This is a fantastic opportunity to join a committed and supportive team making a real difference to the lives of children and young people!
As part of our Cared for Children and Care Leavers service, this Placemen Pay Officer role offers a varied, meaningful workload in a friendly and purpose‑driven environment. Based at Delamere House in Crewe, you’ll enjoy a stable Monday–Friday working pattern with 37 hours per week, giving you the chance to grow your skills while contributing to work that truly matters.
About us
At Cheshire East Council we are resident, and partner focused with a vision to enable prosperity and wellbeing for all. People really are at the heart of everything we do and that starts with our incredible workforce. We promote a culture of high performance where people can aspire, thrive and flourish, where we strive to deliver best value in everything we do.
For us, success isn’t just about what we achieve, but how we achieve it together. We promote curiosity, excellence, innovation and continuous improvement.
We are values led and committed to wellbeing and inclusion for all, where our employees co-created our values of drive, integrity, respect and collaboration which inform all that we do.
We are proud to work for Cheshire East Council and believe you would be too!
Join us on a meaningful journey in Children’s Social Care at Cheshire East Council
We’re on a meaningful journey in Children’s Social Care and we’d love for you to be part of it. Joining us means becoming part of a supportive, forward-thinking team that’s passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and young people. Everything we do is about putting them first, helping them grow, thrive and reach their full potential so they can build brighter futures.
If this sounds like the kind of impact you want to make, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Come and join us in shaping positive change for our young people.
About the role:
As Placement Service Pay Officer, you will take lead responsibility for the administration and control of placement-related payments and financial processes. Your duties will include:
- Managing and maintaining financial ledger systems and ensuring the accuracy, quality and integrity of financial data
- Overseeing financial systems and Children’s client record systems (such as Controcc and Liquid Logic) to support the timely processing of payments and contracts
- Managing creditors and debtors, completing reconciliations accurately and within agreed timescales
- Supporting strategic financial forecasting for placement budgets and associated costs
- Acting as a point of contact for complex financial queries, providing clear and timely responses
- Producing reports, spreadsheets and analyses to support financial monitoring and governance
- Supporting departmental performance monitoring, audits and regulatory requirements (including OFSTED and DfE)
- You will be expected to work flexibly, manage competing deadlines and operate with a high level of accuracy and discretion in a fast‑paced environment.
About the candidate:
We are looking for a candidate with strong financial administration experience and a proactive, detail‑focused approach. You will be able to work independently while also contributing positively as part of a team.
You will ideally have:
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification, or relevant experience
- Extensive experience in financial administration, including budget management
- Strong numerical skills with the ability to interpret financial data, forecast costs and make informed recommendations
- Excellent IT skills, particularly in Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint, including the use of formulas
- Experience or working knowledge of financial and client record systems (such as Controcc, Liquid Logic or SharePoint)
- The ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to respond effectively to complex and non‑routine enquiries
- A flexible approach to work and the willingness to travel across the borough are essential.
What we offer in return:
- A competitive salary - Between £26,403 per annum - £28,142 per annum (CEC NJC – Grade 5) with guaranteed yearly pay increases!
- Enhanced annual leave - Start with an impressive 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service
- Purchase of annual leave – Want more time off? You can purchase up to 10 extra days of annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff)
- Flexible working pattern - Enjoy a 37-hour standard full-time work week with the added perks of flexitime and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible. Your work-life balance just got a whole lot better!
- Salary sacrifice green car scheme - Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme. There’re no credit checks, no deposits, just significant savings and exclusive offers on a three-year lease
- White goods salary sacrifice scheme - Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme, spreading the cost of big-ticket purchases like appliances, computers, and tech gadgets directly from your salary
- Enhanced public pension - Secure your future with our career average pension, where contributions are built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay
- Cycle to work scheme - Save up to 25-39% on the retail price of bikes and safety equipment through Income Tax and National Insurance savings. Get fit and save money!
- Employee assistance programme - Access a completely free and confidential assistance service to help manage, reduce, and overcome life’s challenges, both at work and in your personal life
- Discounted gym membership - Stay active and healthy with corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure, including:
- Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities
- Off-Peak Racket Sports
- Athletics Tracks
- Sauna/Steam/Spa
Organisation
Cheshire East Council
Job Category
Children and Young People Services
Salary Min
£26,403 per annum
Salary Max
£28,142 per annum
Employment Type
Permanent
How to apply
We’re delighted that you’re considering applying for this role!
As an equal opportunities’ employer, we warmly welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We believe that a diverse workforce helps us better reflect and serve our local communities, and together, we can build something truly special.
To join our team, simply click ‘Apply for this job’ at the bottom of the page. If you’d prefer an informal chat first or have any questions about the role, feel free to reach out to Jacqui Hall at: [email protected], they will be happy to hear from you! Please remember to include the job reference so we know which role you are interested in.
Once you’ve applied for the position, please keep an eye on your email inbox (including your junk and spam folders), as we’ll send any correspondence there to stay in touch with updates about your application.
If you haven’t heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, it likely means we weren’t able to move forward with your application at this time but please don’t let this discourage you as your interest means a lot to us, and we’d truly love to hear from you again in the future!
We wish you all the best in your application and if you run into any technical issues, our friendly team are here to help at: [email protected].
