Direct payment advisor jobs in liverpool city centre, merseyside

About us

Universal Credit (UC) is the fastest growing advice issue for the Citizens Advice service and improving the support available to people making a claim is vital. Our Help to Claim service guides people through the claims process - this will include identifying suitability, helping clients to start their claim and providing support to their first payment.

Citizens Advice Liverpool is looking to recruit Help to Claim advisers with knowledge and experience of welfare benefits to join their team.

The successful candidates will provide end to end telephone and web chat support for new Universal Credit claimants. Your understanding of legacy benefits will enable you to check whether a client would be better off on Universal Credit. You will also be able to identify clients who due to transition to Universal Credit via Managed Migration and support them through the process and application. You will be confident in your ICT skills to support clients in making their claim.

You’ll have the ability to interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills to get to the root of the issues and empower clients, whilst maintaining structure and control of meetings, as well as a commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice Service.

About the Role

Advice Giving

• Provide advice through telephone and webchat
• Interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills in order to allow clients to explain their problem(s) and empower them to set their own priorities
• Supporting clients to use ICT to make their new Universal Credit claim
• Use Citizens Advice resources to find, interpret and communicate the relevant information to clients
• Complete benefits checks when appropriate
• Research and explore options and implications so that clients can make informed decisions.
• Act for the client where necessary using appropriate communication skills and channels.
• Refer internally or to other specialist agencies as appropriate.
• Ensure that all work meets quality standards and the requirements of the funder
• Ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service's equality and diversity strategy.
• Maintain detailed case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.
• Complete the required training to comply with quality assurance processes

Research and campaigns

• Support our research and campaigns work through various channels including case studies, data collection and client consent

Professional development

• Keep up to date with legislation, policies and procedures and undertake appropriate training
• Read relevant publications
• Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the line manager
• Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/team meetings/staff meetings as appropriate

Administration

• Use of telephony and IT equipment for multichannel delivery of advice services
• Use of IT software for statistical recording of information relating to research and campaigns and funding requirements, record keeping and document production. Ensure GDPR compliant training is completed on an annual basis
• Ensure that all work conforms to your organisation’s systems and procedures

Other duties and responsibilities

• Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service
• Demonstrate commitment to the aims and policies of Citizens Advice
• Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues
• Work from a variety of Citizens Advice Liverpool outlets and outreach locations across the city as required over the course of the week between the hours of 8am-6pm.

Requirements

1. Recent knowledge and experience of the benefits systems, including experience of carrying out accurate benefit check calculations in a professional setting
2. Basic knowledge of multiple enquiry areas to aid with identifying emergencies and making referrals where appropriate
3. Experience of providing advice through telephone and web chat
4. Ability to use sensitive listening and questioning skills to get to the root of the issues and empower clients, whilst maintaining structure and control of meetings with them
5. Ability to interpret complex information and convey it in a way that is understandable to clients.
6. Good ICT knowledge with an ability to support clients with their online claim application
7. Ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with a range of partnership organisations to reach Universal Credit claimants.
8. Assist with research and campaigns works by providing information about clients’ circumstances
9. Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service and its equal opportunities policies.
10. Ability to meet targets and excel against objectives.
11. Ability and willingness to work both on own initiative and as part of a team.

About us

This role is part of a brand-new service which is being delivered across Liverpool and will provide dedicated energy and welfare support to individuals who are vulnerable and in or at risk of fuel poverty.

As Energy Adviser, you will provide a multi-channel advice service, including home visits, to fuel poor and vulnerable consumers who are struggling to pay their bills or require better deals on energy. That advice will include:

• guidance on the most appropriate payment methods.
• information on how to access help from energy suppliers.
• energy efficiency measures and ways to save on bills.
• information about Smart Meters.
• maximising benefit and other income.

About the Role

Advice Giving

• Deliver a multi-channel advice service, including home visits, to clients regarding their energy needs and income maximisation support, ensuring advice provided meets the requirements of Citizens Advice quality standards.
• Ensure all case recording and other record keeping is completed within agreed timescales and conforms to the Office Manual and the Advice Quality Standards
• Use sensitive listening and questioning skills in order to allow clients to explain their problem(s) and to identify the next course of action.
• Use a range of information sources to find relevant information, then interpret and communicate this to clients, enabling them to tackle fuel poverty and financial hardship for the long-term.
• Assist clients with other related problems where they are an integral part of their case and refer internally or to other specialist agencies as appropriate.
• Meet the individual performance targets set as part of this project.

Research & Campaigning

• Take an active role in the research and campaigns process by identifying trends and social policy issues and communicating these to the Project Supervisor and Research & Campaigns Co-ordinator.
• Keep up to date with current research and campaigns priorities, initiatives and plans.

Administration

• Collect and record all relevant information given during interviews on to Casebook to meet the monitoring and evaluation requirements of the project.
• Be self-administering and undertake general administration tasks e.g. taking messages; photocopying, collating, filing; processing post etc.
• Professional development
• Pass the City and Guilds NEA Level Energy Awareness exam within 2 months of starting the role.
• Keep up to date with relevant energy advice issues and maintain an up to date working knowledge of all new relevant legislation through:
• Attending training opportunities.
• Reading monthly subscriptions, relevant publications and Citizens Advice Updates.
• Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/team meetings/staff meetings/forums, as appropriate.
• Identify and implement your own learning and development needs.

Other duties and responsibilities

• If required, work from a variety of Citizens Advice Liverpool outlets across the city as required over the course of the week.
• Promote the aims, policies, and membership requirements of the Citizens Advice service.
• Ensure all processes and procedures that relate to the responsibilities of the role are delivered with a high level of awareness of the organisation’s equality and diversity ethos and policies.
• Be a positive ambassador for Citizens Advice Liverpool.
• Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.
• You will also need to have passed the City and Guilds NEA Level Energy Awareness exam within 2 months of starting the role.

You will have excellent communication skills, be confident, motivated and willing to try new things. We’re not looking for the finished article, if you have the right attitude then we can help to develop your skills.

Essential

1. Experience of using interpersonal skills, including sensitive listening and questioning skills to understand the needs of others, especially in the context of telephony.
2. Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively.
3. Effective oral and written communication skills, with good IT knowledge to support delivery of service
4. Ability and willingness to work both on own initiative and as part of a team.
5. Willingness to learn and develop skills and be flexible with service delivery.
6. A good understanding of fuel poverty issues and the issues affecting society and their implications for clients and service provision.
7. Ability to assist with research and campaigns works by providing information about clients’ circumstances
8. Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service and its equal opportunities policies.
9. Ability to pass City and Guilds NEA Level 3 Energy Awareness exam within the first 2 months of starting the role.

Desirable

1. One year’s experience of delivering generalist advice within Citizens Advice or another quality assured environment such as AQS.

About Kinship

We are Kinship. The leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We’re here for kinship carers – friends or family who step up to raise a child when their parents aren’t able to. 

Together, let’s commit to change for kinship families.

About the role

We are seeking a technically capable, qualified accountant with strong knowledge of the Charities SORP to provide effective stewardship and oversight of the Finance function at Kinship. You will be responsible for financial controls, management accounting and ensuring the effective delivery of ‘business as usual’ financial management.

As well as producing monthly management accounts, you will be responsible for running the annual budget and the year-end processes, preparing for the yearly external audit and ensuring that the organisation complies with statutory obligations.

You will prepare papers for and attend the quarterly Finance Committee meetings and will liaise with a range of stakeholders including auditors, the bank and investment managers.  You will be the ‘go to’ business partner at the charity, supported by the Chief Operating Officer and Fractional Chief Financial Officer.

You will manage a team of two colleagues – a Senior Finance Officer and a Payroll Manager – providing them with guidance, coaching and support to enable them to perform effectively. You will also collaborate and work with Directors and senior managers across the organisation to inform them on performance against budget and conditions of funding, as well as supporting fundraising and commissioning bids. 

You will have excellent communication skills and will be able to organise conflicting priorities around the monthly management accounts cycle, while supporting the achievement of our strategic objectives. You will be flexible and adaptable in your approach to supporting transformational change in our processes and systems, as well as dealing with, and leading on, the day-to-day financial management. 

This is a broad and challenging role for a dynamic and systems-driven individual who wants to grow within the organisation, proactively problem solve and help colleagues to deliver on our mission.

Essential requirements include:

• Fully qualified ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent
• In-depth understanding of accounting principles, standards and the Charities SORP, and experience of applying these in a service delivery organisation
• Experience managing a Finance function in a charity with £1-10m annual turnover
• Experience of line management and developing a team using approaches that are empowering
• Experience of Business Central, or the ability to quickly learn a new accounting system
• Excellent Microsoft Excel skills with the ability to use Pivot Tables and other functions to analyse large data sets

What we’ll offer you 

Kinship offers 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time) as well as a generous pension scheme. We have an excellent wellbeing offer including the Employee Assistance Programme and clinical supervision. We will invest in your professional development with training and career development opportunities.

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us. 

This is a fantastic time to join a supportive and well-established team within an organisation with rapid growth ambitions. This role will be what you make it and we’re looking for someone to seize this opportunity!

How to apply

Please apply via Charity Job with your CV and a cover letter of no more than 2 pages for the attention of Joshua Marks. Please include your notice period and earliest availability to start in your cover letter.

• Application deadline:      8.00am on Monday 7 July 2025
• First interview:                 Online - Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 July
• Second interview:          In-person (Vauxhall, London) - Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July [2 hours                                                     including Excel and presentation task]

Kinship reserves the right to close applications early on receipt of sufficient applications. Apply early!