Direct Payments Monitoring Officer

Directorate: Adults, Health and Integration

Service: Adult Social Care - Direct Payments

Grade: PAYE £21.53 Per Hour / Umbrella £29.01 Per Hour

Location: Hackney Service Centre - E8

Responsible To: Senior Direct Payments Officer / Direct Payments Manager
Start: ASAP

Are you a detail-oriented professional with a passion for supporting your community? The London Borough of Hackney is looking for a Direct Payments Monitoring Officer to join our Adult Social Care team.

In this vital role, you will be the bridge between financial accountability and compassionate care. You will oversee the ongoing financial monitoring of Direct Payments-including bank accounts, prepaid cards, and third-party accounts-ensuring that funds are utilized effectively and in strict alignment with service users' support plans.

But this isn't just a desk job about numbers. You will hold a dedicated caseload, actively working alongside service users, operational teams, and external providers (like payroll services) to collaboratively solve problems, conduct health checks, and ensure vulnerable individuals are supported safely and fairly.

• Financial Monitoring & Compliance: Conduct quarterly/yearly audit checks on Direct Payment accounts. Maintain detailed records, analyze usage data within Hackney, and identify excess funds requiring recovery.
• Service User Support: Manage a personal caseload to handle monitoring issues. Partner directly with clients to resolve challenges, provide expert advice, and deliver an excellent level of customer service.
• Collaborative Problem Solving: Work with social work teams, finance professionals, and external providers to confidently remedy complex care-related and financial queries.
• Process Improvement: Spot common themes and trends in your casework to advise managers on preventative measures, helping embed best practices into our daily business operations.
  
  

We are looking for a proactive, empathetic communicator who can handle challenging situations with a calm, analytical approach.

Your Experience:

• Prior experience working within a health or social care environment, directly interacting with service users, social workers, and finance professionals.
• Experience working confidently within a diverse cultural community.
• Proven ability to manage your own workload and juggle multiple cases effectively.

Your Knowledge & Skills:

• A sound understanding of the Care Act 2014 (specifically relating to Direct Payments) and Safeguarding policies (particularly regarding financial abuse).
• Strong IT and technical skills, including experience analyzing data and working with accounting packages or care management systems like Mosaic.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain complex financial processes to clients with a range of disabilities.
• Requirement: A current Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.
  
  

Our culture is built upon four core values: Working Together, Communicating Honestly, Encouraging Wellbeing, and Being Accountable and Learning.

In Hackney, staff wellbeing is our top priority. We foster an environment where your voice is heard, critical feedback is welcomed, and active professional learning is highly encouraged. We are also strictly committed to equality of access, diversity, and inclusion in everything we do.

Apply today to join our dedicated team in Hackney!

Commercial Services Trading Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.