Job Description

Direct Payments Officer (Financial Admin) - Children's Social Care

38,934- 40,755 per annum


Permanent - Full time, Flexible Working, Home Working

ABOUT US

Newham Together - The best place for children and young people (click here to view our recruitment video)

Newham Children's Social Care is on a journey of transformation that is putting people at the heart of everything we do and creating opportunities for everyone. Our improvement journey is well underway and we are looking for an exceptional Direct Payments Officer to contribute towards making a difference to the lives of our children and young people through their work supporting our statutory and frontline services.


We want to be a centre of excellence for Children's Social Care, and the foundations of the clearly articulated 'Newham Together' model (based on Co-Production, Curiosity, Compassion, Confidence, Clarity and Community) along with a Practice Learning Framework and a Social Care Academy are now in place to help us get there.


Apply now, and be part of our success.

ABOUT THE JOB

This is an exciting time to join Newham as our improvement journey is starting to take shape.


Reporting to the Service Manager in the SEND Social Work team, the Direct Payments Officer will support the service's overall aims by providing high quality clerical and financial admin support including making contact with customers in receipt of direct payments, reconciling individual's accounts and identifying risks with payments given/offered to service users. The Direct Payments Officer is also responsible for maintaining records on Carefirst, the financial system used to track service users' direct payments.


Your work supporting a vital social work service will contribute towards improving quality of life for our children and young people with disabilities.


For more information or to apply please click link here

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or contact Service Manager Helen Cusick; helen.cusick@newham.gov.uk .

ABOUT YOU

'People at the heart of everything we do'


We are looking for a candidate with previous experience in a similar financial admin or complex clerical support role. You are highly numerate and are confident working with numbers; you are confident learning and using new systems. You will have strong organisational and data analysis skills in order to be able to help us assess and work with service users by managing Direct Payments effectively. You will have excellent communication skills and be able to work collaboratively with staff across the service and build relationships with a wide range of partners externally in addition to within the organisation. You have a 'can do' attitude and are flexible in your approach to work.


You already embrace our people focused values and want to be an active part of our collective 'Newham Together' journey; and take great pride in the value of your work and team's collective efforts to change children's lives.

OUR OFFER

We've been working hard to make Newham a great place to work.


We will offer you:


A competitive salary of up to 40,755 Flexible working arrangements and the opportunity to work from home. Smarter Working with new modern technology. 'Newham Together' - a positive, nurturing and collaborative work environment built on trust. Excellent transport links to the rest of the capital. Permanent and stable senior leadership with a consistent vision. Wellbeing service, leisure and discount benefits (Council scheme). Travel season ticket loan, cycle scheme, Local Authority pension.

TO APPLY

Please submit a CV and provide a supporting statement through our recruitment portal.

The supporting statement should demonstrate how you meet the relevant requirements listed in the person specification in the job description.


Shortlisting decisions will be based on candidates' relevant experience and on candidates' suitability for the role in line with the person specification as described in their supporting statement.


Please view JD here

Closing date: 29 August 2025

Assessment and Interviews: week commencing 15 September 2025

Additional Information

We are committed to creating an inclusive, anti-racist environment for all. When you apply for a job at Newham, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. If you share our vision and values, and you bring the experience and skills we need, that's all that matters to us.


The London Borough of Newham has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Please attach your supporting statement, explaining in no more than x2 A4 sides why and how you meet the criteria for this role.

We practice anonymised recruitment. Please ensure that you remove all personal information from any documents that you upload.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn .