R2R103887 - Fostering Recruitment Officer - 25hrs per week - Permanent Salary Pro Rata'd in Southend-on-Sea

Your New Organisation

Southend on Sea City Council is a Unitary local authority, providing vital services to meet the needs of the local community. We employ around 1,800 staff who are working alongside our partners and local communities to deliver the city vision and make lives better for the people of Southend. Working for Southend on Sea City Council offers a challenging and rewarding career in local government within a collaborative and innovative environment, with the benefit of flexible working practices to support a positive work-life balance.

Your new role

Southend City Council are looking to appoint a permanent, part-time Recruitment Fostering Officer. The Recruitment Fostering Officer's role is to attract, engage and convert potentially interested foster carers. The main goal is to increase the number of approved foster carers by promoting the fostering department and guiding applicants through the early stages of the fostering recruitment process. Within this post, you will be key in developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the recruitment strategy for Fostering. Producing and distributing promotional material, developing relationships with the press, media, community groups and organising recruitment events. You will be the first point of contact to all prospective foster carers, as well as organising pre-approval training for them. There will be the need to provide accurate information and advice about the different fostering schemes operating in Southend. This will involve dealing effectively with visitors and telephone callers to the service. As well as this, you will be required to collect information and complete initial enquiry forms as appropriate and subsequently send out up-to-date recruitment information packs. The working week is 25hrs and these are flexible to your needs. Within this position, hybrid working opportunities are available. However, you are required to be on-site at the Civic Centre a minimum of 1 day a week.

What you need to succeed

To be shortlisted for this position, it is essential that you hold a GCSE qualification in English and Maths. You must have some knowledge of the Children Social Care sector, preferably within a Local Authority environment. You must have proven advanced administration and customer service skills, be comfortable learning new IT systems and have the ability to communicate comfortably and effectively, whether at an event, one-on-one, or on the phone.

What you'll get in return

When joining the council, you can enjoy a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave, flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities. They are committed to ensuring that you are supported in this varied and challenging role with the appropriate level of training.

What you need to do now

If you are interested in this role, please click 'apply online' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV. Please note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above so you are advised to apply as soon as you are able to. All applicants for this role will require an enhanced DBS check. The Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age or religion or belief.