Organisational Overview

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. We are an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005.

OPG is responsible for registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and supervising deputies who are appointed by the Court of Protection.

OPG is a fantastic place to work offering a range of development opportunities. The OPG is a disability confident employer and is committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve.

OPG is currently delivering an ambitious transformation programme. This will change the way we provide services and help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support and will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. Transformation will ensure we can better support adults at risk and create high-quality services that are accessible and affordable.

Team Overview

Power of Attorney Services (POAS) processes incoming power of attorney applications on behalf of the Public Guardian, within agreed targets and performance indicators. POAS comes under the Operations directorate of the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).

OPG is a fantastic place to work offering a range of development opportunities, health and wellbeing initiatives and diversity and inclusion promotion. We have recently received a health and wellbeing charter accreditation as we are committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve.

Our Birmingham office is located centrally within walking distance to Birmingham New Street and Snow Hill train stations as well as the Mailbox and Broad Street.

Duties and Responsibilities

The role advertised is for an Administration Officer based in Birmingham for Power of Attorney Services. There are various roles available in different departments comprising of different functions. These roles range from casework, administration (filing, post opening etc), quality assurance and registering documents and answering customer calls.

Please see the Candidate Information Pack also attached to the job advert for further information.

You may be a required to work in different departments during the course of your employment, dependant on business needs. This includes an expectation that you may be trained to work in our customer contact centre.

The MOJ offers hybrid working arrangements where business need allows. However, as part of OPG's commitment in developing its people we are up-skilling and multi-skilling people throughout Power of Attorney Services therefore you are expected to be office based only and carry out duties within any of the POAS business areas.

The successful candidates will be based in Birmingham but may have the opportunity to visit our office in Nottingham.

Responsibilities may include any of the following, but not limited to:

• Supporting and contributing to the aims, objectives and performance of the department to ensure the Business Plan targets are met. ​Providing best possible customer service, ensuring that all information is accurate, clear, easy to understand and timely. ​

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• Being responsible for your own quality, regularly refreshing your technical knowledge and training, to maintain the highest standards. ​Update case management and management information systems to keep applications on track, colleagues informed and submitting your personal stats sheets accurately, reporting anomalies. ​

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• Contribute to ‘smarter working’ by following procedures, providing constructive feedback where improvements and efficiencies can optimise customer experience. ​Participate and contribute in team meetings, developing working relationships across the business where needed.  ​

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• Act as a role model, demonstrating behaviours within the MoJ Leadership statement and being a flexible, supportive team member, with good time-management skills to prioritise work. ​

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• Communicating clearly, being honest and transparent, making decisions that involve the relevant people at the right time.

• ​Most roles will require a degree of communicating with customers by telephone, email or letter to answer questions and enquiries or ask for further information relating to their application.

• Communicating with your team within a remote-working environment (MS Teams). Some roles may include an element of remote working.

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• Being responsible for your own learning and development with the support and guidance of your line manager and developing a knowledge of HR policies which you will be expected to abide by.

• Answer inbound telephone calls from external customers in a helpline centre environment, providing appropriate responses to customer queries and escalating requests to other teams where appropriate. You will act as point of contact for the customer, dealing with enquiries in a professional and courteous manner.

Agreed Expectations

The successful candidate will be expected to work from their base location on a weekly basis in line with current Civil Service requirements, outside of any reasonable adjustments.

Skills & Qualifications

Application process

This recruitment will follow the Civil Service Success Profile process. Candidates will be expected to provide 250 words each for Managing a Quality Service (level 1) and Working Together (level 1) incorporating the essential criteria in your behaviour statements. 

Interview Process

If you are successful at sift, you will be invited to an interview which will use the Civil Service Success Profiles. At interview, candidates should expect questions on:

• Strengths relevant to the role

• The following Behaviours at Level 1:

  • Managing a quality service

  • Working Together

• Your Experience of IT usage (Microsoft Packages).

All interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Reasonable Adjustments

At OPG we consider all applications on the basis of merit and want you to feel able to demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. If you require any reasonable adjustments for any aspect of the selection process, do not hesitate to get in contact with us.

As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. If you are applying for a role within OPG and would like to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, please indicate this in your application and let us know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the selection process.

For further information on benefits of working for OPG, such as our Flexible Working Policy and a FAQ, please check the candidate information pack attached to this advert.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, we may offer you an alternative role at the same or lower grade should one be available.