Reception experience and IT skills essential

Purpose of the job

• The Service Support Officer is responsible for providing effective and efficient administrative support across the division, providing advice and system support across the children’s services department. Their main responsibility is to provide reception desk services, ensuring excellent and quality customer care for all visitors and callers dealing appropriately with their query.
• The Service Support Officer must have the ability to deal with children, young people and families, who are facing difficulties and can sometimes present challenging behaviour, in a sensitive and professional manner adhering to health and safety and strict confidentiality procedures.
• They will undertake a variety of administrative activities to ensure that service targets are met, and continuous improvement is achieved, enabling frontline staff to concentrate on delivering the core business function.

Principal accountabilities

1. Carry out administrative functions (as determined by the nature of the service), taking into account Departmental policies and procedures, and requirements of Government Departments.

1. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of the legal framework, including Government guidelines and statistical returns, within which the service operates

1. Provide information and guidance on processes and procedures to Social Work Practitioners and Managers

1. Update complex information systems, ensuring that individual records are up to date with information required for statutory returns and local datasets, ensuring the data is up to date, accurate and reliable.

1. To undertake the collation, preparation and provision of information reports for practitioners and managers using Business Objects and Excel.

1. Scanning and uploading of documents to the information system, ensuring accuracy and appropriate disposal of paper documents.

1. Provide basic specific financial support to the service, including issuing of travel warrants.

1. Distribution of information e.g. Assessments, LAC reviews, panel papers to Families, young people, Practitioners and Independent Panel Members, ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act.

1. Providing reception services, ensuring quality customer care for all visitors and directing callers to appropriate services.

Criteria

QUALIFICATIONS/KNOWLEDGE:

Knowledge of the nature and operation of Children’s services department

Interpersonal skills, so as to deal appropriately with a wide range of people in a variety of settings e.g. reception cover and on the telephone.

An understanding of the principles of a quality customer care service.

Understanding of how to organise and prioritise own workload.

A general understanding of the principles and applications of Diversity in the workplace.

An awareness of health and safety issues within an office environment.

Understanding and appreciating the importance of and need for confidentially.

EXPERIENCE:

To have extensive administrative experience, including data input and retrieval.

Experience of compiling and maintaining records and administrative systems.

Experience of data cleansing, producing statistical information.