Senior Functional Specialist (support) in London

As a Senior Functional Specialist, you will be integral to our mission at HAAS, of delivering high-quality assessments. You will provide expert clinical coaching to Functional Specialists, guiding them in conducting assessments and producing reports that meet the rigorous standards set by our in-house Clinical Governance Team and align with the Personal Independence Payment Assessment Guide (PIPAG).

Working under the guidance of the Lead Functional Specialist (LFS), you will serve as a key subject matter expert within the business. You will offer flexible, targeted coaching to Functional Specialists (FS), ensuring consistency and excellence in assessment practices across the team.

If you're passionate about clinical excellence, committed to supporting professional growth, and ready to make a meaningful impact, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing:

• Maintain an up-to-date and thorough understanding of the current PIP Assessment Guide (PIPAG) and Clinical Guidance Notes issued by the Clinical Governance Team, proactively seeking clarification when needed.
• Conduct daily quality audits of a specified number of Functional Specialist reports, ensuring alignment with criteria set by the Clinical Excellence Team based on the latest PIPAG guidance.
• Provide clear, constructive audit feedback to FSs to support report revisions and promote learning.
• Highlight strengths in reports by referencing specific examples in audit feedback.
• Provide constructive, impartial support to Functional Specialists during face-to-face sessions, ensuring all discussions are accurately documented in the CRM for reference by Quality, Learning, and Support teams during future audits.
• As part of the Quality, Learning, and Support process, escalate any identified emotional or clinical support needs of a Functional Specialist to the Lead Functional Specialist.
• Deliver one-to-one or group coaching to Functional Specialists, as directed by the RCL, using approved materials provided by Clinical Governance.
• Maintain professional registration and Authority Approval and to act in accordance with the relevant UK Professional Code of Conduct, always being accountable for your own practice and professional actions.
• Contribute to clinical and service transformation including piloting new initiatives.
• Be clinically calibrated to the standards set by the CMO and Clinical Governance Mgt Team.
• Produce, as directed, information and trend analysis to inform future coaching activities by completing relevant trackers.
• Ensure continuous full compliance with Capita Group and Local Online Mandatory Training (OMT) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) modules.
• To undertake any other duties, as required by the Business commensurate with the role.

What we’re looking for:

• A minimum of 2 years experience in a Functional Specialist role.
• No current or recent (previous 12 months) coaching pathway or performance improvement plan.
• Ability to produce fit of purpose, right first time Assessment reports in line with timescales required.
• Experience of clinical effectiveness, quality assurance standards, feedback, peer review, audit methodology and, or impartial review.
• An in-depth knowledge of the physiological, pathological, social and cultural issues which underpin the PIP assessment criteria and attention to detail.
• An experienced UK registered Health Professional with a minimum of two years post-registration experience and current and unrestricted professional registration with any of the following bodies: GMC, NMC, HCPC.
• Maintain approved FS status, as awarded by DWP/DfC, with no restrictions pending or in progress to professional registration.
• Able to write succinct coaching notes which are suitable for all stakeholders but which can be used to support any HR processes if required.
• Able to understand statistical quality performance-related information and to determine the most appropriate types of coaching intervention required.

About HAAS

The Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) arranges and carries out assessments for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Communities (DfC). The purpose of the assessment is to understand how an illness or disability affects a person’s daily life. After the assessment, the DWP/DfC makes the decision as to whether the individual will receive any benefits. The Health Assessment Advisory Service is delivered on behalf of the DWP & DfC by Capita.

What’s in it for you?

• 25 days' holiday (rising to 27) with the opportunity to buy extra leave.
• The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice.
• Auto-enrolment to our company pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks' fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks...and plenty more.
• Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle - from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology.
• Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform.
• You’ll get the chance to follow your chosen career path anywhere in Capita. You’ll be joining a network of experienced, innovative and dedicated individuals across multiple disciplines and sectors. There are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop in your career, and we’ll provide the support you need to do just that.

What we hope you’ll do next:

Choose 'Apply now' to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you. At Capita, we’re committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. We want everyone to have the best chance of succeeding as they move through their application and start their career with us. We are an equal opportunity and Disability Confident employer, we want to hear from you if you’d like to discuss any adjustments you might need during your recruitment process.