Community Engagement Officer

Job Introduction

About Us

Oxfordshire County Council is an ambitious and forward-thinking employer. It is proud to offer a strong flexible working culture including the flexibility on working hours and the use of technology to support agile working.

Scams, “doorstep crime” and other forms of fraud and financial abuse ruins lives. Would you like to join us to help protect victims in Oxfordshire, prevent others from becoming victims through education, awareness and individual support?

The Trading Standards Service is primarily enforces consumer protection laws, but we have a small  “Prevention” Team which undertakes a wide variety of project and scams education/awareness work and supports vulnerable Oxfordshire residents who have been or are likely to be targeted by fraud and scams criminals.

This team works alongside and with our Trading Standards officers, particularly where rogue and “doorstep” criminals are harming the most vulnerable people in the County.

We also work with partners in the police, Fire and Rescue Service, Adult Social Care, Age UK Oxfordshire, National Trading Standards Scams Team and a wide range of other groups and agencies.

As well as our scams work, the Prevention team is also heavily involved in long-standing project work, including the Junior Citizens programme, the annual electric blanket testing programme and the schools Consumer Challenge Quiz.

About the Role

We are looking to fill two positions with enthusiastic, self-motivated and confident people to join our team as Community Engagement Officers.

You’ll be front line in supporting victims of fraud, scams and doorstep crime. You’ll also help to protect residents from being scammed in the future.

You’ll engage with partners, other agencies, victims, family members, neighbours, traders, legitimate businesses, banks, utility companies, ombudsmen and the like.  In supporting vulnerable victims of financial abuse, you’ll intervene and negotiate with rogues and scammers.  Sometimes, these interactions may be challenging and sometimes, confrontational. Our aim is to prevent financial loss, to recover money that has been lost, to prevent further harm and “to make every contact count” for our clients. 

You’ll have a good understanding of contract and consumer protection law as it applies to consumers and traders and will get involved in negotiating to resolve disputes where vulnerable Oxfordshire consumer’s rights have been breached by traders.

You’ll develop and deliver education and awareness talks and events on the work of trading standards as well as scams and fraud to a wide range of groups and age ranges, including older people, students and others who may be most vulnerable to being scammed.

You’ll help to organise and take part in ongoing projects including “Junior Citizens”, Electric Blanket testing and the Consumer Challenge Quiz

You’ll work closely with other members of the Prevention Team and the rest of Trading Standards to help achieve great outcomes for residents and the Service, across all the work of Trading Standards.

Quite often, the work will be planned to take place outside of “normal” office hours, in evenings and at weekends. At other times, interventions will be needed quickly and with minimal time to plan. You’ll need to be flexible to such needs, as they arise. You may need to work outside, sometimes in poor weather and carrying equipment. You’ll need to be able to travel, efficiently, around the whole of Oxfordshire and, occasionally, further afield, Having a full driving licence and being willing to drive your own car, for work, as well as pool vehicles, will be a real advantage.

Skills that we’ll help you develop, if you don’t already have them, will include helping you gain a deep knowledge and understanding of the legislation around scams, fraud and consumer contracts; practical skills in dealing with difficult and confrontational situations and an understanding of the fraud and scams environment. What we can’t teach you is the empathy and determination that the work demands and the organisational competence needed to make the team’s work a success

Our preference will be to fill this post on a full-time basis. However, for the ideal candidates, requests for flexible hours will be considered. In other respects the work is delivered on an “agile” basis with some work at/from home, some in our office and other office bases and some in the community. The ability to get to all parts of Oxfordshire, in a timely and efficient manner, including those not easily accessed by public transport is a must.

About you

Do you care about making a difference for very vulnerable people? Are you willing to get stuck in, unafraid of confrontation but careful and considered in how you act?  Are you really well organised, a great communicator, able to deliver multiple work streams, on time? Are you a great team player with bags of energy, enthusiasm and empathy. Are you comfortable working with computer systems as well as people? Are you willing to learn new skills and develop new areas of knowledge?

If this sounds like you then this may be the job for you!

Please demonstrate how you meet the essential (and desirable) criteria, in the job description attached to the advert, in your application.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Kate Davies on 07770 832798 or at kate.davies@oxfordshire.gov.uk or Emily James on 07770 832987 or at Emily.james@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Rewards and benefits

We offer a generous holiday allowance which rises as you remain in employment as well as giving you the option to buy additional holiday. You will also have access to a Local Government Pension Scheme; a range of local and national retail discounts; and a host of enhanced family friendly policies.

Our commitment to:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

Our commitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Our commitment to:
Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Our commitment to:
Flexible Working

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, full time and part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

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If you encounter any issues with the application system, please contact: kate.davies@oxfordshire.gov.uk or Emily.james@oxfordshire.gov.uk