Title: Benefits Quality Assurance Officer

Rate: £30 per hour (umbrella)

Location: Hybrid 60/40 split - Town Hall, Evreux Way, Rugby CV21 2RR

Type: Temporary (3 months)

Opus People Solutions are working with Rugby Borough Council to recruit a Benefits Quality Assurance Officer to support Benefits Officers with the administration and payment of claims for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and Discretionary Housing Payments.

Main Responsibilities:

• To ensure that all decisions are made in accordance with legislation, local policies and procedures.
• To undertake risk-based quality checks to identify training and performance issues.
• To produce weekly performance management reports bringing to the attention of the Team Leader Benefits issues of concern regarding accuracy or processing delay.
• To work with the Benefits Team Leader on the development and timely recording of robust key-performance data to identify blockages to service delivery at an early stage.
• Ensure that team members are highly trained in their areas of responsibility and monitor the quality of decision-making within the team, taking action to improve this where necessary.
• To undertake a full caseload review of all supported accommodation Housing Benefits claims and update the system accordingly in line with DWP requirements.

Essential Criteria:

• Five years' experience of making decisions and administering Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.
• Experience of making decisions and administering Discretionary Housing Payments.
• Three years' experience of undertaking quality checks, identifying training and performance issues.
• A good understanding of the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction legislation used for decision making. This includes an excellent understanding of the criteria for supported accommodation claims.
• Proficient in using the Civica OpenRevenues system.
• Experience of using IT systems to input and retrieve information accurately.
• Experience of supporting team members with the delivery of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.
• Ability to work in partnership, network, influence, problem solve, overcome barriers and apply solution focused approaches.
• A good understanding of the importance of confidentiality, safe practice, safeguarding, anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunity.
• Good time management skills and the ability to work effectively under pressure and prioritise to meet deadlines.
• The ability to work well within a team and under own initiative and of maintaining professional boundaries with clients and partner agencies.
• Excellent listening and communication skills with a wide range of people of all ages and backgrounds.
• Experience of explaining complex issues in a face to face, telephone based or video based environment.