Job title: Assistant Finance Manager (Deputy & Estates Team)

Salary: PO2 £39,862 - £42,839

Hours: 37 (Full Time)

Contract: Permanent

Location: Merrion House (hybrid working)

Join us and make a difference

Would you like to be part of a dynamic team making a meaningful difference to the people of Leeds who require our support the most?

We have an exciting opportunity within Adult Operational Services for an experienced professional to join our specialist Deputy & Estates Team as an Assistant Finance Manager. In this role, you will help lead a vital service that supports vulnerable adults to live their lives, as they wish to, through effective financial management, safeguarding, and legal compliance.

This is a transformative period for the team, with service redesign and innovation underway to enhance how we deliver for our customers and communities.

As Assistant Finance Manager, you will co-lead a dedicated team of Finance Officers and Senior Finance Assistants who manage the financial affairs of clients who lack capacity to manage their own finances, acting as Corporate Deputy and Appointee.

The team are also involved in Public Health Funerals; part of the team duties include conducting property searches, arranging payments for funerals, and recovering costs, liaising with the Government Legal Department and family tracing organisations.

Reporting to: Senior Finance Manager and Head of Service

Join us in making a real difference in people’s lives while developing your career in a supportive and forward-thinking team.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About You

We are looking for a motivated, thoughtful leader who is passionate about making a difference and able to work collaboratively to achieve shared goals.

You will bring:

Significant experience in Appointeeship and Deputyship services
A working understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, financial safeguarding, and relevant legal frameworks
An understanding of the welfare benefits system in the context of Adult Social Care settings
Proven ability to manage a team of people, with complex casework - demonstrating sound professional judgement
Strong financial acumen and the ability to interpret complex financial data
High levels of IT literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Excel
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a strong customer focus
The ability to manage competing priorities and make informed decisions under pressure
A commitment to delivering high-quality, compliant services that safeguard vulnerable adults

About the role

You will play a key leadership role in overseeing and directing complex casework, ensuring robust financial governance, and maintaining compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks.

Key responsibilities include:

Leading, managing, and developing a specialist team delivering Appointee and Deputyship services
Overseeing complex and high-risk cases involving vulnerable adults
Ensuring accurate financial management, strong governance, and statutory compliance
Acting as a professional lead on complex Deputyship cases
Ensuring compliance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005, Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) standards, and relevant legislation
Ensuring that all benefits are applied for in a timely manner
Monitoring service performance, financial activity, and safeguarding risks
Driving continuous improvement in service delivery and quality
Building effective relationships with internal teams, external partners, and stakeholders

You will also oversee the team’s Public Health Funerals function, which includes:

Conducting property searches in line with the Care Act 2014
Managing public health funerals
Liaising with next of kin, the Government Legal Department, and tracing agents to resolve estates and recover costs

Working arrangements

The team operates a hybrid working model. You will be expected to work from Merrion House as required by the business, once per week as a minimum.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete every part of the online application form outlining how you meet the specified criteria as detailed in the Job Description.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Agnieszka Grudowska, Senior Finance Manager, on 0113 3788731 or Amy Travis, Head of Service, on 0113 3783786.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

To assist with the provision of a comprehensive financial support service to the Adult Operational Services team within Adult & Health Directorate

The Adult Operational Services team provides a number of services for Adult Social Care including financial assessments to ascertain qualifying financial assistance for care services, billing and debt management for assessed chargeable services, Deputyship and Estate Management and Audit of Direct Payment Agreements.

The overarching aim is to ensure a co-ordinated and consistent approach to the provision of Adult Operational Services (AOS) by:

Providing an efficient support service to senior managers, and staff within the AOS team
Providing a flexible service and and be reactive to priorities.
Providing timely financial information and support to officers/Social Workers, clients or their representatives, independent providers and outside agencies, as appropriate within information governance guidance, to enable them to make better informed decisions.
Aiming to maximise the council's financial resources within levels of acceptable risk.
Ensuring compliance with statutory obligations.

Key Responsibilities:

General Responsibilities

To manage and support a team of staff, ensuring staff are motivated and developed appropriately through appraisals, one to ones, training and mentoring where appropriate and regular team meetings are conducted
Assistance with managing staff under the absence monitoring procedures
Recruitment and Selection for vacancies as they arise
Training and advice for colleagues and senior officers in the Directorate
Manage a team to ensure an effective and efficient service is provided ensuring information governance rules are adhered to at all times in the interest of the client.
To support staff to ensure allocated workloads are manageable to achieve deadlines
Use your own initiative to adhere to sometimes conflicting deadlines and be reactive to service priorities
To ensure the promotion of the service and present a good image of the service and the Authority
Ensure team email account and team phone messaging system is managed and issues are responded to appropriately and timely.
Ensure quality assurance checks are completed in line with service requirements
Ensure appropriate liaison and guidance is given to clients (or their representatives) external organisations, colleagues and senior officers, requiring well developed communcation skills, ensuring a sensitive manner at all times in relation to paying for adult social care services in line with current legislation and policies.
Dealing appropriately with complex issues of a financial nature
Liaison with Legal Service for advice on legislative issues where necessary
Ensuring potential fraud or safeguarding concerns are reported appropriately and promptly
Ensuring maximisation of Benefits for clients and prompt communication of any changes in circumstances to other teams in AOS (if client receiving a chargeable social care service) to maximise income
To ensure financial deadlines are met to prevent financial hardship to clients and providers.
To ensure records are updated in a timely manner in respect of ceased packages.
Liaison with budget holders for decision making purposes as required.
To make informed financial decisions
Ensuring the integrity of databases and record management systems are maintainded including accurately and timely recording of information and any issues are recorded appropriately in casenotes.
Assisting with year end procedures in line with service requirements
Using computer systems to analyse and collate data and use it to produce reports, adding value to financial data.
Produce performance related management information
Provide Statement of Truth document for Legal Services and occasional attendance in Court to give evidence as witness - when applicable
Ensure decisions regarding potential deprivation cases are in line with Statutory Guidance, and legal opinion sought where appropriate and ensuring clients or their representatives are informed in writing of decisions.
Investigate and respond to escalated appeals and complaints from clients, their representatives or external organisation where required
Investigate and respond to queries from Senior Managers and Members as appropriate.
Assistance with enquiries from the Local Government Ombudsman
Meeting clients or their representatives where appropriate
To be a proactive member of the team, identifying areas for improvement and the efficient use of resources in a constructive manner
Assistance with managing the implementation of developments (including IT solutions) and be a member of a project board as appropriate
To be involved in the interpretation and implementation of legislative and policy changes
Take responsibility for own development and performance within the role
To ensure procedures and best practice are documented and reviewed regularly
To assist in ensuring publicised information is relevant and up to date
Deputise at relevant meetings and assisting with ad-hoc supervision issues as may arise to cover short term absences of Senior Managers within Adult Operational Services.

Team Specific Responsibilities

This post will be specific to the Deputy & Estates Team, as such there are certain team specific responsibilities;

Manage a team of staff undertaking the Deputy & Estates Audit function on behalf of Adults and Health
Allocation and prioritisation of workloads
Ensure workload contains cases within parameters set for the team
Ensure the application for Corporate Appointeeship and Deputyship is timely for clients
Ensure all attempts to obtaining access to known bank accounts for Deputy clients is achieved to ensure funds can be managed.
Ensure appropriate assistance is given in the completion of relevant welfare benefit claims
Ensure financial assessment review is undertaken where appropriate
Ensure escalation of issues raised to Social Workers is appropriate and timely to ensure no impact on Client's needs.
Ensure prompt payment of invoices for all clients where acting as corporate appointee or deputy.
Ensure Case Management Monitoring Tool managed and controlled in relation to Deputy and Appointee cases
Ensure appropriate reconciliation of Client Accounts to Bank Accounts details is undertaken in a timely manner
Ensure client funds are managed in clients best interests
Carry out annual reports for Office of Public Guardian for all Deputyship cases
Ensure LCC and OPG fees are actioned timely and appropriately
Involvment in complex cases including analysis and evidence gathering
Ensure appropriate welfare checks are conducted in line with OPG annual reporting requirements
Ensure properties are disposed of in line with procedures where applicable.
Ensure the disbursement of deceased clients finances and assets are dealt with appropriately
Ensure support is given to the Estate Function for clients of the authority not necessarily acting as deputy or appointee.
Ensure security of client assets are appropriately recorded and managed in accordance with procedures
Ensure payments for local authority contracted funerals are as last resort, and costs recovered where applicable.

The above list is not exclusive or exhaustive, and the service may require the job holder to undertake duties commensurate with the level of the role. The Council has adopted a flexible protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters

Qualifications

Holds a GCSE level C or above in English Language or equivalent and Maths or equivalent or expects to gain a GCSE level C or above in English Language or equivalent and Maths or equivalent in results due.

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

Skills required

Be able to train, supervise and manage staff
Be able to explain financial tasks to a team of staff
Ability to use a computerised system to accurately input, update and interrogate client information.
Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills using a variety of media.
Be able to deal effectively with stressful and sometimes aggressive clients or their representatives
Ability to work on own initiative to make decisions.
Ability to achieve team deadlines
Ability to pass and receive information accurately and securely.
Ability to prioritise own workloads and that of others with frequent interruptions.
Able to produce high quality work
Be able to undertake complex financial analysis in response to queries
Be able to work flexibly and as part of a team to achieve service priorities
Be able to communicate confidently and effectively with clients or their representatives, service professionals, outside agencies and government departments
Be able to interpret appropriate legislation, policies and guidance and apply them to team objectives
Be able to advise clients and colleagues on financial issues, including those issues relating to current policy or legislation and carry out training sessions
Be able to review and implement service developments
Be able to deputise at relevant meetings and assisting with ad-hoc supervision issues as may arise to cover short term absences of Senior Managers within Service Area.

Knowledge required

Knowledge of applications, systems and IT programmes utilised by the service
Knowledge of the General Data Protection Regulations and an understanding of personal accountability
Knowledge of decision-making processes within the Council
An awareness of services available within Adults & Health
An awareness of local policies and current legislation applicable to chargeable services for Adults and Health services
Knowledge of welfare benefits available
Knowledge of the Council Values

Experience required

Experience of staff supervision and management
Experience of training colleagues
Experience of prioritising workloads within a team to meet deadlines
Experience of using one’s own initiative.
Experience of working within a team where flexibility of response is required.
Experience of communicating with a variety of individuals using a range of media including telephone, individual meetings, emails and letters.
Experience of dealing positively with challenging situations, either face to face or by phone.
Experience of being pro-active in identifying areas for improvement in a constructive manner
Experience of introducing service developments
Experience of producing reports for management/performance information

Essential behavioural and other characteristics

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council values and behaviours and codes of conduct
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities, and a resilient sustainable city
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures
Carry out duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality and diversity of Leeds City Council
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters

Desirable requirements Candidates are not required to meet all the following desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

Knowledge required

Knowledge of local policies and current legislation applicable to chargeable services for Adults and Health services

Experience required

Experience of working with elderly, disabled or vulnerable client group.
Experience of dealing with stressful and sometimes aggressive clients or their representatives