JOB SUMMARY

Are you a dedicated person who is passionate about making a difference?
Would you like to work for the Ministry of Defence?

Defence Business Services (DBS) is one of the largest shared service organisations in Europe that provides a wide range of corporate services, to over 1.2 million end users, including serving and past military and families, as well as MoD civil servants and industry. DBS delivers large scale administration and smaller specialist services to enable the wider MOD to focus on its core aims, maintaining the UK’s Defence and Security. Services include Human Resources, Pay, Veterans, Finance and Procurement.

• Our Vision - To support UK defence customers with outstanding service every time.
• Our Mission – Together we will proudly support Defence, continuously improving and delivering flexible, timely, sustainable and value for money services that underpin the whole force and enhance operational capability.

DBS is committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues. We are building an inclusive culture and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society.
We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us through opportunities to develop your skills and experience. We also offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career accessible to you and offer a Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%. Where your role permits, we support a blended working approach alternatively known as hybrid working.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
Come and join the DBS community today!
https://youtu.be/gUw0ToaRGgk

JOB DESCRIPTION

MoD Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), as part of Defence Business Services Armed Forces & Veterans Services, is committed to enhancing quality of life for veterans, their dependents and beneficiaries of Veterans UK pensions and compensation schemes. It also focuses on providing support that will enable seamless transition from Service to Civilian life, assisting bereaved families and responding to key life events that present welfare needs.
The primary purpose ofthe Welfare Advisor role is to understand and advise clients on the range of services available from the Veterans Welfare Service and other organisations, aiming to resolve client queries at the First Point of Contact. (FPOC). This includes War Disablement Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Schemes, DWP benefits and support available from ex-Service Charities and other Third Sector organisations.

Main Responsibilities:

• As the FPOC, you will gather relevant information from clients in order to assess their needs - and provide advice and guidance in relation to the support available to them including available claims, allowances and entitlements.
• Accurately record client conversations, case notes and outputs in line with internal requirements and quality standards.
• Assist clients with form filling over the phone, where appropriate.
• Signpost clients to appropriate Third Sector / 3rd party support organisations
• Seek relevant clarification from appropriate resources (e.g. colleagues or guidance documentation) where required, to provide client with appropriate and accurate responses in a timely manner.
• Where required, refer cases to East Field Team Welfare Managers in line with VWS NI Centre Manager and workflow management guidelines.
• Support Welfare Managers in collating information from relevant DWP and Veterans MI/IT systems, where required.
• Assist Welfare Managers in processing referrals for medical, financial and respite/remembrance applications and activities.
• Escalate red flag cases to the VWS NI Centre Manager and highlight issues for immediate action for Welfare Managers, where appropriate.
• Build and maintain cases on VWCS in line with all Veterans Services requirements and quality standards.
• Manage calls to contribute to the provision of a consistent welfare service throughout the UK that operates as a single, seamless team.
• Provide early and late phone cover (i.e. 08:30 – 17:00 Monday to Thursday and 08:30 – 16:30 Friday) in line with business requirements.
• Collaborate with team members and contribute to the Welfare knowledge base by sharing information through the defined processes.
• Attend joint or accompanied client visits where required - and support outreach activities as required.

EXPERIENCE

• Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.
• Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (Word count: 500)
  Please provide information of how you meet the criteria set out in the job description. You may wish to further include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlines in the job advert.

At interview you will be assessed against the following:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

Main Responsibilities:

• As the FPOC, you will gather relevant information from clients in order to assess their needs - and provide advice and guidance in relation to the support available to them including available claims, allowances and entitlements.
• Accurately record client conversations, case notes and outputs in line with internal requirements and quality standards.
• Assist clients with form filling over the phone, where appropriate.
• Signpost clients to appropriate Third Sector / 3rd party support organisations
• Seek relevant clarification from appropriate resources (e.g. colleagues or guidance documentation) where required, to provide client with appropriate and accurate responses in a timely manner.
• Where required, refer cases to East Field Team Welfare Managers in line with VWS NI Centre Manager and workflow management guidelines.
• Support Welfare Managers in collating information from relevant DWP and Veterans MI/IT systems, where required.
• Assist Welfare Managers in processing referrals for medical, financial and respite/remembrance applications and activities.
• Escalate red flag cases to the VWS NI Centre Manager and highlight issues for immediate action for Welfare Managers, where appropriate.
• Build and maintain cases on VWCS in line with all Veterans Services requirements and quality standards.
• Manage calls to contribute to the provision of a consistent welfare service throughout the UK that operates as a single, seamless team.
• Provide early and late phone cover (i.e. 08:30 – 17:00 Monday to Thursday and 08:30 – 16:30 Friday) in line with business requirements.
• Collaborate with team members and contribute to the Welfare knowledge base by sharing information through the defined processes.
• Attend joint or accompanied client visits where required - and support outreach activities as required