Registration Support Officer

Overview

We are looking for a Registration Support Officer to join our busy Registration Service, leading a small team providing reception services at our two main offices, booking appointments for customers and undertaking all copy certificate requests for Buckinghamshire. The team is a key part of our registration service and the role will liaise with colleagues delivering all aspects of our work. It is a lively and varied environment.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

The Buckinghamshire Registration Service registers all life events that occur in Buckinghamshire including births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships. We have two main offices, one in the Council’s Walton Street Offices in Aylesbury and the other in Beaconsfield Old Town. We also have smaller outstations across the County. 

About the role

You will lead a small team (2 team members) that provide a reception service in both our Beaconsfield and Aylesbury offices.  You and your team will be responsible for greeting customers attending to register births, deaths, marriage/civil partnerships or for other appointments, and for taking bookings for appointments in person or by phone, ensuring customers are given all appropriate information.  You will also ensure that all customers with general enquiries are dealt with professionally and empathetically. 

You and your team will also deal with all requests for copies of birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates – both current and historical.  You will ensure that these requests are dealt with accurately and in a timely manner and that all service standards are maintained.  You will ensure that security protocols around certificate stock are adhered to and the cashbook and payments accurately maintained. 

In due course you will also be trained to assist in the delivery of civil marriage and civil partnership ceremonies in order to be able to help during busy periods. 

This role is also responsible for monitoring and undertaking tasks around the maintenance of the Beaconsfield Office which is a stand alone office.  This may involve liaising with the council facilities department or contractors attending the site for works.

You will also be a part of our fraud monitoring work with the General Register Office, actively ensuring that any potential fraud is reported appropriately.

The role will be based in Beaconsfield Old Town Registration Office.  It is full-time (Monday-Friday) and fully office based so that we can meet the needs of our customers.

Fixed

As a ‘fixed’ worker, you’ll spend most of your time in the same location, which will likely be a fixed office or location where your role is performed. Typically, you’ll be based in the same location as the rest of your team, because you provide a particular service from that fixed location or need access to information there.

About you

You should have excellent customer service skills and experience of dealing with people from all walks of life, in a variety of situations.  You should be empathetic and professional and feel confident in dealing with customers either in person, by phone or email.  You should be flexible, adaptable and able to prioritise. 

You should be very organised, with great attention to detail and an understanding of the importance of providing an accurate service whilst maintaining all security protocols.  You should have experience of taking payments and recording financial transactions accurately.

You should have some management experience or be keen to learn these skills and an understanding of what makes a good manager.  You should have a passion to lead a small but very busy team. 

All staff are expected to be smart in appearance and have an appreciation that we are seeing customers on some of the best and worst days in their lives. 

Full training will be provided but experience of working in a register office or similar environment may be helpful.  

Other information

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

Please see the attached job summary for further information on this role and person specification.

Key dates: Interviews will be held on Tuesday 10th December 2024 in Beaconsfield Old Town Registration Office. The interview will consist of a couple of small tasks plus individual interview and further details will be provided for those selected for interview.

If you would like to have an informal conversation with the recruiting manager, please contact: Catherine Long [email protected]

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Our Planning, Growth and Sustainability directorate works with partners to help shape the future of Buckinghamshire.  We deliver services on planning, economic growth, regeneration, strategic infrastructure, transport and property.

 Our key priorities include developing the economic narrative for Bucks, creating more jobs and delivering the right infrastructure to help businesses and residents thrive. We also aim to provide a proactive planning service that is responsive, whilst making the best use of the Council’s land and property portfolio. This will in turn support community services and create housing, jobs, regeneration and income to support public services.

 It’s a great time to join one of our teams. As part of the Planning, Growth and Sustainability function you will not only get to help shape the economic future of Buckinghamshire; you’ll also be involved in delivering high-profile development projects and work on some of the biggest infrastructure projects in the UK. You will support us to deliver the results that our local residents and businesses deserve.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/