Statement Taker

Venesky-Brown’s client, a public sector organisation in Edinburgh, is currently looking to recruit 2 x Statement Takers for initial 23 month contracts on a rate of £223.15/day (Outside IR35). These roles will be a hybrid of working at home and in the office.

Responsibilities:

- Prepare and lead sensitive private session interviews with applicants

- Prepare and lead complex interviews with other types of interviewees. These could be in depth and technical

- Work closely with another Statement Taker and a support representative in an interview environment to build and maintain good rapport with the interviewee/applicant

- Take detailed record of the private session or interview and have responsibility for audio recording the session

- Prepare often complex and lengthy interviewee statements, based on the private session or interview and the audio recording, to the standard required by the organisation

- Work closely with the Legal Team in preparation of complex interviews

- Liaise with the organisation’s Interviewee Support Team about how to best support the interviewee

- Liaise with the Interviewee Support Team, in preparation for any further meetings with the interviewee about revisions to his/her draft statement, up to the point where the interviewee signs the statement

- Work flexibly and be prepared to do other related work where necessary

- Be willing to travel UK wide. You will also be required to stay overnight near the venue of a private session

- Be expected to work in the organisation’s offices on a regular basis

Essential Skills:

- Analysis and Use of Evidence: Subsequent to private sessions and interviews transfer relevant evidential content from audio recordings and notes into statement form. This should be done in line with the Organisation Terms of Reference and the required organisational statement format. Liaise with the legal team where required in the preparation of detailed and relevant plans for the organisation interviews and private sessions.

- Communications and Engagement: You must ensure that all engagement with the interviewee is handled with the utmost respect, sensitivity, courtesy and professionalism. You must be able to handle highly confidential information appropriately. You must be able to “capture a interviewees words” in writing to give an accurate written account of their experiences within the format preferred by the organisation. You must be able to build and maintain strong relationships with the wider team.

- Self-Awareness: You will be able to work with minimum supervision. You will be highly organised and effective in managing your workload and balancing priorities to meet deadlines. You will demonstrate sound judgement and take personal responsibility for the delivery of tasks. You should have a high degree of emotional intelligence and have experience of dealing with people who have had traumatic experiences. You will have a high degree of personal resilience in dealing with sessions and interviews. Significant, on-going support will also be provided by the organisation to all team members.

- Improving Performance: You will monitor and progressively improve the efficiency of your systems and processes for taking statements. You will take ownership of the statement taking process from beginning to end and along with your Team Managers. strive to improve the experience for the interviewee. You will have a flexible approach to your duties and be willing to work on other related work, if and when required

- Experience or understanding of issues facing vulnerable interviewees

- Familiarity with public inquiries

- Excellent IT skills.

If you would like to hear more about these opportunities please get in touch.