Welfare Fund Assessment Officer, Pullar House, Perth - PKC12556

Main Purpose of the Role

Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job, it's about being part of something meaningful. It's about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.

We currently have the following opportunity:

Welfare Fund Assessment Officer (Fixed Term until 30 September 2026) - PKC12556
£29,507 - £31,609
Pullar House, Perth

As our Welfare Fund Assessment Officer, your main accountabilities will be:

• Receiving grant applications and ensuring their accurate completion. This involves liaising with relevant agencies to acquire appropriate information, and assisting members of the public with the satisfactory completion of the application.
• Ensuring that proof of all information is provided by the applicant ie income, other benefits, residence, savings etc.
• Interviewing applicants as required.
• Explaining the Scottish Welfare Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments guidance to applicants and other stakeholders on a regular basis.
• Recording all details of applications in an electronic system.
• Dealing with telephone, email and face-to-face queries and correspondence from applicants and agents and referring specific problems to the Senior Welfare Fund Officer.
• Providing comprehensive welfare benefits advice to applicants with a view to income maximisation as well as providing signposting and advice in terms of other suitable alternatives to Grants.
• Having an awareness of Adult Support & Protection and Child Protection issues and procedures.
• Responding to a number of wide ranging matters in relation to the Scottish Welfare Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments, including explaining guidance on both and informing applicants of their entitlements, assisting with completion of forms and verifying documentation.
• To be aware of, and act upon the risk of any abuse (including financial).
• Dealing with Councillor's enquiries.
• Liaising with a number of outside agencies.
• Composing letters and reports.
• Liaising with suppliers to ensure effective fulfilment of Grant awards.
• Liaising with Social Work Teams and offering dedicated support/advice to frontline staff in relation to the Scottish Welfare Fund, Discretionary Housing Payments, Welfare Benefits, Money Advice and other available sources of help.
• Assisting with the design, development and delivery of training programmes for staff, volunteers and voluntary organisations.

Skills & Experience Required

There is an expectation that short listed candidates will meet all the requirements stated below.

Knowledge & Experience 

• You must have experience of working in a busy office environment.
• You must have general administrative skills.
• You must be computer literate and have good keyboard skills.
• You must have good standard of general education.
• You must have an ability to understand and follow basic guidance.
• Ideally you will have at least one year’s working experience within a benefits or welfare rights environment.
• Ideally you will have a knowledge of Local Government practices, procedures and departmental functions.
• You must have an awareness of the qualifying criteria for state benefits and tax credits.
• You must have experience of working with vulnerable people.

Customer Care

• You must have the ability to deal with sensitive information in a confidential manner.
• You must have effective customer care skills.

Health & Safety

• You have a personal responsibility for taking care of yourself and others and must comply with all relevant Health and Safety legislation.
• You must undertake any H&S training relevant to the post.

Equality & Dignity at Work

• You must have the ability to treat colleagues and customers with dignity and respect as per the Employee Charter.

Communications

• You must be able to cultivate good working relationships with relevant teams

Flexibility

• You must have good organisational skills.

Achievement of Results 

• You must be able to prioritise your own workload.

Team Working

• You must be resourceful and adaptable with the ability to work as part of a team.

Decision Making & Problem Solving

• You must have the ability to work on your own initiative.

Any Additional Requirements 

• You must be able to meet the demands of the post and attend on a regular basis.

Working at Perth & Kinross Council

Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities.  In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours.  Find out more about Perth & Kinross Council and you could soon be joining our team!

Here's what we can offer you:

• A generous annual leave package
• 6 days public holiday and an additional discretionary day
• Eligibility to join our pension scheme
• Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering and our Wellbeing Framework
• Flexi time
• Access to a range of benefits

We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this.  You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager, if this is of interest to you.  A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance.  You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

For purposes of connection and collaboration with colleagues and with the community we serve, our full-time employees work on site for a minimum of 2 days per week with the arrangements for part time employees being agreed on a basis which will ensure that they benefit to an equivalent degree.

Our FAQs on hybrid working can be found here Hybrid working FAQs.

We are committed to being a more inclusive employer - to ensure we can consider any reasonable adjustments, please either contact the recruiting manager to discuss any individual circumstances, discuss at interview or, if you prefer, after any conditional offer is made.

Next Steps

We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Ryan Bissett, Senior Welfare Assessment Officer on to find out more.

Click “APPLY NOW”

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 referees, including email addresses.  One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post.  Please contact the hiring manager above or the Recruitment Team on or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments.  Appointments are based on evidence supplied during the selection process.

Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements.  That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists.  Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

To comply with Baseline Personnel Security Standard, you will be required to complete a Disclosure Scotland check.

If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.

A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the above mentioned mandatory pre-employment checks (including references) and will also include eligibility to work in the UK, qualifications and fitness to undertake the post.