Job info	Job info details
Job title	‘Disabled Facilities Grant’ Case Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Adults and Community Services
Service	Corporate & Business Services
Business unit	Community & Customer Services
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Disabled Facility Grant Technical Officer
Accountable to (line manager)	Disabled Facility Grant Technical Officer
Salary grade	F
JE ref	ADC006

1. Key purpose of job

• Provide a referral co-ordinators role for enquiries and casework support to householders who want to obtain a disabled facility grant to undertake adaptations to their home, regardless of tenure.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• The effective delivery of home adaptations (funded through Disabled Facilities Grants) to customers in their homes.
• Service that enabled people to remain living independently in their home though the installation of adaptations.
• Signposting/referral to other services to widen the offer of assistance and support including housing, wellbeing and financial issues. 

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• Provide a service to customers to discuss their needs to offer independent advice on solutions including:
  • Advise customers of the financial help available, including grants, welfare benefits and help them obtain the aid to which they are entitled.
  • To run financial assessments through the Ferret system for clients not on pass-porting benefits.
  • Identify other areas of help which may be needed, by or are available to, the customer such as rehousing, home care and telecare.
  • Ensure that the customer understands and is kept informed of all the procedures and practices involved with their particular circumstances.
• Maintain electronic case file and the portal to enable access by other services.
• Oversee contractors to ensure their work is compliant to contractual requirements and compliant with Health and Safety legislation.  Monitor the performance of the contractors in line with the approved contractor’s agreement and advise the Senior Technical Officer of any breaches.
• Obtain estimates for work evaluating these and ensure proper contractual arrangements are made between the client and the contractor.
• Arrange to prepare schedules of work, specifications and drawings as appropriate.
• Monitor building works and act on the customer’s behalf, including negotiating with contractors on site.
• Arrange final inspections, check final accounts and defects liability and advise clients on payment.
• Under guidance of Senior Disability Facilities Grant Officer, continually monitor and prioritise caseload, and help to proactively progress enquiries from internal and external clients.
• To actively promote the service to facilitate engagement and update especially in target or hard to reach groups. This could include production of information, media coverage and other promotional methods or making appropriate contacts with Health, GP, etc.
• Be proactive in enabling the service to work with maximum efficiency.
• Run reports to monitor performance and produce case studies.
• To work closely and assist the wider Housing Teams to improve the quality and safety of accommodation and prevent homelessness.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Visit individual properties to assess need and monitoring of works.

7. Physical demands of the post

• None. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Laptop, mobile phone.

9. Key contacts and relationships

External

• Occupational Therapists, health services including GP and hospital, voluntary organisations, housing associations and landlords.

Internal

• Colleagues in the wider Community Safety team, Revenue & Benefits, Call Centre, Adult Social Care and Children Services, Housing Standards and Housing Options and other Council Departments as required; Elected Members.

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 use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
• 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.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• 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	‘Disabled Facilities Grant’ Case Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Adults and Community Services
Service	Corporate & Business Services
Business unit	Community & Customer Services

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• To be able to undertake and facilitate holistic home assessments, providing independent technical advice and support.
• Have the ability to remain customer focused when providing independent advice, negotiating with contractors, overseeing building works when agreeing contractual arrangements.
• To be able to use an effective range of modes of communication including verbal, email, telephone, formal and informal reports taking into account issues of confidentiality.
• Attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records as part of case management to provide accountability and deliverability in all cases. To include the checking of final accounts, defects liability to enable correct advice to clients on payments.
• Demonstrable organisational ability, particularly self-organisation ability to see tasks through to a successful conclusion, whilst working to tight deadlines which often conflict.
• To have a proven ability to make and/or foster strong working relationships with external contractors, occupational therapists, specialist equipment providers and health services.
• Have a proven ability to negotiate, persuade and influence contractors and equipment specialists to obtain the best financial outcomes when agreeing building works contracts.
• Have the ability to report and use of case studies when monitoring performance data.
• To demonstrate empathy, initiative and integrity.
• 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

• To produce technical drawings when required using CAD systems.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• To have working knowledge and understanding of welfare benefits systems and processes required to provide funding advice along with the disability grant funding legislation.
• Demonstrate continually developing knowledge and skill for the benefit of the service.
• To be able to understand of the needs of disabled clients whether that be through identifying their area of need such as rehousing, homecare or tele assistance and/or home improvements with ability to seek support and approval from Senior Disability Facilities Grant Officer.
• An understanding of working with public sector grants.
• Up to date knowledge of computer systems i.e. the ability to use software packages such as Microsoft Office (including Excel, Outlook, Word, Powerpoint, etc). 

Desirable knowledge

• Knowledge of local statutory and voluntary agencies.
• Knowledge of CAD systems.
• Knowledge of Ferret system (financial assessment tool).

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Dealing effectively with a wide range of clients, contractors, occupational therapists, specialist equipment providers, health services and other internal stakeholders by email, telephone and in person.
• Experience of making decisions based on financial calculations under supervision of Senior Disability Facilities Grant Officer.
• Tenacity to ensure services and projects are delivered on time in a complex environment.
• Experience of working with competing deadlines whilst meeting targets.
• Experience of delivering a high level of customer service.
• Experience of managing data to produce reports.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of preparing detailed technical specifications/briefs, designs and drawings; skilled in assessing technical information and devising and implementing appropriate solutions. 
• Experience of working in the building sector.
• Experience of working with state benefits either giving advice or processing claims.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Educated to GCSE O Level standard or equivalent or employment history to demonstrate a high standard of numeracy and literacy.

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Trusted Assessor qualification (NVQ).
• Housing Health and Safety rating Scheme Qualification (HHSRS) Qualification.

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
• Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the role (i.e. manual handling).
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West in order to carry out duties.
• Ability to accommodate shift patterns.