Hackney is one of the most dynamic and progressive local authorities in the UK. We are a resilient, vibrant, and creative borough in the heart of London, with strong, diverse communities and a powerful set of shared values.
Over the past twenty years, the Council has built up first-class services, outstanding public infrastructure, and a reputation for excellence, innovation, and ambition. We are leading the way on essential work such as our fight for equity in Hackney with a particular focus on becoming an actively anti-racist borough. But the work doesn’t stop there, we are proactive in our approach to bringing fairness to all aspects of life including gender, neurodiversity and across the poverty divide.
Our Children & Education Directorate services aim to cultivate a future where every child, young person, and their family is empowered to thrive. Where the barriers to educational and personal development are dismantled, allowing each individual to reach their fullest potential. We envision a future where our unified approach, built on our relational Systemic, Trauma-informed and Anti-Racist (STAR) practice model, creates transformative experiences that inspire trust, foster belonging, and enrich lives.
The Complaints & Information Officer is a crucial role within the Children and Education Directorate, responsible for coordinating complex statutory and corporate complaint investigations. As the Directorate’s expert on Children’s Act, Council, and LGSCO complaints, you will manage case workflow for high-risk cases, champion quality investigation and response, and act as a thinking partner to identify systemic service failures and mitigate organisational risk. A key focus of the role includes translating complaint insights into service improvement by monitoring trends and ensuring the child’s voice is central to the wider quality assurance program, all while modeling a Systemic, Trauma-informed, and Anti-racist (STAR) approach. The role also provides coordination and support for processing information requests like FOIs and SARs, ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act and GDPR legislation and guidance.
You will be required to:
– Communicate directly with members of the public who have made complaints while demonstrating excellent interpersonal skills. At all times you will need a sympathetic yet objective approach
– Process, respond to and coordinate complaints, enquiries and information requests in line with relevant local and national policy, guidance and legislation
– Facilitating and supporting effective investigation and full written responses on behalf of the Council
– Liaise with relevant officers and service managers on processes, responses and outcomes
– Record, monitor and report on the progress of complaints and compliance with statutory and corporate procedures
– Assess the most appropriate complaints process for individual cases to be progressed; where there is ambiguity, present reasoned options to the manger
– Ensure complainants and colleagues follow the appropriate complaints procedure within relevant timescales whilst promoting a positive culture of learning from complaints
– Review and quality assure responses to complaints that managers have drafted. You will therefore need to establish supportive working relationships quickly with colleagues in the directorates
– Provide advice and support to colleagues in all service areas regarding our complaints procedures, complaint handling expectations, and information request processing
– Work well under pressure, prioritise a varied workload, meet strict deadlines and operate effectively as part of a team.
For more information, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification. A DBS is required for this position.
As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation.
If you want to work in a place where you can represent our values so we achieve the best for our residents, please click on the apply button below.
We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CV’s.
To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application.
As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency based questions. These questions allow you to demonstrate your suitability for the role and provide examples of your skills, knowledge and experience outlined in the job description.
We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace. However, if you are thinking of using this tool to submit your application, we ask you to think about what value it will add. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.
Closing date for applications: 14 July 2026 (22.59)
Interview date: W/C 27 July 2026
We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.
The interview process will include an assessment task which will be provided to you 24 hours prior to the interview time. The completed task must be submitted via email before the start of the interview.
The interview will be a panel interview, Q&A style.
Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.
The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: [email protected]
