Direct Payments Team Leader

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Cycle to Work scheme. 
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Car Lease scheme
• Professional subscriptions / registration - if your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the busy and thriving Direct Payments team!  As the Direct Payment Team Leader you will lead the team to meet our targets and service delivery objectives while delivering quality customer service to our customers and stakeholders.

You will be an enthusiastic, empathetic and dynamic team player who embraces change and empowers their empowers their team to develop and provide high performance

To arrange an informal discussion please email Denise Bullock, Personal Budget Team Manager on Denise.Bullock@westnorthants.gov.uk 

Please Note:  The start date for the successful candidate will be April 2024

What will you be doing?

On a day to day basis, you will: 

• Manage the performance of a team of seven.  they consist of Admin, Officers and a Senior Administrator.
• Monitoring and ensuring the team follow the correct processes and a maintain focus on the service objectives
• Ensure you and the team are meeting all deadlines
• Provide training to your team and to colleagues
• Supervise and appraise staff
• Chair team meetings and attend meetings for service developments
• Work closely and communicate well with senior management, social care, financial operations and health colleagues, customers.
• Deal with complaint and complex queries and provide solutions and direct for the team.
• Empower your team to succeed

About you

The ideal candidate must ensure the effective and efficient workload management of the Direct Payments Team.

Ensure the Contracts and customers account reconciliations are processed and authorised in a timely manner. 

To manage the flow of work for the service in a professional, customer focused and efficient manner utilising a combination of people, process and technology.

Improve service performance, financial efficiencies and meet targets in line with overall directorate and corporate objectives through allocation of work and effective staff management. 

About us

We're a new council, following one of the largest shake-ups in local government reform in recent history. As a new authority, we're embarking on an exciting journey to deliver exceptional services for our residents, customers and communities.

Our vision at West Northamptonshire Council is 'to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive'. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.

Hear more from Anna Earnshaw, our Chief Executive, about working for West Northants Council: https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU

At West Northants Council, it's about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

When potential is unlocked, talent thrives.

Choose a career that offers you a true sense of achievement, fills you with pride and challenges you in a positive way, every day.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.