- Suffolk County Council
- Address: Beacon House, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 5PB, Hybrid working
- Salary: £28,958 per annum (pro rata)
- Hours: Zero Hours
- Contract: Permanent - 4 positions available
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join theSuffolk County Council (SCC) Emergency Duty Service (Out of Hours Team) as an Emergency Duty Service Coordinator.
This role can be worked from home with the requirement to be in the office for training and team meetings at Beacon House, Ipswich.
- Would you like to work in an incredibly varied, challenging and rewarding role?
- Are you passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of children and adults in Suffolk?
Your role and responsibilities
You'll be the first point of contact for social care enquiries relating to Suffolk residents, including Adult Services, Children and Young People’s services and Mental Health referrals. There are various contact channels which you will be expected to manage (telephone and email) and multi-task while providing exceptional customer service.
You will be responsible for dealing with a wide range of people with a variety of queries and demands of differing complexity. Some contacts will be from vulnerable individuals, and the post holder will be expected to use their skills and knowledge to support customers to achieve the best outcome, in line with Suffolk’s organisational values, drivers and operating models.
If successful, you will be responsible for a seamless transition between day and night services enabling the Council to fulfil its statutory duties to vulnerable adults, children, and families.
This a great opportunity for anyone wanting to gain experience within Social Care, with the opportunity to develop knowledge and support those in the community.
You will:
- act as the first port of call for the public for enquiries relating to children and families, vulnerable adults and mental health concerns and for professionals in accessing social care services both in and out of hours
- communicate effectively with customers by demonstrating listening skills and using appropriate questioning techniques to promptly and accurately identify the reason for the customer contacting social care
- maintain effective use of customer information systems and databases to ensure high quality and accurate recording and data quality
- work quickly and effectively to ensure information is passed to the appropriate team or worker as soon as possible.
You will need:
- a good level of literacy and numeracy skills
- relevant computer literacy (Explorer, Chrome, Word, Excel, Outlook)
- excellent customer service skills.
You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.
The team
The Emergency Duty Service is an out of hours service that works as a team to support one another, we work together to ensure a high standard service is achieved. We have a variety of individuals within the team at differing stages in their careers and we can support career development opportunities.
Full training will be provided, and you will be supported by the EDS Team Leader as well as mentors across the team.
Out of hours shifts
The Emergency Duty Service is a team that works out of hours and includes shifts that cover evenings, weekends, overnights, and bank holidays.
Monday – Thursday:
17:00 – 22:00
17:30 – 23:00
23:00 – 08:00 (overnight, 20% additional pay for hours 12am – 6am)
Friday:
16:00 – 22:00
22:00 – 07:00 (overnight, 20% additional pay for hours 12am – 6am)
Saturday / Sunday:
07:00 – 12:00
08:00 – 13:00
12:00 – 18:00
13:00 – 18:00
18:00 – 22:00
22:00 – 07:00 (overnight, 20% additional pay for hours 12am – 6am)
Shifts worked on bank holidays will receive an enhanced rate.
Training
Full training for the role will be provided. This will be delivered across the team through 1:1 training which can be completed remotely.
Once training is complete, the role is hybrid with the expectation of coming into the office base for occasional shifts, training, and team meetings.
Empowering Everyone
We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.
For more information
Please contact Sian Alexander (she/her) for a casual conversation by emailing sian.alexander@suffolk.gov.uk
How to apply
Step 1 - Read the advert and theJob and Person Profile (Word)
Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.
Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following below. You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word).
In up to 500 words, why are you interested in this role and why do you feel you are well suited to it? Please also provide a brief overview of your availability across the week.
Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details).
Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.
For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page.
Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AIto understand what’s acceptable.
Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team by either emailing recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.
Closing date: 11:30pm, 16 June 2026
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Onsite
