
- The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
- If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
- You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
- The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Housing Benefits Team Leader |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Adult and Community Services |
Service |
Community & Customer Services |
Business unit |
Customer Services & Benefits |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Confident and flexible communication and interpersonal people management skills to effectively line manage an experienced team of Housing Benefit Assessors.
- The ability to establish, maintain and develop effective working relationships with all Torbay Councils customers including, service users, delivery partners, council members and colleagues.
- Able to establish and maintain good working relationships and work effectively as part of a team.
- A keen eye for detail. Good analytical and evaluation skills are essential in all aspects of this role.
- Confidence in dealing with sensitive and potentially difficult situations.
- Decisive, results orientated, and outcome focused.
- Able to produce, analyse and make decisions on complex statistical data and management information.
- Designing and implementing development and change programmes.
- Excellent presentation and communication skills both written and oral.
- Apply a problem solving and decision-making approach within all aspects of the role.
- Organised and capable of working within a fast-paced work environment.
- Efficient and effective time management skills are essential within this role.
- Ability to work quickly and accurately to meet conflicting deadlines.
- Ability to adapt to ever changing situations, to prioritise and re-prioritise, managing multiple work task and projects simultaneously.
- Ability to consider all factors of relevance before implementing effective service actions.
- Able to use initiative within delegated authority.
- Proactive and innovative with new ideas for service improvements.
- Good ability to use Microsoft Teams and Windows 365.
- Ability to use data input systems.
- Supportive and approachable, remaining polite and courteous in all situations.
- Adaptable and flexible to people and process challenges.
- To always work with honesty, empathy, and integrity.
- Ability to carry out performance reviews and feedback through call observations and monitoring.
- Willing to learn and develop skills and knowledge.
- To work collaboratively with colleagues on work projects, being objective within approach.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
- Recruitment and selection.
- Project management.
- Use of Civica Open Revenues and W2 360 Civica EDM.
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Extensive Knowledge of Housing Benefit and Council Tax legislation and regulations.
- Knowledge of the relationship between the Revenue & Benefits department and other departments and partners e.g., Housing, Discretionary awards, and Appeals.
- Knowledge of the Data Protection act and able to take appropriate action if breaches are identified.
- Thorough knowledge and understanding of the impact of claim adjustments.
- Knowledge of Microsoft products.
Desirable knowledge
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Experience of assessing Housing & Council Tax Benefit claims.
- Experience of managing staff.
- Working as part of a benefits team.
- Interpreting benefits information and guidance.
- Working to deadlines.
- Experience of dealing with competing priorities.
- Managing projects.
Desirable experience and achievements
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- NVQ4 or equivalent demonstratable work-related knowledge in appropriate area.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent home-working.