Retirement Services Administrative Officer Wrexham

The Retirement Services Directorate is part of the DWP and provides pensions, benefits and retirement information for State Pension age customers in the UK (United Kingdom) and abroad, including processing new claims and maintaining on-going State Pension and Pension Credit claims; Delivering Bereavement Services; Paying Winter Fuel Payments; Paying disability and health benefits; Paying Carers Allowance., + Provide exemplary customer service to all our customers, primarily through telephony, taking time to explain complex issues.
+ Use digital channels confidently to process benefit claims, ensuring we deliver the right outcomes for customers, in line with expectations.
+ Take ownership and work effectively with colleagues across DWP to ensure we provide a quality service for customers.
+ Tailor your approach to accommodate individual circumstances and ensure customers receive the correct payment amount, at the right time.
+ Build positive relationships with customers that encourage, motivate, and build trust by demonstrating empathy and compassion.
+ Handle sensitive, and sometimes challenging and difficult situations with all customers in a positive way.
+ Be aware of DWP policy and its impact on cases.
+ Make decisions by examining the available facts, adhering to current guidance.
+ Provide explanations to customers as required.
+ Take ownership of personal development by accessing digital learning and communication tools, We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Managing a Quality Service
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Making Effective Decisions, A reserve list may be held for a period of 3 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified – as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work based qualification, which may be in the form of an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time, you agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work based qualification; a candidate’s failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract.
Important
If you hold a level 3 qualification (2 A levels or equivalent) then please bring your certificates with you to the interview if you have them.
Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.
Reasonable Adjustment
At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.
We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:Contact Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

+ Competently use the telephone as this is the primary means of customer contact through a combination of inbound and outbound calls; prior telephony/Contact Centre experience is desirable but not essential. (Lead criteria)
+ Be competent in delivering a quality service to a diverse and customer base.
+ Undertake self-serve learning to meet the requirements of the role and enhance your digital confidence.
+ Be able to work flexibly to meet changing priorities, managing a diverse workload.
+ Be able to confidently tailor the service to meet the needs of the individual.
+ Act on feedback to enhance the quality-of-service delivery. Take ownership of complaints and support their resolution.
+ Be able to provide support where appropriate to customers who require assistance.

We are looking to fill key telephony and benefit processing roles in Wrexham Service Centre.
These roles are being advertised due to a temporary increase in work.
Existing civil servants may apply for these Fixed Term Appointments (FTA). If successful, in all cases we will want first to explore taking you on so you can return to your current department at the end of the FTA. You are not required to come on loan. If you wish, you can choose to join DWP as an ordinary fixed term worker. Also, your current department may not agree to a loan. If a transfer on a loan basis cannot be agreed by your home department, you would transfer to DWP on the basis that you would lose your permanent civil service status and become a fixed term worker. However, for the purpose of calculating contractual entitlements and employment rights, your previous and new fixed term service will be combined to give you continuity of employment. For example, if at the end of your FTA your post is declared redundant and you must leave the Civil Service, your combined service will be used to calculate any entitlement you have to redundancy pay.
Therefore, you should be aware that when your FTA at DWP comes to an end, your employment in the Civil Service will end, unless:
+ An extension to your FTA position has been agreed by DWP.
+ A conversion to permanent status has been agreed by DWP.
+ You are successfully redeployed into a suitable alternative post.
Extensions, conversions to permanent status and finding a suitable alternative role cannot be guaranteed at the end of the fixed term. Therefore, you must be aware of the risk associated with your accepting a new FTA contract with DWP, rather than transferring on loan.
These will be office-based roles and you will be required to attend on a full-time basis (37 hours per week) for up to 16 weeks during your training and consolidation. Full training in the benefits system and the department’s computer systems will be provided., Alongside your salary of £26,337, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £7,629 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:
+ Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
+ Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
+ Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
+ Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
+ Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
+ Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
+ An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.