Information Request Officer

Job Description

Job Category : Admin & Clerical
Location : County Hall, Somerset Council
Hours Per Week : 37.00
Start Date : Immediate Start
Start Time :09:00
End Time : 17:30
Salary: £15.45
Post to cover FOI request processing

• Managing team inbox
• Logging requests for information (FOI/EIR)
• Processing requests:
o Sending acknowledgement
o Assessing scope and subject of complaint
o Liaising with colleagues across relevant service to gather information
o Deciding whether information held should be disclosed or whether exemption/exception might apply
o Constructing a response to customer explaining what we hold and what if any exemptions have been applied
• Answering any FOI/EIR general enquiries
• Escalating any challenges/requests for internal review
• General admin associated with the role

Main Responsibilities & Duties

The Information Request Team is part of the Information Governance Team which has a flexible structure to meet the needs of the organisation. The post holder is expected to work across a range of duties as part of the Information Request Team, as required by the Team Leader or Service Manager, and other members of the team.

1. Using iCasework (software), the Information Request Officer manages, responds and processes requests within statutory guidelines and within set timescales.

2. Assesses the request against guidance to make sure the request is clear, liaising with customers to clarify information if required and ensures a good quality response.

3. Evidences and appropriately articulates the public interest and prejudice test when required by legislation to support the use of qualified exemptions.

4. Ensures charges are levied to the Information Requester, if appropriate.

5. Identifies any probable vexatious or repeated requests and reports this to the Team Leader.

6. Works with the service department to ensure that they locate all paper and electronic records held that relates to particular requests.

7. Develops and maintains the disclosure log on the website.

Person Specification

What You Will Be Good At
Communication
• Strong communication skills both written and verbal

Planning and Organisation
• Effectively plan and organise workload
• Ability to deal with conflicting deadlines
• Ability to reprioritise workload around urgent assignments such as data breaches
• Evidence of assertiveness and ability to chase progress on project tasks.

Interpersonal skills
• Works enthusiastically with colleagues
• Ability to influence, persuade and resolve conflicting views
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to deal with sensitive issues and maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent Attention to detail
• An aptitude for working with legal documentation

Problem Solving and Creativity:
• Ability to assess information and determine suitability for release
• Ability to recognise where additional legal advice may be required and seeks this advice.
• Responds calmly to problems, seeking solutions and modifying plans as appropriate.
• Ability to identify risks and issues for requests

Work Experience Knowledge & Skills

Essential
• Experience of following processes and assessing material for appropriate disclosure
• Working with confidential cases and documents, respecting the need for confidentiality at all times
• Dealing professionally with customers and building good working relationships with officers and managers
• Analysing, organising and presenting information to a high standard
• Knowledge of data protection
• Ability to interpret and apply legislation where necessary
• Ability to prepare files, sometimes of a complex nature, involving highly sensitive and confidential information.
• Must have a good range of IT skills and ability to use the Microsoft package and ability to learn new software such as Adobe PDF
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work with a high level of accuracy
• Ability to organise own work, and multiple tasks at once
• Ability to speak fluent English as stated in Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016)
Desirable
• Knowledge/experience of processing subject access requests
• Experience of Directorate- wide or corporate working.
• Experience working in the social care field
• Appropriate experience in a local authority.
• Knowledge of Data Protection rights, and how these apply in a local authority setting.

Qualifications
Essential
• English and Maths GCSE C/Level 4 or equivalent or
Desirable
• Professional qualifications in Data Protection • NVQ level three or equivalent

Personal Attributes
Essential
• Ability to adopt flexible and willing approach
• Excellent team working skills.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Self-motivator
• Ability to work with minimal supervision/sole responsibility.
• Displays high levels of accuracy. Desirable