Team Manager - Financial Support - INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY

Vacancy Information

Hourly rate of pay: £33.65 - £37.88

Days and Hours of Work:
Monday - Friday, 09:00-17:00
Flexi time is applicable, and starting and finishing times are flexible.
To start 1st April 2026.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced manager to work within the Council's Revenues Service; leading, developing and managing our Financial Support and Financial Inclusion services.

Our Financial Support service plays a vital role in helping people in our communities by administering Rent Allowances, Local Housing Allowances and Rent Rebates (Housing Benefit) on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as well as the Council Tax Reduction Scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government. In addition to these core services, the team also provides essential support through Discretionary Housing Payments and Scottish Welfare Fund, providing Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants to those who need them most.

The range of services delivered by the Financial Support team are key elements of the Council's strategy to sustain affordable housing and to tackle poverty in East Lothian.

Our Financial Inclusion service provides technical and specialist benefits related advice and representation for local residents. The team also provides a Macmillan financial inclusion service, including specialist benefits advice to people diagnosed with cancer and their families/carers. The team contributes to an employability service, including financial support and advice to get people back into work. Other business activity includes the provision of an adult social care financial assessments service to establish entitlement to local authority funding towards residential, non residential and respite care.

The range of services delivered by the Financial Inclusion team is vital to maximise entitlement to financial support in East Lothian and reduce poverty and inequalities.

The successful candidate will have exceptional leadership qualities and extensive experience of managing teams within fast moving and challenging welfare related environments.

The successful candidate will have an excellent understanding of the UK and Scottish welfare systems and will have a successful track record of managing a service delivery team within a Revenues, Benefits, Money, Debt or Welfare Advice environment. They will also be able to demonstrate an excellent awareness of how financial inclusion can have a positive impact on the local community.

The successful candidate will be enthusiastic, highly motivated and socially aware person, with excellent communication skills and will be able to work remotely in an effective way, using Microsoft Office applications and other Council IT systems.

Home / Hybrid Working Consideration
Applications for home or hybrid working will be considered for this post in accordance with East Lothian Council’s Home Working and Worksmart Policies which can be found here. Home or Hybrid working options can be discussed with candidates invited for interview.

Please Note:
All home/hybrid workers must live in the UK. Where an application for home-working is supported, it will be subject to a satisfactory trial period. Employees will be expected to attend Council offices for the duration of induction, and be on site in East Lothian workplaces, as required. Employees with a hybrid working arrangement in place will be office based and able to work from home, with permission, on an ad hoc basis.

INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY
This post is open only to current employees of East Lothian Council (this includes agency/casual/locum staff who are currently undertaking work for us).

Job Details

To lead, develop and manage the Financial Support and Financial Inclusion operational teams ensuring delivery of effective and efficient services which safeguard tax payer’s assets, maximising efficiency of service delivery within specified standards/approved budgets and in compliance with the Council’s policies, legislation and plans with a commitment to achieve best value.

Please download the Job Outline/Person Specification (available under 'Job Attachments') for the full range of tasks and duties associated with this job. You will need to refer to these in order to complete the application form. You must ensure you meet every 'essential' criteria stated on the Person Specification to be considered for interview.

The ‘East Lothian Way’– values and behaviours we expect our employees to demonstrate in their everyday work. Should you be invited to interview, you may be asked questions based on these behaviours. Please refer to the document via the link to familiarise yourself with them.

Job Requirements

Relevant Qualifications
Degree level qualification or equivalent and/or able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge, skills and competencies gained through extensive experience at senior level within a Benefit field.

Driving Licence
A full current driving licence is desirable for this post.

PVG Membership
This post is considered as a Regulated Role with vulnerable children and/or protected adults, as specified in the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020.

All preferred candidates for posts carrying out regulated work with these groups will be required to become a PVG Scheme member, or undergo a PVG Scheme update if they are already a member, prior to any formal offer of employment being made by East Lothian Council.

Please note: PVG member’s records are constantly updated with any new vetting information that arises. Any information that is disclosed on a PVG membership or update check, if relevant to the post being applied for, will be discussed with the applicant and investigated prior to any formal offer being made.

Please note:
If you have spent more than 3 months working or living outwith the UK in the last 5 years then you will be required to present a copy of an overseas criminal record check. Details of how to apply and contact details can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Additional Information

For additional East Lothian Council employment information please click on the following link: www.eastlothian.gov.uk/nonteachinginfo

If you have any difficulties creating an account on MyJobScotland or applying for this post please contact the MyJobScotland support team via this link https://www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/contact-us.

If you require further information about this vacancy, please call 01620 827868, or email us on recruitment@eastlothian.gov.uk

Please note: We do not accept CV's (either electronically or by mail). All our vacancies must be applied for by fully completing the on-line application form. Although there is an ‘import data from my CV’ function on MyJobScotland, this only imports very limited data and should not be relied upon to complete the application form. If, for example, due to a disability, you are unable to complete the on-line application form you can contact us for a paper application via the telephone number or email address above.