Investigations Administrator - 6 Months FTC

Location: One Canada Square, London
Department: Case Progression
Job Type: Full time
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract
Salary: -31,045
Hours: 34.75
Benefits: Competitive

Role Purpose

• To provide administrative support in relation to the preparation of fitness to practise investigation, illegal practise and events heard by the Fitness to Practise Committee.
• To proactively support the work of the Casework and Resolutions Directorate and to participate in the development and maintenance of administrative systems within the teams according to its aims and objectives.
• The General Optical Council registers around 35,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, optical business and optical students and has four core functions:
  • Setting standards for optical education and training, performance and conduct.
  • Approving qualifications leading to registration.
  • Maintaining a register of individuals who are qualified and fit to practise, train or carry on business as optometrists and dispensing opticians.
  • Investigating and acting where registrants'' fitness to practise, train or carry on business is impaired.
• Fitness to Practise are responsible for investigating and acting where a registrant''s fitness to practise may be impaired.
• The administrator may be assigned to either the case progression or hearings team and will undertake a varied and interesting, although sometimes repetitive, role in supporting our officers, managers, lawyers and department heads to ensure the smooth running of our fitness to practise function.
• A core part of the support provided to the hearings team will involve undertaking quality control checks on all pre- and post-hearing tasks in order to ensure that we maintain the integrity of the register.

• Manage the distribution of incoming post, including the scanning of correspondence and records. Maintain departmental filing, including entering/retrieving information from databases to a high standard of accuracy.
• Prepare bundles for stakeholders, including redacting sensitive information where necessary.
• Manage compliance with conditions imposed on registrants following a fitness to practise decision (interim and substantive).

• Conduct quality assurance checks on all pre- and post-hearing tasks to ensure events run smoothly and actions have been completed within set KPIs.
• Regularly review outcomes on CRM, the Register and the GOC website following the conclusion of an event or the appeal period.
• Quality assure hearing determinations in a timely manner to ensure that the appropriate rules have been followed, and by ensuring that the website version has been redacted where appropriate within the set KPI.

• Manage the fitness to practise and/or hearings inboxes (as required) and act as the first point of contact for all telephone queries within the department, actioning queries as necessary.
• Provide administrative support to the casework and resolutions team, including the drafting of letters and making/receiving telephone calls.
• Communicate with relevant customers and stakeholders to provide or obtain information about our functions and procedures.
• Actively participate in training and development events within the directorate, and keep own skills and knowledge up to date.
• Provide other equivalent administrative support to the directorate and to the organisation, as directed, including scheduling support and processing invoices.

• A high standard of literacy and numeracy.
• Good Microsoft Office skills including Word and Excel.
• Excellent organisational skills with a high attention to detail.
• Proactive attitude with good problem-solving skills.
• A team player and able to work well with peers and senior team members.
• Prior administrative or customer service experience would be desirable but is not essential.
• Staff are currently working remotely due to the pandemic. The organisation is in the process of planning for the return to the GOC offices; however, due to the nature of this role there will be an expectation of some office working.