Senior 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 and prevent others from becoming victims through education, awareness and individual support?

The Trading Standards Service is primarily a regulatory body 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 regulatory officers, particularly where rogue and “doorstep” criminals are harming the most vulnerable people in the Coun ty.

We also work with partners in the police, Fire and Rescue Service, Adult Social Care, Age UK Oxfordshire, National l 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 for an enthusiastic, self-motivated, confident person to join our team as our Senior Community Engagement Officer at Oxfordshire County Council's Trading Standards Service.

As the leading member of our “Prevention” team, you’ll lead on projects and relationships with partners, deal with the media, mentor other members of the team and assist with training across the Trading Standards Service. You’ll deal with data and help the Service to use its resources in the most effective and efficient ways.

You’ll also engage with partners, other agencies, victims, family members, neighbours, traders, legitimate businesses, banks, utility companies, ombudsmen and he like, as part of our support for individuals. Part of this work may involve intervening and negotiating with rogues and scammers.  Sometimes, these interactions may be challenging and sometimes, confrontational. Our aim will be to prevent financial loss, to recover money that has been lost, to prevent further harm and “to make every contact count” for the clients we support.

You’ll develop and deliver talks and events, primarily in relation to scams and fraud but also about other work that Trading Standards is involved in, for example smoking cessation.

You’ll be the senior Community Engagement Officer in the team, organising workflows and mentoring the other team members. You’ll be a vital link to the Leadership Team in making sure that we deliver on our roles in projects and scams work.

Quite often, the work will be planned to take place outside of “normal” office hours, in evenings and at weekends. 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,

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 candidate, 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

Are you really well organised, a great communicator, able to deliver multiple work streams, on time and great at working with others? Do you like to lead but are a great team player with bags of energy, enthusiasm and empathy. 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 comfortable working with data and 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

Rewards and benefits

The council offer some of the best learning and development opportunities to support you and your ongoing development. 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, 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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