Senior Eligibility & Appeals Officer (Internal Applicants Only) at ESPO

, England, United Kingdom -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

18 Jun, 26

Salary

39165.0

Posted On

20 Mar, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Team Management, Eligibility Assessment, Appeals Process, Statutory Guidance, Policy Knowledge, Training, Development, Stakeholder Communication, Analytical Skills, Complaint Handling, Panel Hearings, Problem Resolution, Caseload Management, Deadline Management, Data Management, IT Skills

Industry

Retail Office Equipment

Description

PLEASE NOTE THIS POST IS ONLY OPEN TO INTERNAL APPLICANTS Organisation: Leicestershire County Council Work Location: County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8RA Salary: £35,451 - £39,165 per annum (Pro rata fpr part time) Working Hours: 37 hours per week Contract Type: Permanent Closing Date: 29th March 2026 Interview Date(s): Week Commencing 13th April 2026 This is a great opportunity to share the leadership of a small team responsible for assessing eligibility for home to school transport provided by the Council. The team make in the region of 20,000 eligibility assessments each year for children and young people attending education settings across the County, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The team has links with key stakeholders such as SENA, the Admissions Service and schools. The key areas of focus are timely and effective delivery of services, proactive communication with customers and stakeholders and excellent knowledge of service area. The team sits within the Assisted Transport Service within the Environment and Transport Department. About the Role The Senior Eligibility and Appeals Officer will manage the day to day priorities of the team including full line management responsibilities, they will coordinate and plan for the annual cycle of service critical tasks in readiness for the new school year, they will ensure consistency and accuracy of assessments through training and development of team members and they will facilitate an appeals process in accordance with policy and statutory guidance to include assisting with panel member recruitment and training. The post requires in depth knowledge of school transport policy and statutory guidance, strong organisation and leadership qualities and excellent communication and analytical skills. The ability to advise on and respond to complex complaints both verbally and in writing, in addition to presenting the Council’s position at panel hearings is essential. It is crucial that you enjoy communicating with people with a view to resolving problems. About You To apply for this post you must: * NVQ level 4 or equivalent in appropriate subject area or Equivalent demonstrable work experience * Have experience of managing complex and demanding caseloads, working to tight deadlines and responding positively to difficult or urgent situations * Have experience of supervising or managing team members with the ability to communicate work priorities and targets and support team members with their work programme, providing individual advice and support. * Have experience of dealing with members of the public by telephone and in writing, being able to communicate decisions and outcomes assertively, calmly and empathetically, including as part of an appeals process or to senior audiences. * Have the ability to build powerful relationships across the team, with stakeholders, peers and partners creating open and transparent relationships based on trust. * Have excellent attention to detail and accuracy, strong analytical and evaluation skills, in relation to written and administrative tasks including reports and correspondence. * Have excellent IT and data management skills, including using databases and spreadsheets to produce reports and in using the range of MS Office applications In addition, we also expect you to share our commitment to our values [https://eism.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/lcc/pages/1004] and to delivering accessible and inclusive services which meet the needs of all of our residents. You will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of these commitments as part of the selection process. Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability. We are a Disability Confident Employer [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign]. This post is covered by Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) and therefore the ability to speak fluent English is an essential requirement for this role. Interested in Flexible Working? We are open to discussions about flexible working, which may include part time working, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the service. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below. For more information or an informal discussion, please contact: Rachel Draper, Team Manager Passenger Transport Services and Donna Wileman, Assessment Team Manager 0116 305 5495, 0116 305 2619 Rachel.draper@leics.gov.uk [Rachel.draper@leics.gov.uk]; donna.wileman@leics.gov.uk [donna.wileman@leics.gov.uk] How to Apply At Leicestershire County Council we’re looking for top talent from all walks of life. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, and whatever your background - we care about what you bring to our organisation, not just what’s on your CV. That’s why we’ve designed a recruitment process that’s fair, accessible, and focused on potential. And with benefits that support people at every age and stage of life, we make sure you can thrive - both personally and professionally. If you share our passion to make a difference for the people of Leicestershire, we’d love to hear from you. Click the apply button to submit your application, ensuring that you upload a supporting statement that explains how you meet the criteria listed in the ‘About You’ section above. Without this information, we won’t be able to assess your suitability for the role, and your application will be rejected. For tips on how to write your statement, see the How to Apply [https://eism.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/lcc/pages/1001] section on our career site. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post or you want to request an application pack in an alternative format, please contact our Employee Service Centre by telephoning 0300 3030222 (select option 2) or raising a ticket via our online portal: https://emss.org.uk/support [https://emss.org.uk/support]. By applying for this post, you agree to our Terms and Conditions [https://eism.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/lcc/pages/1006]. About Leicestershire County Council At Leicestershire County Council, we're committed to making a real difference in people's lives. Our aim is to work with communities and partners to deliver public services that make Leicestershire the best possible place to live and work for everyone. Our employees play a key role in supporting this goal and helping us deliver the vital services we provide to the people of Leicestershire. Whether you're starting your career or looking for your next challenge, you'll find a place with us where your ideas are valued, and your work has purpose. For further information on what it’s like to work for us and the benefits we offer, please refer to the following: Our Recruitment Process [https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/jobs-and-volunteering/working-for-the-council/the-application-process] Our Organisational Values [https://eism.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX/pages/1004] Our Employee Benefits [https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/jobs-and-volunteering/working-for-the-council/employee-benefits] Working for Us [https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/jobs-and-volunteering/working-for-the-council/an-inclusive-workplace]

Responsibilities

The Senior Eligibility and Appeals Officer will manage the team's daily priorities, including full line management responsibilities and coordinating critical annual service tasks for the new school year. This role ensures assessment consistency through team training and facilitates the appeals process according to policy and statutory guidance.