Advice caseworker jobs

“Providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice”

Citizens Advice Southwark has a track record of delivering high-quality services from its offices in Peckham, Walworth and Bermondsey and outreach locations across Southwark and South East London. We sort out problems together, for good, by providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice across all areas of social welfare law, and through using the experience of our clients to bring about positive change through research and campaigns. 

We are looking for an experienced Generalist Advice Caseworker to deliver a high-quality advice service. You will be required to work across our three offices in Southwark according to operational needs. The role includes providing advice to the public and undertaking casework on social welfare law issues.

To be successful you will need to have:

• Six months recent experience of providing Generalist Advice to the public
• An understanding of the advice needs and issues of the local community in a diverse, inner-city area
• To understand, empathise with and be committed to the Service’s aims, principles and equal opportunities policies

Closing date: 9.00 am Monday 5th September 2022

Interviews: Friday 9th September 2022

We offer a range of employee benefits, including generous annual leave, an employer matched pension contribution up to 10% salary, and training and development opportunities to continue your professional development.

Citizens Advice Southwark is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all applicants who meet the person specification irrespective of sex, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, age, or disability.

Funded by London Borough of Southwark

We are currently looking for a Caseworker to join our talented team. You’ll be supporting survivors of brain injury and their families to access the support, advice, and entitlements they need.

The closing date for this role is 9am Wednesday 31st August. Interviews will be held Monday 5th September. This is a fixed term contract until June 2023.

If you would like further information about the role and Headway East London, please contact Natalie Clapshaw.

Contract: Permanent, part time

Hours: 17.5 hours per week

Location: London, Brent (hybrid working)

Salary:  £32,980 pro rata £16,490

Closing date: 6 September 2022 at 9am

About the role

Young Roots’ Casework Service provides one-to-one intensive and open-ended support, advice and advocacy to young refugees and asylum seekers. Launched in 2016, the service has quadrupled in response to both volume and complexity of need. You will be part of a growing team of skilled and committed Caseworkers, supporting hundreds of young refugees each year.

As Senior Caseworker, you will be responsible for your own caseload of young people in Brent, some of whom will be part of our contingency accommodation project in Wembley, providing holistic and trauma-informed support; making referrals for mental health support and legal advice as well as to other relevant services; monitoring and reporting progress against milestones and outcomes; and responding to safeguarding concerns.

About you

We would like to hear from you if you have the following:

• Experience of providing casework support to young refugees and asylum seekers aged 11-25 years  
• Working knowledge of the UK asylum and social care systems for young refugees and asylum seekers, including Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children and care-leavers  
• Understanding of the challenges experienced by young refugees and asylum seekers in London  
• Working knowledge of child protection issues and safeguarding processes  
• Ability to empathise, communicate and engage effectively with young people in distress  
• Ability to handle complex, sensitive and confidential information appropriately  

How to Apply

To view the Job Description and Person Specification, please see the link below.

To apply, please submit your CV alongside a personal statement, within our application form (in the Quick apply link below), outlining how you would be a great fit for the role.

Your personal statement should be no more than 2 pages long, answering the following questions:

1. What is your motivation for working with Young Roots and this role specifically?
2. What skills and experience can you bring that will enable you to be successful in this role?
3. How would you take a holistic approach to supporting a young person presenting with multiple complex needs?

Young Roots offers a competitive package, with a generous 28-day annual leave entitlement, flexible working and 5% employer pension contribution (3% employee contribution)

Founded in 2004, Young Roots works with young refugees and asylum seekers aged 11-25, in London, to improve their wellbeing and fulfil their potential. We provide direct services for young people, including youth and sporting activities, one-to-one intensive Casework support, access to therapeutic and legal support, English-language learning and youth leadership. We run parallel services in Croydon and Brent supporting hundreds of young refugees and asylum seekers each year, from 40+ countries, many of whom are unaccompanied.

We have an ambitious strategic plan 2021-2024, framed by our values, which includes our aim to draw on our deep understanding of the challenges young refugees and asylum seekers face to advocate for better systems and policies, both locally and nationally, with and for the young people we support and the wider community of refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.

Young Roots is committed to its responsibilities under safeguarding and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to a satisfactory DBS disclosure, as well as a need for full employment history and up to date employment references.

Young Roots is an equal opportunity employer. People with lived experience of torture or asylum, from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ individuals and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

No agencies please.

“Providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice”

Citizens Advice Southwark has a track record of delivering high-quality services from its offices in Peckham and Bermondsey and outreach locations across Southwark and South East London. We sort out problems together, for good, by providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice across all areas of social welfare law, and through using the experience of our clients to bring about positive change through research and campaigns. 

About the role

The long established immigration advice service at Citizens Advice Southwark provides general immigration advice and information to colleagues and outside agencies. The service also includes representation to clients on in-scope Immigration and Asylum matters under Legal Aid and through LAA exceptional case funding. The service is also supported under a contract with Southwark Council.

The post holder will:

• Provide in-depth immigration advice and assistance including representation for clients.
• Ensure all criteria for undertaking work to Legal Aid Specialist Quality Mark standards is adhered to and evidenced.
• Establish and maintain procedures to comply with OISC covering the quality of advice provided.

You must have:

• OISC Level 3 caseworker or Solicitor/Barrister/FILEX with practising certificate
• Immigration and Asylum Accreditation as Senior or Advanced Caseworker
• At least 2 years recent, professional experience in a legal or advice setting
• Experience of Immigration Legal Aid casework
• Legal and policy expertise in immigration law and advice

Closing date: 9.00 am Monday 5th September 2022

Interviews: Wednesday 7th September 2022

We offer a range of employee benefits, including generous annual leave, an employer matched pension contribution up to 10% salary, and training and development opportunities to continue your professional development.

Citizens Advice Southwark is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all applicants who meet the person specification irrespective of sex, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, age, or disability.

Please note this role is known internally as Aspire Project Adviser

Hours: 24 over 4 days

Contract: Fixed term 6 month contract, with the possibility of extension

We are seeking an experienced, well-organised adviser to provide advice and casework services to  clients of Aspire, an organisation providing support for people with substance misuse issues in Peterborough. You will be joining the CAP team, however you will be based and working alongside the Aspire caseworkers, who will provide the majority of your referrals. You will be located at the Aspire offices in central Peterborough and Bretton.

You will need the ability to interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills to identify the root of the issues and empower clients, whilst maintaining structure and control of meetings.

We are looking for individuals who are qualified Citizens Advice advisers, or people with experience and qualified to deliver advice in a similar organisations. Alternatively, we may consider a graduate with many of the key skills required to train and rapidly become competent as a general adviser.

A key part of this role is developing links with other key community organisations throughout the city and providing a key point of access into our service for Aspire clients. Ensuring individuals affected by cost-of-living pressures have access into our services.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop your existing professional advice skills, taking the support we offer into Peterborough’s diverse communities.

Your employment history will be reviewed, but your application will be marked against the person specification so please ensure you provide examples of how you meet each point.

You must be entitled to work in the UK and appointments will be made subject to references. Successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

We value diversity and promote equality and would welcome suitably qualified people with disabilities and minority ethnic applicants as these groups are under-represented in our workforce.

Closing date: 14 September 2022
Interview date: 20 Sept 2022

Aurora New Dawn is a registered charity providing support and advocacy to survivors of domestic abuse, stalking and sexual violence.

We are looking for an Independent Stalking Advocate to join our Stalking team.

The successful candidate will:

• Provide a high-quality frontline service to individuals experiencing stalking, through both face to face and telephone support.
• Support victims throughout the criminal and civil courts.
• Offer information and signposting on a risk and needs-led basis
• Provide advocacy, practical and emotional support, empowering victims to act for themselves and engage with services that can help them, thereby increasing self-esteem and reducing isolation.
• Work closely with our multi-agency partners and the Hampshire Stalking Clinic.

• A significant part of this role will involve working alongside Thames Valley Constabulary to ensure that the voice of the victim is heard throughout the process of evidence capture and investigation.

Thames Valley runs across three counties, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire.  We are recruiting for an advocate to cover the Buckinghamshire. The Aurora Office is based in Portsmouth, Hampshire. The advocate will be based either at the Aurora office or co located with the police in the Buckinghamshire area. This will be agreed on with the successful advocate. A minimum of one day a week working from the Thames Valley location will be expected and one day a week in Portsmouth. This travel will not be renumerated as it will be a static working base – any other travel to various meetings will be renumerated at the cost of 45p a mile in line with policy.

For an informal discussion about the role, or for any queries, please contact Lyn Tiller, Director of Operations, Services and Innovation.

You are advised to read the job description and person specification carefully as the decision to shortlist you for interview will be based on the information you provide in your letter. Please include a CV with your covering letter.

We encourage applications from women of all backgrounds and communities and are committed to having a team that is diverse in terms of skills, experiences and abilities. We particularly encourage applications from disabled and Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic women, as these groups are currently underrepresented in our organisation.

Closing date for applications: 5th September 2022

Interview date 13th and 14th September

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early

Are you looking for your next career challenge helping the London Homeless?

Our primary focus is both straightforward and challenging;

“The relief of poverty among people who are homeless in the London boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth by the provision of winter night shelters, food and advice, support and re-settlement services so as to help them re-build their lives”

Since 2007, Robes has operated across Southwark and Lambeth to provide shelter and care for people who find themselves homeless in London, especially through the harshness of winter, as well as through the rest of the year.

Robes also supports homeless people with vital welfare advice, enabling them to access services and accommodation. With the support of over 30 Church venues and over 1000 volunteers, Robes is going from strength to strength; we are looking to expand our range of services through which we support our Guests and acquire and develop our dedicated permanent shelter.

Robes is looking to recruit an additional  full time Advice Worker to support our Guests during the Shelter Season and onward throughout the year.

The Advice Worker will be an essential member of our small Advice Team, reporting to the Senior Advice Worker. The successful candidate will have the drive and motivation to take responsibility for their own case load, while collaborating closely with the team to frequently review cases and determine the best course of action.

Robes implements and builds its homeless projects through its core values of:

• Respect
• Trust
• Care, kindness
• Compassion
• Open to all, to flourish
• Non judgemental
• Empathy

If you share these values and want to be part of the Robes Project Team and you want to make a difference as a Robes Advice Worker, then we want to hear from you!

Application Instructions

Please apply via Charity Jobs with both CV and Cover Letter. Please note, candidates without a Cover Letter will not be short listed. If you have any questions about the Robes Project please ask via our website portal.

Interviews will be held on September 22  and 23

We have exciting opportunities within our new Stalking Advocacy Service. We are looking for two Stalking Caseworkers (known internally as Independent Stalking Advocates) working full time (37.5 hours) Monday to Friday, with some out of office hours working dependent on service users needs.

Do you want to make a difference every day? Do you want to contribute to change and improvement for those who need it?

Do you have resilience and adaptability? Can you work effectively with a focus on customer service and care?

If yes, then we would love to hear from you.....

What we offer:

At Victim Support we believe in attracting and retaining the best people, and offer a competitive rewards and benefits package including:

• Flexible working options including hybrid working
• 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, rising to 30 days plus Bank Holidays
• Pension with 5% employer contribution
• Enhanced sick pay allowances & maternity payments
• Hight street, retail, holiday, entertainment and leisure discounts
• Access to our financial wellbeing hub and salary deducted finance
• Employee Assistance Programme and Wellbeing support
• Ongoing training and support with opportunities for career development and progression

About the role:

As a Independent Stalking Advocate Caseworker you will be providing a high quality pro-active service to victims of domestic abuse stalking, including individual safety planning, advocacy, and emotional and practical support.

You will hold and manage your own case load. You will build relationships with victims of stalking and creating a supporting environment which allows victims to be open about their preferred methods of reviewing and managing risk.

You will develop a practice which allows you to see the bigger picture and seeing patterns rather than individual events.

You will be supporting clients through the criminal justice system which will include working with, and referring to other appropriate support agencies.

These roles will be based in our Wakefield office, but you will be expected to travel around West Yorkshire on a regular basis to support victims of stalking.

You will need:

Ideally, you will have experience of working directly with victims of stalking or other similar high risk offences, and have an understanding of the needs of victims of stalking. You will have the ability to build relationships and create supporting environments and have experience of dynamically assessing and managing risk. You will have excellent listening skills and be able to support with empathy in a non judgmental manner.

You will be organised with excellent communication skills, and the ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a team. You will be able to work under pressure but be aware of options for self care.

You will hold, or be willing to work towards the Paladin Independent Stalking Advocate Caseworker Accreditation - this will be provided for successful applicants.

Please see attached Job Description and Person Spec for further details.

About us:

Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity providing a range of specialist services to people who have been affected by crime across England and Wales. We work towards a world where there are fewer victims but who have stronger rights, better support and a real influence in the Criminal Justice System. Everyone at VS is driven by our Vision Ambitions and Values to play their part in making a difference for those who experience crime and traumatic events. Working for VS gives you the opportunity to play a key role in a national charity providing high quality services to victims and witnesses and being a vital force for change.

Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

Victim Support is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe having a diverse workforce at all levels allows us to represent the communities we serve and connect better with people affected by crime. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all communities and monitor the diversity of applicants to analyse if we are representative of the communities we serve in terms of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, age and socio-economic status. As part of our commitment to the Race at Work Charter we would particularly welcome applicants from BAME communities.

How to apply:

To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website, and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria.

We looking forward to hearing from you.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date.

Women and Girls Network (WGN) is looking for experienced and dynamic Advice Hub Caseworkers to join our highly successful Advice Service.

As an Advice Hub Caseworker you will provide one-off and short term emotional, practical and advocacy support for self-identifying women, girls and non-binary people who have experienced any form of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). You will be providing advice, information and support over the phone and via our web-chat and linking survivors with support that is right for them. You will also provide consultation and advice to professionals who are working with cases involving VAWG.

The Advice team work from a woman-centred, trauma informed and survivor led integrated approach, ensuring individualised support that is rooted in empowerment and best practice. The work is delivered through a commitment to an anti-oppressive, feminist framework that strives to address additional barriers and meet the diverse range of survivors needs, understanding the specific support needs of each survivor. We are passionate about social justice and being part of dismantling systems and structures which oppress survivors. These posts play a key part in helping us identify current issues affecting survivors in London and opportunities for change.

The ideal candidates will be experienced in providing support, have an excellent insight into the needs of survivors of VAWG and be innovative. This is a unique opportunity to join one of the leading specialist VAWG organisations within the women sector, and play a pivotal role in the development and delivery of a service which improves responses, access and support to survivors in London. If you have the required skills then we would love to hear from you.

These roles will initially predominately involve remote working, evolving to involve regular office based working (in Ealing, as well as travel across London) as determined by service requirements and as circumstances allow).

We welcome and encourage applications from women of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian, Minority and Ethnic communities.

We provide clinical supervision, access to an on-going CPD programme and the opportunity to work in a leading multi-cultural feminist organisation. WGN’s employee benefits include: 3% pension contribution, enhanced leave entitlement and an Employee Assistance Programme.

These posts are subject to satisfactory reference and DBS checks.

WGN is an equal opportunities employer. The above posts are exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1.

Hours: 15 hrs per week

Location: Citizens Advice County Durham, Armstrong House, Durham DH1 5GH (home working until further notice, although some office attendance may be required during initial training)

Duration: Fixed term until January 31st 2023 (with possibility of extension subject to continuation of funding)

We are excited to announce that we are currently seeking to recruit a Debt Caseworker to join our thriving charity within County Durham. This is an excellent opportunity to join one of the UK’s leading charities. We pride ourselves on being non-judgemental and impartial. You will be part of our amazing team based in our Debt Relief Order Unit, who are committed to providing support to clients within our community, and across England and Wales. If you have a background in advice work, then this role will give you the job satisfaction and the reward you are looking for.

Role Context

To conduct telephone interviews with clients referred into the unit by the Citizens Advice Network throughout England and Wales. To assist in processing and submitting Debt Relief Order applications on behalf of clients.

Recent or ongoing experience in delivering debt advice is preferable and current Debt Relief Order Intermediary Status is desirable. However we encourage applicants with a background in telephone based roles, and full training will provided to gain debt advice accreditation and Debt Relief Order intermediary status.

What we offer: There’s lots! Including: a competitive salary, pension scheme, 25 days holiday, excellent training and development opportunities and much more!

Closing date for applications: 9th September 2022

Proposed date for interview: w/c 12th September 2022

Location: Newbury office, currently hybrid office/home-based working

2 part time positions available – 18 hours & 21 hours

Citizens Advice West Berkshire is looking for an enthusiastic Advice Session Supervisor to join our team.  You may already be a Supervisor but we will also consider applications from candidates with advice experience (advising on issues such as housing, debt, employment) who have a demonstrable ability to complete our training route and gain the knowledge to become a Supervisor.

Our general service is predominantly staffed by our incredible volunteers, giving advice face-to-face, on the telephone and by email.  The advice we give is regularly audited as high quality and we want to continue to embrace new ideas and practices to ensure the service we provide to our clients is consistently excellent.

As an Advice Session Supervisor, you will:

• supervise advisers to ensure a high level of accuracy to the advice given
• be passionate about giving an effective service to people in need
• have excellent communication skills and the ability to motivate and manage people. You will complement this with strong IT skills.
• be able to work under pressure in a busy environment

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.  Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

The Citizens Advice service values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people, as they are currently under-represented in our workforce.

Closing date for applications: 31st August 2022 4pm

Advice Service Team Leader – Role Description

Role Purpose

Citizens Advice East Berkshire is seeking to appoint a highly motivated and experienced Advice Service Team Leader, to start as soon as possible.

The successful candidate will lead a team of staff and volunteers in providing a high-quality advice and information service across East Berkshire, from our two offices, various outreach locations, and through telephone and digital access channels.

You will support the Advice Services Manager, delivering advice services; managing staff and volunteers by undertaking one-to one’s, training, and development; and ensuring our services are delivered, monitored, evaluated, and developed effectively and efficiently. Demonstrable work experience in these areas will be required.

The ideal candidate will have previous Citizens Advice experience, potentially as an Advice Session Supervisor or equivalent, but we would consider individuals from other backgrounds who have demonstrable experience in an advice-giving capacity and leading teams.

You must have a minimum of two years’ experience of advice work including advising or supporting on complex cases in welfare rights, benefits, employment, housing, and debt, and have experience in the provision of staff & volunteer support, development, and motivation.

The postholder will work closely with public and voluntary sector partners, as well as a committed and experienced team. You will be confident in working with stakeholders at all levels and be able to grow and develop great partnerships while acting as an ambassador for Citizens Advice East Berkshire.

Citizens Advice East Berkshire operates a range of services and projects, ranging from generalist advice services to those that work with our more vulnerable clients. The successful candidates will be allocated to a team based on their experience and knowledge.

Interviews will be arranged as they are received and the openings will close upon successful appointment, so it is advised applications are submitted promptly to avoid disappointment.

You must be eligible to work in the UK and a DBS check is required for this role.

Salary (DOE): FTE £30,000-£32,000

Hours: Full time – 37 hours

Contract Term: Permanent

Location:  Based in our Maidenhead and Bracknell offices with some remote working possible.

Reporting to: Advice Services Manager, Citizens Advice East Berkshire

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Service Leadership & Management

• Manage and develop advice services and projects to ensure quality, ease of access and consistency throughout the service
• Ensure projects meet funder targets and are delivered within the budgets
• Lead the advice teams and delegated projects, including leading regular team meetings for staff and volunteers
• Prepare and issue reports as required for the Advice Services Manager, attending meetings as required to present findings and recommendations

Staff and Volunteer Management

• Ensure the effective performance management and development of volunteers through regular supervision sessions, the appraisal process and learning and development.
• Participate in the induction and training of new staff and volunteers as delegated.
• Participate in recruitment and selection activities as delegated.
• Identify recruitment and training needs, and liaise with Trainer to ensure needs are met through targeted recruitment and training
• Create a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are well-managed, dignity at work is upheld and staff and volunteers can do their best.

Supervising Advice Sessions

• Manage the practicalities of the advice session and ensure adequate staffing and resources.
• Provide an appropriate level of support and supervision to individual workers depending on their level of competence.
• Monitor all the case records of designated staff, volunteers, and trainees to meet quality standards and service level agreements.
• Ensure remedial and developmental and training issues are identified and acted on in a timely manner to develop individuals, improve the quality of advice, and ensure clients do not suffer detriment due to poor or inadequate advice.
• Keep technical knowledge up to date and provide technical support to advisers and / or caseworkers.

Networking and partnerships

• Grow and maintain partnerships with professional and voluntary sector partners, while acting as an ambassador for Citizens Advice East Berkshire.
• Develop links with relevant statutory and non-statutory agencies relevant to the role.
• Attend regular team meetings with external partners, present our services, and act upon feedback to improve our services
• Use influencing skills to promote Citizens Advice and foster good relationships with external stakeholders.

Learning & Professional Development

• Keep up to date with legislation relevant to the role, trends, ideas and thinking
• Attend and actively participate in regular support and supervision sessions and appraisals with the Advice Services Manager.
• Identify your own learning and development needs and take steps to address these.

Administration

• Monitor and evaluate activities appropriate to the role and contribute to the organisational planning process by providing regular reports and feedback on areas of responsibility.
• Develop and maintain effective admin systems and records relevant to the role.
• Ensure that detailed records for the purposes of information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation are maintained and developed
• Produce comprehensive, analytical and developmental oral and written reports on the work of the service as required.

Other

• Keep up to date with Citizens Advice Aims, policies and procedures and ensure these are followed.
• Ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service's equality and diversity strategy.
• Keep up to date with research and campaigns (R&C) issues and ensure R&C is promoted and integrated in a way relevant to the role.
• Work cooperatively with colleagues and encourage good teamwork, clear lines of communication and common practices within the team.
• Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for your own health and safety and that of colleagues.
• Carry out any other tasks within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.
• In addition to the tasks and duties outlined in this job description, to undertake such duties which are generally compatible with the functions of the post

Person Specification

Essential:

• Experience of implementing and monitoring business related objectives
• Previous provision of one-to one’s, training, and employee development.
• Minimum of two years’ experience of advice work including advising or supporting on complex cases in welfare rights, benefits, employment, housing, and debt.
• Ability to commit to, and work within, the aims, principles, and policies of the Citizens Advice service.
• A good, up to date understanding of equality and diversity and its application to the provision of advice, and the supervision and development of volunteers.
• Proven ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively.
• Ability to monitor and maintain own standards.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrable understanding of the issues affecting society and their implications for clients and service provision.
• Demonstrable understanding of the issues involved in interviewing clients.
• Proven ability to manage / supervise others, including ability to recruit, develop and motivate volunteers.
• Proven ability to monitor and maintain service delivery against agreed targets.
• Ability to monitor and analyse statistics and check accuracy of calculations.
• Proven ability to develop individuals or groups by providing support, guidance, tutoring and / or training.
• Proven ability to supervise and monitor advice work and to maintain casework systems and procedures.
• Ability to research, analyse and interpret complex information and produce and present clear reports verbally and in writing.
• Ability to prioritise own work and the work of others, meet deadlines and manage workload in a busy environment.
• Ability to use IT systems and packages, and electronic resources in the provision of advice and the preparation of reports and submissions.
• Ability to monitor and maintain recording systems and procedures.
• A commitment to continuous professional development.
• Has a right to work in the UK

Desirable:

• Has previous Citizens Advice experience, ideally as an Advice Session Supervisor or equivalent
• May suit someone that has worked in the voluntary sector as a Service Manager, Senior Team Leader, or equivalent.
• Qualifications/ CPD that would be beneficial to this role.

Advice Service Supervisor – Role Description

Role Purpose

Citizens Advice East Berkshire is seeking to appoint a highly motivated and experienced Advice Service Supervisor, to start as soon as possible.

The successful candidate will provide high-quality advice and information across East Berkshire, from our two main offices, various outreach locations, and through telephone and digital access channels.

The ideal candidate will have previous Citizens Advice experience, ideally as an Advice Session Supervisor or equivalent, but we would consider individuals from other backgrounds who have demonstrable experience in an advice-giving capacity and leading teams.

You must have a minimum of two years’ experience of advice work including advising or supporting on complex cases in welfare rights, benefits, employment, housing and debt, and have demonstrable experience in managing complex cases, negotiating with third parties on behalf of clients and maintaining accurate and comprehensive case recording.

The postholder will work closely with professional and voluntary sector partners, as well as a committed and experienced team while acting as an ambassador for Citizens Advice East Berkshire.

Citizens Advice East Berkshire operates a range of services and projects, ranging from generalist advice services to those that work with our more vulnerable clients. The successful candidate will be allocated to a team based on their existing experience and knowledge.

Interviews will be arranged as they are received for suitable candidates and the openings will close upon successful appointment, so it is advised applications are submitted promptly to avoid disappointment.

You must be eligible to work in the UK and a DBS check is required for this role.

Salary (DOE): FTE £24,000-£27,000

Hours: Full-time, although part-time (minimum of 3 days per week) may be considered

Contract Term: Permanent

Location:  Based in our Maidenhead and Bracknell offices with some remote working possible.

Reporting to: Advice Services Manager, Citizens Advice East Berkshire

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Staff and Volunteer Management

• Ensure the effective performance management and development of volunteers through regular supervision sessions, the appraisal process and learning and development.
• Participate in the induction and training of new staff and volunteers as delegated.
• Participate in recruitment and selection activities as delegated.
• Identify recruitment and training needs, and liaise with Trainer to ensure needs are met through targeted recruitment and training
• Create a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are well-managed, dignity at work is upheld and staff and volunteers can do their best.

Supervising Advice Sessions

• Manage the practicalities of the advice session and ensure adequate staffing and resources.
• Provide an appropriate level of support and supervision to individual workers depending on their level of competence.
• Monitor all the case records of designated staff, volunteers, and trainees to meet quality standards and service level agreements.
• Ensure remedial and developmental and training issues are identified and acted on in a timely manner to develop individuals, improve the quality of advice, and ensure clients do not suffer detriment due to poor or inadequate advice.
• Keep technical knowledge up to date and provide technical support to advisers and / or caseworkers.

Networking and partnerships

• Grow and maintain partnerships with professional and voluntary sector partners, while acting as an ambassador for Citizens Advice East Berkshire.
• Develop links with relevant statutory and non-statutory agencies relevant to the role.
• Attend regular team meetings with external partners, present our services, and act upon feedback to improve our services
• Use influencing skills to promote Citizens Advice and foster good relationships with external stakeholders.

Learning & Professional Development

• Keep up to date with legislation relevant to the role, trends, ideas and thinking
• Attend and actively participate in regular support and supervision sessions and appraisals with the Advice Services Manager.
• Identify your own learning and development needs and take steps to address these.

Administration

• Monitor and evaluate activities appropriate to the role and contribute to the organisational planning process by providing regular reports and feedback on areas of responsibility.
• Develop and maintain effective admin systems and records relevant to the role.
• Ensure that detailed records for the purposes of information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation are maintained and developed
• Produce comprehensive, analytical and developmental oral and written reports on the work of the service as required.

Other

• Keep up to date with Citizens Advice Aims, policies and procedures and ensure these are followed.
• Ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service's equality and diversity strategy.
• Keep up to date with research and campaigns (R&C) issues and ensure R&C is promoted and integrated in a way relevant to the role.
• Work cooperatively with colleagues and encourage good teamwork, clear lines of communication and common practices within the team.
• Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for your own health and safety and that of colleagues.
• Carry out any other tasks within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.
• In addition to the tasks and duties outlined in this job description, to undertake such duties which are generally compatible with the functions of the post

Person Specification

Essential:

• Minimum of two years’ experience of advice work including advising or supporting on complex cases in welfare rights, benefits, employment, housing, and debt.
• Ability to commit to, and work within, the aims, principles, and policies of the Citizens Advice service.
• A good, up to date understanding of equality and diversity and its application to the provision of advice, and the supervision and development of volunteers.
• Proven ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively.
• Ability to monitor and maintain own standards.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrable understanding of the issues affecting society and their implications for clients and service provision.
• Demonstrable understanding of the issues involved in interviewing clients.
• Proven ability to manage / supervise others, including ability to recruit, develop and motivate volunteers.
• Proven ability to monitor and maintain service delivery against agreed targets.
• Ability to monitor and analyse statistics and check accuracy of calculations.
• Proven ability to develop individuals or groups by providing support, guidance, tutoring and / or training.
• Proven ability to supervise and monitor advice work and to maintain casework systems and procedures.
• Ability to research, analyse and interpret complex information and produce and present clear reports verbally and in writing.
• Ability to prioritise own work and the work of others, meet deadlines and manage workload in a busy environment.
• Ability to use IT systems and packages, and electronic resources in the provision of advice and the preparation of reports and submissions.
• Ability to monitor and maintain recording systems and procedures.
• A commitment to continuous professional development.

Desirable:

• Has previous Citizens Advice experience, ideally as an Advice Session Supervisor or equivalent
• May suit someone that has worked in the voluntary sector as a Team Leader or equivalent.
• Qualifications/ CPD that would be beneficial to this role.

Are you…

• Dedicated to working with vulnerable people?
• Looking for a varied and people focused role?
• Motivated by working as part of a team?
• Passionate about doing a job that makes a difference?

The Marylebone Project is one of the largest women’s hostels in the UK for women affected by homelessness. Those we support are often affected by substance misuse, unemployment, domestic violence and mental health issues. Whatever their story, we aim for the same ending, self-esteem, employment and independent living. We do this by providing shelter, education opportunities, spiritual space and events in a welcoming and secure environment.

The Role:

This is a fantastic opportunity within the Project, your role will be based within our newly refurbished Centre where you will manage a caseload of service users who may have complex needs and challenging behaviour. You will provide Advice, Guidance and information (IAG) to vulnerable adults and holistic support to address their needs within a psychologically informed environment.

Part of your role will also include Coordinating and facilitating our Drop-in Service for rough sleepers, providing them with a range of services including food provision; laundry; showers; clothing and nurses clinics.

You will have the opportunity to be part of a service which will really make a difference to women’s lives and have the privilege to see them grow in confidence and skills.

Must have: 1-year minimum paid experience of working with vulnerable people and those with complex needs in an Advice and Guidance or Support Worker role. (or equivalent)

Salary

£29,237 per annum

Hours

Average 40 hours per week across Monday to Sunday. Working on shift-based rota which includes early, late, night, and weekends.

Pension

Church Army is an auto enrolment employer. If you are eligible for pension contributions, you will be enrolled in to a qualifying scheme and minimum pension contributions will be made by the employer.

Annual Leave

28 days per annum, rising by 1 day per year to a maximum of 33 days, inclusive of 8 bank holidays. As the project works on a 24/7 basis, you will be required to work some bank holidays.

Contract

Open-Ended, Full-Time

DBS

An enhanced DBS check required and compliance with Church Army’s safeguarding policies. Safeguarding training will be required.

Closing Date

Thursday 1st September 2022 at 8am.

Interviews

Thursday 15 September 2022.

More info

For more information on the role, please see attached the Job Description and Application form.

Please note that we do not accepct CVs, an application form will need to be filled.