Legal Jobs

Hours: 22.5 – 37 per week (part time or full time, depending on experience)
Responsible to: Law Centre Manager
Applications closing date: 29 April 2024 (9.00am)
Reserved interview dates: 7 – 8 May 2024

Are you an experienced caseworker with an excellent knowledge of welfare benefits law? Could you support our welfare benefits team?

North Yorkshire Citizens Advice and Law Centre has an exciting new role available for a Welfare Benefits Supervisor. This role would suit someone who meets the Legal Aid Agency’s supervisor standards. You will be responsible for supporting our welfare benefits projects and helping the team of advisers to provide high quality advice and deal with cases from our generalist service right through to representation at tribunal and court. 

The successful candidate will be an effective communicator with an ordered approach to casework and the ability to motivate a diverse team. 

Our service is in demand like never before and our goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever problem they face. If you are looking for a rewarding role, then this could be the perfect opportunity for you. 

This position can be undertaken as a hybrid role with at least 2 days per week based in your choice of one of our North Yorkshire offices (Northallerton, Richmond, Malton, Scarborough, Selby, Harrogate, Whitby and Skipton).

This role is an opportunity for a Paralegal to join a large in-house legal team and work on a broad range of matters. It will specifically involve supporting the Agreements, Information and Disputes (AID) team within legal services, consisting of five lawyers.

The successful candidate will be required to work across areas of law including but not limited to information law, contracts, intellectual property, procurement, subsidy and state aid, insolvency, recoveries and public law. In addition to providing research, drafting and general support to the Fund’s lawyers, it is expected that the Paralegal will handle matters under supervision and use legal knowledge to improve the Fund’s internal processes and precedents.

The bulk of the Paralegal’s workload will consist of legal support work however the candidate will also be expected to perform some administrative tasks and cover for the team’s administrative officer when required.

Experience working in a fast paced in-house or private practice environment would be ideal with legal research and IT literacy an advantage. Knowledge of insolvency and debt recovery would be desirable.

Interview Date: Week commencing 13th May

Location: The role can be based at any of our UK offices, these are Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Newcastle and Newtown. The role does not include any line management responsibilities. We have a hybrid approach to working - work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate.

On application, please align your supporting statement to the criteria below

Essential criteria

• Strong academic background with a law degree or undergraduate degree and law conversion qualification;
• Experience working within a Legal office environment
• Knowledge of and/or interest in gaining experience in an arms length public body;
• Good communication and organisational skills to work effectively with a broad range of people.

Desirable criteria

• Understanding and application of public and/or charity law;
• Experience with insolvency and debt recovery;
• Legal experience as a paralegal/advisor;
• Proficient with computer systems including Outlook, Microsoft Teams and online file management databases.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

Job description

Caseworker Role (OISC Level 1, 2 and 3)

About us

The Refugee and Migrant Centre (RMC) is an established, multi award winning charity that provides a safe, welcoming environment to thousands of refugees and migrants living in the Black Country and Birmingham.

Our highly skilled and diverse staff team provide a broad range of services including advice and support on immigration (OISC regulated level 1, 2 & 3), employment, welfare, education, ESOL, housing, homelessness, destitution, citizenship, health and wellbeing.

RMC have been assisting beneficiaries to access and sustain appropriate accommodation and improve their housing and living conditions for nearly two decades. RMC also deals with many aspects of homelessness, destitution, rough sleeping, exploitation, etc.

Why work for us

Our culture is what makes us unique. We encourage an open, honest working environment where people are valued. We're always challenging each other to learn and improve, because we know when we work together, we can deliver better outcomes.

What you will be doing

All Caseworkers (Levels 1,2 and 3) will be required to carry out the tasks shown below. The skill level to progress from one level to the next level is also detailed below.

· To provide professional and effective OISC regulated casework as well as advice, guidance and support to a broad range of RMC’s service users.

· To assist/support the team and the management to meet the needs of the beneficiaries and achieve targets.

· To support and supervise colleagues on a lower level of OISC regulation and designated volunteers.

· To deliver presentations and represent RMC at meetings/events when required by management.

· To take responsibility of projects related to the job

Working within the team

· To ensure the requirements of OISC are respected and met during the delivery of immigration-related advice and casework.

· To assist the senior colleagues and managers in order to drive efficiency, quality, systems improvement and target achievement.

· To supervise and/or manage colleagues on a lower level of OISC-regulation and designated volunteers.

Casework and advice

· To offer advice & casework to service users with various aspects related to their immigration case.

· To deliver the appropriate level of casework either independently or under supervision, depending on the level of OISC registration.

· To provide appropriate support and mentoring to any caseworkers and/or advisors that are under this role’s supervision.

· To maintain confidentiality in all dealings with service users and ensure their needs are met in a satisfactory and sensitive manner.

Other

· To be responsible for the day to day delivery of specific projects if requested by the Senior Management Team–this is flexible and could change depending on the nature of funding.

· To represent RMC at external meetings and events when required by senior colleagues.

· To maintain effective working relationships with partners and stakeholders.

Flexibility
In order to deliver the stated aims of this post, a degree of flexibility is needed and the post holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. Such duties will fall within the scope of the job within the appropriate pay grade. The job description will therefore be subject to periodic review with the post holder to ensure it accurately reflects the duties that are being performed
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OISC Level 1

Skill / experience Essential Desirable

· OISC Level 1 Accreditation or equivalent

· Commitment to working towards level 2

· Experience of advice work dealing with asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants.

· Ability to communicate complex information clearly to distressed clients.

· Commitment to equality and diversity.

· A proven high standard of communication skills, including written, oral, presentational and inter-personal skills.

· An ability to self-motivate and work independently.

· Fluent in a community language

· Experience of working in a multicultural environment and sensitivity towards other cultures.

· Educated to degree level or equivalent.

· A proven record of team work and flexibility.

· Excellent listening skills and ability to empathise as well as establish boundaries to avoid emotional over involvement.

OISC Level 2

Essential Desirable

· OISC Level 2 Accreditation or equivalent

· Commitment to working towards Level 3

· Experience of complex advice work dealing with asylum seekers, refugees, vulnerable migrants and ‘outside of rules applications

· Ability to communicate complex information clearly to distressed clients

· Commitment to equality and diversity.

· A proven high standard of communication skills, including written, oral, presentational and inter-personal skills.

· An ability to self-motivate and work independently.

· Fluent in a community language

· Experience of working in a multicultural environment and sensitivity towards other cultures.

· Educated to degree level or equivalent.

· A proven record of team work and flexibility.

· Excellent listening skills and ability to empathise as well as

· establish boundaries to avoid emotional over involvement.

OISC Level 3

Essential Desirable

· OISC Level 3 Accreditation or equivalent

· Experience of delivering complex advice work dealing with asylum seekers, refugees, vulnerable migrants, ‘outside of rules applications’ and representation at tribunal.

· Ability to communicate complex information clearly to distressed clients.

· Commitment to equality and diversity.

· A proven high standard of communication skills, including written, oral, presentational and inter-personal skills.

· An ability to self-motivate and work independently.

· Fluent in a community language

· Experience of working in a multicultural environment and sensitivity towards other cultures.

· Educated to degree level or equivalent.

· A proven record of team work and flexibility.

· Excellent listening skills and ability to empathise as well as establish boundaries to avoid emotional over involvement.