Financial Inclusion Lead

We are looking for a dynamic and dedicated Financial Inclusion Lead to join our Revenues and Benefits team at West Northants Council. Working collaboratively with our Debt and Money Advice service, this role offers an exciting opportunity to support residents reducing debt and improving their financial resilience. You'll be working with a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders to ensure the effective delivery of services that make a real difference to people's lives.
Our benefits, In this exciting role, you'll take the lead in driving forward our Financial Inclusion Strategy, making a real impact by helping to reduce debt, tackle homelessness, and promote employment and training opportunities. You'll identify innovative ways to secure hardship payments, coordinate vital government grants, and work closely with partners to ensure the service is visible and accessible to residents and key stakeholders.

As a leader, you'll inspire and support your team to deliver exceptional services, ensuring compliance with legislation and best practices. You'll also have the chance to lead forward-thinking projects aimed at maximising income for our residents, while contributing to key Council strategies and representing us at external meetings. Every day, you'll be making a difference!

We are seeking someone with proven leadership experience in a financial inclusion or similar role, who is passionate about reducing poverty and supporting communities. You will have a strong understanding of debt advice services, and the ability to implement strategies that have a real impact. You should be skilled at building relationships across sectors and working collaboratively with partners.

Key qualities include:

• Excellent communication and leadership skills.


• Experience in managing and supporting teams to achieve performance goals.


• Strong knowledge of relevant legislation, policies, and best practices in financial inclusion and debt management.


• Analytical, problem-solving mindset with the ability to deliver innovative solutions.


• Commitment to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion and challenging discriminatory practices.
  
  At West Northants Council, it's about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.


Our vision is 'to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive'. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.

Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what it's like to work at West Northants Council https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.


• Cycle to Work scheme.


• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.


• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.


• Car Lease scheme


• Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.


• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.


• Ongoing training and development opportunities.


• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).


• Our West Ways of Working - We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.


• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.