Member Services Adviser Jobs in London

The Welfare Adviser will provide high quality specialist welfare benefits and housing advice, information and guidance to our service users, referring them internally and externally for additional advocacy and support as required, following organisational policies and procedures, and ensuring fulfilment of regulatory compliance with our Advice Quality Standard (AQS) accreditation, meeting the standards of quality in the delivery of advice services as required. The post-holder will work closely and collaboratively with other advisers, staff team members, interns, trainees, and volunteers as relevant, providing face-to-face advice, by telephone or other digital media.

Main accountabilities​

1. To provide LAH service users with high quality free specialist welfare benefits advice and guidance on income maximisation, that is accurate, effective, and tailored to their particular needs and circumstances.
2. Manage an adequate caseload of enquiries from LAH service users in a condition of extreme financial need, including those who are homeless  (or on the brink of homelessness).
3. To contribute to the development of LAH Advice Programme, which aims to provide frontline, one-to-one advice and casework in key areas of need for the community, including welfare entitlements, housing, employment and immigration.
4. Other accountabilities (Please refer to full job description document). 

To apply please complete the application form attached to this post and the equal opportunities form and send it via email. 

Job Purpose

As a Debt Advisor, you will play a crucial role in delivering tailored debt advice and money coaching sessions to NHS staff. Your responsibilities will include conducting financial capability workshops, supporting clients in managing their finances effectively, and maintaining detailed case records.

Scope of Role

The Debt Advisor (NHS Advice) will empower NHS staff to achieve financial stability and resilience by providing high-quality, comprehensive debt advice. Your key responsibilities will include:

1. One-on-One Debt Advice and Money Coaching Sessions:

   • Deliver personalized debt advice and money coaching sessions through various channels, including face-to-face, video, and telephone interactions.
   • Utilize sensitive listening and questioning skills to allow clients to explain their financial challenges and empower them to set their own priorities.
   • Research and explore options and implications, enabling informed decision-making.
   • Maximize income opportunities for clients, including benefits, tax, and housing-related matters.
   • Provide in-depth, high-quality advice and ongoing casework, acting on behalf of clients when necessary.

2. Financial Capability Workshops:

   • Conduct financial capability workshops at NHS sites across London, promoting financial resilience and well-being among staff.

3. Detailed Case Records:

   • Maintain accurate and detailed case records, ensuring compliance with auditing and quality standards.
   • Timely documentation of all case-related activities.

4. Collaboration and Referrals:

   • Work collaboratively with NHS staff and other stakeholders to enhance financial resilience within the NHS community.
   • Refer complex cases to senior advisors or the Quality Assurance Team as needed.

5. Key Working Relationships:

   • NHS Staff: Directly interact with NHS staff to provide tailored financial advice and support.
   • Advice Manager: Regularly report progress, challenges, and outcomes, receiving guidance and support.
   • Debt Advice Team: Collaborate with team members to share best practices and resources.
   • Quality Assurance Team: Review cases, receive assessments, and implement recommended training for continued professional development (CPD).
   • Funders and Auditors: Ensure compliance with funder requirements and maintain auditing standards.

Key Responsibilities

1. Accurate, Effective, and Individually Tailored Advice:

   • Provide personalized debt and money coaching advice across channels.
   • Empower clients to make informed decisions.
   • Maximize income opportunities for clients.
   • Deliver financial capability workshops.

2. Detailed Case Records:

   • Maintain accurate case records.
   • Ensure compliance with auditing and quality standards.

3. Up-to-Date Training:

   • Complete a minimum of 16 hours of technical CPD accredited training or qualifying activity.
   • Maintain a record of all training sessions.

4. Teamwork and Collaboration:

   • Work to an agreed work-plan, meeting targets and milestones.
   • Be an active team member, identifying development opportunities.
   • Demonstrate financial efficiency and value for money.
   • Comply with Toynbee Hall policies and procedures, including health and safety.

5. Other:

   • Travel across London and occasionally the UK as required.
   • Undertake additional tasks delegated by DFA Management.

Please note that we would be willing to explore a higher salary with the successful candidate if they meet all essential and desirable criteria.

Team background

The Debt Advice Team at Toynbee Hall provides essential support to individuals and families struggling with financial burdens. Funded by a diverse range of sources including the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), NHS, and other partners, we deliver expert guidance and practical solutions to help clients manage and reduce their debt. Our team operates through a network of face-to-face locations including advice centres and NHS sites, ensuring accessibility for all.

In addition to in-person advice, we leverage technology to reach clients who may not be able to access traditional services. We provide video advice to people in prison, those receiving employment support in job centres, and other remote clients. Our advisors are trained to navigate complex financial situations, offering tailored advice that empowers clients to regain control of their finances. Our work is vital in fostering financial resilience within the community, ensuring that individuals have the tools they need to achieve long-term financial stability.

By integrating direct support with strategic partnerships, the Debt Advice Team at Toynbee Hall not only addresses immediate financial challenges but also contributes to the broader goal of systemic change, enhancing economic security and community resilience across diverse demographics.

About Toynbee Hall

Based in the East End of London since 1884, Toynbee Hall is a charity working alongside people facing poverty, injustice, and inequality to build a fairer East London. We provide vital advice and support, working in partnership to tackle unfairness and ensure everyone has an equal chance to thrive.

We have recently launched a new strategic plan which reinforces that our purpose is to build a fairer future with an end to poverty, injustice and inequality.

We work towards this by:

• Addressing poverty and injustice through advice and support and influencing systemic change.
• Shifting power to people and communities affected by injustice and inequality.
• Collaborating to end poverty and build fairer systems and institutions. What we want to see in the world starts with our community and our organisation.

This means:

• Working together to build a thriving local community where people have the resources they need, feel their voices are heard and are optimistic about the future.
• Being a good employer, where people are treated fairly, feel engaged and empowered, and work together to achieve our shared vision.
• Acknowledging the role Toynbee Hall has historically played in civic society while recognising that our role now is to shift power, to be an effective partner, and to amplify voices that are less likely to be heard.

What we learn from our work in east London we use to inform and influence wider policy – working to influence change in structures, systems and policies.

Job title: Immigration Advisor
Reports to: Immigration Service Manager

Salary: £38,750 or £42,192 (with IAAS Supervising Senior Caseworker accreditation) plus benefits

Contract: permanent, full time

Are you passionate about making a real difference in the world? Do you want to leverage your skills to combat homelessness for children and young people? Then we have the perfect opportunity for you.

We are looking to recruit an Immigration Advisor to provide tailor-made advice to individual clients and to engage them in the process of making informed choices about their future direction. This is an exciting role in our Immigration Team that will work closely with the team to ensure that the centre is able to provide confidential OISC Level 2 and 3 advice and representation, whilst providing support and training to colleagues working at Level 1.  The role is pivotal in providing highly skilled legal advice and representation to vulnerable clients across London at no cost to the individual. This is particularly important at a time where free or low-cost advice is becoming harder to find.

If you have the IAAS senior caseworker accreditation, you will be the key advisor with regards to Legal Aid work, including prioritising Legal Aid cases and ensuring that Legal Aid is used whenever appropriate throughout the team.

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter. You must account for any gaps in your employment history. In your cover letter please outline how you meet the requirements of the role and why you would like to work for us.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The Centre requires staff and volunteers to complete a criminal records self-declaration and undertake a DBS check.

Citizens Advice Waltham Forest has an exciting opportunity on their successful Debt Free Advice Team for an experienced Senior Debt Adviser. We have been part of the wider Debt Free Advice partnership for over a decade and have success in delivering high quality debt advice to local residents who are facing financial difficulties. The demand for the service in light of the cost of living crisis has increased substantially over recent years and we are looking to expand our team.

We are seeking an experienced Senior Debt Adviser who has a proven track record in helping and assisting clients facing financial difficulties and providing creative solutions to help alleviate their challenges in a sensitive and supportive role. They will have an awareness of having successfully provided debt advice in a regulated environment. They will have experience of supporting and supervising a team, and monitoring their performance to ensure this remains in line with internal and external requirements.

The successful candidate would be expected to work a hybrid model of delivery - in an office environment, outreach sessions as well as home based. They would be expected to provide advice via omni-channels such as face to face, telephone and email advice. 

Main Responsibilities:

● Provide casework covering the full range of debt - Interviewing those that access our service using sensitive listening and questioning skills in order to allow them to explain their problem(s) and empower them to set their own priorities.

● Researching and exploring options and implications so that those accessing our service can make informed decisions

● Ensuring income maximisation through the appropriate take up of income, including those relating to water charges, benefits, tax and housing

● Providing in-depth quality advice and on-going casework, including acting for the client where necessary using appropriate communication skills and channels

● Maintaining detailed case records, ensuring that all work meets all auditing and quality standards and the requirements of the funder 

See attachment for further details 

£41,200 (pro-rata) + 6% pension contribution

21 hours per week

Supported by our CEO, you'll be working with an ambitious and caring organisation that works hard to support refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.  As a relatively small organisation we can be creative and nimble and always strive to work collaboratively. We are looking for a dedicated and passionate individual who can embed our new People strategy, taking our HR function to the next level.

For more information, please refer to the job pack. To apply, please complete our online application form which you can find on our website.

Deadline: 9am 24th June 2024

Interviews: Week commencing 1st July 2024

We are looking for an experienced Housing Advisor with excellent communication and interpersonal skills who is passionate about enabling people to overcome homelessness and poverty.  You will have gained a minimum of two years’ experience of housing advice and casework through paid or other voluntary experience. A legal qualification would be an advantage.

You will be part of a friendly and supportive team of experienced housing advisors and welfare rights specialists.  You will use your in-depth knowledge and experience of providing specialist housing advice to provide a structured information, advice and casework service to clients of the centre in housing law, housing options and aspects of welfare benefits that relate to housing and homelessness. You will manage your own caseload and provide advice, support and training to staff who are not specialists in this area to enable them to assist clients with less complex enquiries.

You will be able to draw on the support offered by colleagues from the Centre’s other teams (Assessment and Advice, Immigration, Employment and Learning, Family Services and Supported Accommodation) to ensure that your clients have access to the help need not only to deal with their immediate housing problem, but also to tackle any underlying issues and to build resilience against similar issues arising again.

Please refer to the job description for further information. In your cv and cover letter, please outline how you meet the requirements of the role and why you would like to work for us. You must account for any gaps in your employment history.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We require job applicants, staff and volunteers to complete a criminal records self-declaration and undertake a DBS check. This role requires an enhanced DBS check. It is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. We are unable to sponsor visas.

Closing date for applications: Thursday 20 June, 10am

Interviews: 28 June

If you’ve not heard from us three weeks after the closing date, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Would you like to work at the heart of government, advising MP’s on a daily basis? This rare 12-month HR opportunity will allow an agile HR Advisor to play a key role supporting MP’s with their HR queries.

This prestigious government body has over 600 members (MP’s) who are elected by the UK public, where they debate the big political issues and proposals for new laws. The organisation is situated in central of London, close to a number of excellent transport links. 

The HR Advisor role will be part of a team of 6, where you will provide high quality HR customer service on a daily basis to its members. This hybrid HR role will allow you to work from the office 2-days per week.

The key responsibilities of this important 12-month FTC role paying £41,340 includes:

• Supporting and advising the members with their complex HR queries.
• Developing and updating the HR policies, procedures and guidance.
• Analysing and monitoring HR trends and activity, offering advice on the findings. 
• Collaborating with the wider People and Culture team, sharing learning and knowledge where possible. 
• Coaching and developing the members to give them the knowledge and understanding to resolve employee issues themselves.

This exciting HR Advisor opportunity will suit a CIPD qualified HR professional with the ability to manage a varied workload. You will be able to build excellent relationships with the members, influencing where possible.
You will need to have up to date employment law and legislation knowledge along with being confident at advising high profile people on their HR issues.

Key benefits included in the role:

• 30 days’ annual leave (increasing to 35 days after first full leave year). 
• Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%. 
• Access to training and development. 
• Flexible working. 
• Interest free season ticket loan and bicycle loan.

Please get in touch for more information regarding this 12-month FTC HR Advisor position.

About Ashden  

Ashden boosts climate innovation in the UK and the Global South. Our support brings clean energy to villages and refugee camps and fixes up cold and draughty homes. It makes schools more sustainable, helps communities protect and restore the nature around them. Let’s Go Zero is a national campaign uniting teachers, pupils, parents and their schools as they all work together to be zero carbon by 2030. We’re also working with national government to ensure the right support is in place to help all schools reach this goal through seven policy actions.

The Let’s Go Zero campaign is seeking one Climate Action Advisor based in Cumbria or Lancashire, and one Climate Action Advisor based in North/North East Lincolnshire or Hull, as part of its new climate action advisors project. This initiative will link thousands of schools across the whole of England with advice and support from a network of 31 local climate experts.     

About the Role 

Do you have a passion for climate action? Are you confident engaging with external stakeholders? We're looking for two advisors to support school leaders, local authorities and others to carry out projects that reduce emissions and inspire students and the wider community. We know schools are eager to take climate action, but often lack the information to do so.

You will play an important role helping them develop their plans, secure funding, and work in partnership to achieve their goals. You will support future new initiatives announced by our coalition members, the Department for Education, or other organisations working in schools, to ensure a smooth flow of information, enabling schools to transition to zero carbon. 

This is an exciting and varied role, with the potential to support thousands of schools on their journey to zero carbon.

What you might find yourself doing: 

Climate action advice: 

• Advising school leaders, multi academy trust leaders, local authorities and local networks about climate action in buildings, estates and within school activities. 

• Developing relationships with local authorities, supporting their current initiatives, building on the work already being done to support schools in the area. 

• Attending and speaking in person at local and online events to encourage climate action and promoting sustainability.

• Visiting some schools in person to provide direct 1:1 guidance to school leaders. 

• Recording all school engagement, advice and action in the Let’s Go Zero tracker and ensuring all team members do the same. 

• Working in partnership with other Climate Action Advisors across England. 

Communications: 

• Communicating complex guidance to a mixed audience – helping school leaders, estates staff, finance teams and teachers to understand their impact and possible action. 

• Working with the communications team to generate insights into Let’s Go Zero’s work, contributing to articles and blogs. 

• Producing case studies of action in schools to be shared with the wider climate action network. 

About You 

  You’ll thrive in this role if you have: 

• Excellent interpersonal skills, a flexible approach and work well in a team. 

• A track-record in either climate change, decarbonisation, sustainability or education (obtained through previous roles, volunteering or other routes). 

• A passion and commitment to climate action.

• A good understanding of climate action in schools, colleges or nurseries.

• Excellent communication skills to be able to share guidance with school leaders individually and in groups.

• Strong organisational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise accordingly. 

• A collaborative mindset with ability to work effectively with a range of partners and team members and colleagues to help them improve their skills and knowledge. 

• Good IT skills. 

It is also desirable (but not necessary) for you to have: 

• An understanding of decarbonisation in the education sector, government education and/or net zero policy. 

• Experience providing advice to others and explaining complex options. 

• The drive to be an active and self-led learner who keeps abreast of developments. 

• Flexibility to work outside office hours from time to time, using sustainable transport whenever possible. You will be managing your own diary.

• Experience of coordinating meetings and events involving multiple people/teams, with an education or environmental element. 

• Experience with MS Office suite systems. 

Application Process 

The Assessment Day will take place on Thursday 20th June at our office in London. We will reimburse travel expenses and pay a contribution towards your time.   

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates for this opportunity as they are currently under-represented at this level in our organisation, and across the climate sector.

Please let us know if you have accessibility needs and/or require reasonable adjustments.  

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks will be carried out for the successful candidate. 

We are currently seeking a Team Lead to head up the delivery of support services for carers across the Southend Borough.  Working 37 hours per week with remote working with the flexibility to work from home and community venues in Southend. 

Tasks will encompass: managing the Carer Support Advisers within the team, providing personalised information and advice to carers, working with carers using a strength-based approach to identify their needs and plan support as required and building effective relationships and partnerships with commissioners, other organisations, partners and key stakeholders to create better outcomes for carers.

To be successful in your application, you will ideally need experience of managing a small team and building up relationships across partners and communities in order to deliver agreed outcomes within timescales.

In return, you will benefit from working for a not-for-profit organisation that delivers a service which makes a real difference to people’s lives. We offer training and development to help you grow your career, good annual leave entitlement, flexible working options, access to our work-place pension, employee assistance programme and a Benenden Healthcare package.

If you are interested in becoming part of our team and have the skills and experience, we are looking for and are passionate about making a real difference then please read the Job Description and Person Specification contained within the Candidate Pack.

Appointments are subject to Carers First receiving an appropriate disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service that we consider acceptable. 

We encourage and welcome applications regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation or age.

If you would like to discuss this role confidentially, please contact us and we will be happy to organise for one of the Team to contact you.  Please note that if you have not been contacted within one week of the closing date, your application has not been successful.

Carers First is an Equal Opportunities Employer

Positive      Collaborative      Ambitious

Early Intervention Dementia Adviser (Redbridge)

Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering

Salary: £25,821

Post: Full time (35 hours per week)

Closing date: Monday 10th June 2024, by 12pm

Interview date: Friday 14th June 2024

Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering offers a Dementia Advice Service providing high quality information, advice, guidance and support to people with dementia and their Carers throughout their journey living with dementia with a particular focus on moderate to late stages.

We are currently recruiting a Dementia Adviser in Redbridge to work in partnership with the London Borough of Redbridge and other Redbridge Dementia Partners. You will have an understanding of the needs of people with dementia and their carers either through professional or personal experience. You will have a key role in supporting people with dementia at various stages and encouraging people concerned about their memory to seek advice and assist them to access appropriate support to maintain their independence, enhance life choices and plan for the future. You will also help to develop coping strategies via support planning. This will include signposting and active referrals to relevant services as well as providing information on benefits available and assisting clients to access them where appropriate through various stages of their dementia journey. Provide community based, face to face services for an increased level of support for more complex cases.

This role requires the worker to work independently and manage their own caseload but be part of the wider team and be aware of the other services provided by Age UK Redbridge, Barking & Havering. The post involves both office based, home visit and outreach work at a variety of locations across Redbridge. Good IT skills are required and familiarity with Charity Log would be useful as well as knowledge of relevant quality assurance systems.

To apply: Please check our website for further details and a full application pack

Completed application forms and Equal Opportunities Forms should be returned to admin using the email: admin or alternatively post to Gabby O’Neill Recruitment, Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering, 4th Floor, 103 Cranbrook Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 4PU.

We're looking for two kind, compassionate and resilient Independent Domestic Violence Advisers to join our Homelessness service in London.

£31,000.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel valued? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

The London Domestic Abuse Advise Service provides support to address the risk of customers who are already involved with Look Ahead services. Customers are referred from all four specialisms of the organisation; Young People; Homelessness; Mental Health; and Learning Disabilities.

The role of an IDVA is to address the safety of victims and survivors of domestic abuse using DASH RIC and Individual Safety and Support Plans and represent the needs and values of each victim/survivor to external services. We take a trauma-informed and person-centred approach.

The post holder will be required to work alongside Look Ahead key workers and staff to support customers with complex needs are being supported by Look Ahead.

The post is restricted to females only due to the nature of the role. The occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (Part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

This role is a Fixed Term Contract, lasting nine months.

This role requires a valid Right to Work for the UK as Look Ahead are not a sponsoring organisation.

What you'll do:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Look Ahead IDVAs have the personal qualities required to manage customer expectations alongside the responsibilities of their role. Day to day IDVA activities include:

Manage customer referrals, completing Dash Risk Assessments and obtaining and maintaining all relevant paperwork
Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers and creating a positive atmosphere.
Regular attendance at Marac
Making relevant safeguarding referrals.
Support Customers to obtain Non-Molestation Orders where needed and any other civil remedies available to them.
Working proactively with other members of the team to handle the service caseload and administrative responsibilities
Attending all court and Case Management hearings with or as a representative for customers.
Supporting customers to set personalised goals in the form of a Safety and Support Plan.
Safety planning with customers.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead
About you:

Look Ahead IDVAs embody and promote the organisations values of quality, creativity, innovation, continuous improvement, integrity, transparency, openness and trust.

* Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
* Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour
* Prefers working as part of a group or team
* Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
* Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
* Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
* Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
* Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
* Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
* Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour

What you'll bring:

Essential:

Experience of working with survivors of domestic abuse
Knowledge of Safeguarding
Experience of Risk assessments and safety planning with domestic abuse victim/survivors

Desirable:

IDVA Qualification

About us:

Look Ahead is a dynamic, leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. As an organisation we deliver over 110 services, providing support to around 7000 customers each year. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Please see our website for full job description.

Hours: Full time, Mon to Fri, (37.5 hours per week)

Contract: Permanent

Location: Based at CAML offices in Mitcham and Morden and outreach locations. The post-holder may be required to work anywhere in South London

Salary: £29,930 - £33,256 dependent on experience

Annual Leave: 25 days, Charity Day, plus public holidays

Pension: The charity operates a pension scheme

The charity offers an employee assistance programme

Deadline: 6pm, Sunday 16th June 2024

Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth (CAML) is the leading advice charity supporting individuals and families primarily across the London boroughs of Lambeth and Merton but also wider London.  We provide a range of information, support and advice services.  We also work to raise awareness and understanding of the challenging issues affecting our clients and communities.

We are looking for an experienced Adviser/Caseworker or Supervisor to join our team in this new role.  If you are passionate about supporting individuals and families in need, relish supporting valued team members to reach their potential, have minimum of one year Citizens Advice Adviser (post certification) experience, are a natural team leader, enjoy delivering training and are interested in joining a dedicated professional team we would love to hear from you.

This role will support people with mental health difficulties referred by South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG) as part of their Community Transformation Programme. The service will support adults aged 18 years and over living in Merton who are experiencing mental health challenges and the carers of those individuals.

You will deliver a service providing advice for people that are referred from the Trust’s Single Point of Access (SPA) and other teams. You will manage an active caseload of people, providing a comprehensive advice and casework service to people experiencing mental health issues on issues such as benefits, income maximisation, debt and housing.

The service will also support people to access a range of opportunities in their community including services that support their social and emotional well-being, employment and volunteering opportunities and money and debt advice if needed.

The role will work in partnership with a team of health professionals and peer support workers, part of the role will be in supporting these professionals to identify where referrals are appropriate through feedback. Initial training will also be provided to all professionals on what outcomes we can achieve for service users.

Principal Responsibilities

Advice and casework

• Offer one off advice and casework (as applicable) to all clients referred via face to face appointments, online or telephone

• Ensure all clients are aware of the purpose and where to attend their appointment

• Ensure that all casework conforms to the Citizens Advice quality standards.

• Maintain case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.

• Ensure that all work conforms to our systems and procedures.

• 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.

• Being sensitive to clients’ needs and limitations to access support.

• Ensure income maximisation through the appropriate take up of income and application for discounts, including those relating to utilities, benefits, tax and housing.

• Provide full budgeting advice and where necessary refer for specialist debt advice and casework

• 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.

• Assist clients with other related problems where they are an integral part of their case and refer to other adviser/s (for example DRO intermediary) or specialist agencies as appropriate.

• Ensure that all work conforms to Financial Conduct Authority standards, the Advice Quality Standard and the requirements of the funder.

Project Management, co-ordination and partnerships

• Attend health management meetings (e.g. the Daily Integrated Allocations Meeting (DIAM) for referral discussions)

• Establish and manage an effective referral process from the SPA team and other SWLSTG teams/roles (e.g. Older Peoples Mental Health Team OPMH

• Keep in touch with local issues, developments and changes in procedures of other agencies including SWLSTG, other health service and the local authority. 

• Build relationships with peer support workers on the project

• Work to achievable targets in line with the criteria set by the funder.

• Refer clients to other advice services CAML offers and/or other local services for other associated issues e.g immigration advice

• Gather statistics and feedback in order to monitor and evaluate the service, ensuring that appropriate monitoring and data collection mechanisms are in place to demonstrate impact, outputs and outcomes and providing reports as required to the steering group, funders, and partners.

• Work with Head of Advice Services to produce reports and monitoring information about the service for the funder.

• Ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service's equality and diversity strategy.

Capacity Building and Training

• Deliver information sessions for peer support workers and NHS mental health teams to share knowledge about mental health and advice

Research & Campaigns

• Have responsibility for tracking and reporting on research and campaign issues. Assist with policy work by providing information about clients' circumstances.

• Gather and provide as necessary information about clients circumstances, case studies and statistical information on the number of clients and nature of cases where is an issue.

• Monitor service provision to ensure that it reaches the widest possible client group.

Professional Development

• Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures and undertake appropriate training

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.

• Ensure wider Citizens Advice Merton & Lambeth colleagues/partners aware of this service.

• Demonstrate commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service.

• Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.

Person Specification

Essential

1. Experience of supporting people with mental health issues and the ability to empathise, and to deliver advice in a kind and compassionate way.

2. A minimum of a year’s post certificate experience in delivering advice at a local Citizens Advice or similar.

3. Understanding of the link between mental health and other protected characteristics particularly in the context of Merton demographics

4. Ability to act on clients behalf and negotiate with external services where necessary in writing and on the telephone

5. Knowledge, experience of, and demonstrable ability to provide good quality advice and casework and write ups that meet Advice Quality Standards (AQS)

6. Ability to prioritise own work, meet deadlines and manage caseload.

7. Good interpersonal and communication skills, verbally and in writing.

8. Proven ability to build relationships with partners. 

Desirable

1. Experience working in partnership with the Health Sector

2. Ability to deliver training

This job description and personal specification does not form part of any contract.

Professional Development

The successful applicant will receive comprehensive induction to the charity and our work.  We support team members in their professional development to ensure we’re up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to benefits and debt and undertake appropriate training as agreed with your line manager. 

If you’re interested in the role and joining us, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please follow the link to our website for more information and to find out how to apply. The deadline for applications is 6pm, Sunday 16th June 2024.  If you do not hear from us, we are afraid your application was unsuccessful.

We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and will process your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018. Please refer to our online Privacy Policy for more information on how your personal data will be processed and stored.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Independent Domestic Violence Adviser Team Leader to join our Homelessness service in Kent.

£35,855.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel like you're making a difference? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Look Ahead IDVA Managers provide a high-quality safe service to those at highest risk of domestic abuse.

The post holder will be responsible for leading a team that keeps the safety of victims of domestic abuse at the core of all processes. You will have overall responsibility for all clients accessing the service. The post holder will have good knowledge of the criminal justice system and an understanding of Marac protocols.

The manager will also raise awareness of male domestic abuse.

This role is a one year Fixed Term Contract.

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

What you'll do:

Managing all referrals and allocating to the most appropriate IDVA according to current caseloads.
Co working complex cases.
Regular attendance at MARAC in order to advocate for clients by the sharing of information and risk management and ensuring Marac research and actions are recorded correctly.
Ensuring ongoing partnership working with services referring into the IDVA team.
Ensure the service adapts to work with a diverse cohort of survivors.
Ensuring all recording is completed including outcomes and closures in a timely manner.
Developing multi agency partnerships with statutory and non-statutory partners in the sector.
Carrying out regular supervisions with the IDVA team.
Carrying out regular Casework Management with all IDVA staff.
Completion of monthly case file audit.
Oversight and management of IDVA caseloads in accordance with Safelives guidance.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour
Prefers working as part of a group or team
Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organized
Able to apply the right balance of care and support dependant on the needs of the customer
Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour
Ability to adhere to Look Ahead's professional boundaries policy

What you'll bring:

Essential:

IDVA Service Manager Qualification desirable but not essential.
IDVA qualification essential.
Have an excellent understanding of domestic abuse and the legal and civil remedies available to victims and survivors.
Experience of managing a team dealing with frontline high risk domestic abuse clients essential

Desirable:

Embody and promote the organisations values of quality, creativity, innovation, continuous improvement, integrity, transparency, openness and trust.

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 120 services, providing support to around 6000 customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

About MSI

MSI Reproductive Choices is one of the world’s leading providers of sexual and reproductive healthcare. We believe that everyone should have the right to choose. From contraception to safe abortion and life-saving post-abortion care, we are committed to delivering compassionate, affordable, high-quality services for all.

Today, our organisation has over 9,000 team members working in 37 countries across the world. Our success lies in the fact that MSI teams are locally led, entrepreneurial and results-driven, and are passionate about delivering high quality, client-centred care in their own communities. As a social business, we focus on sustainable delivery, efficiency, and funding models that are built to last, so that the women and girls we serve today will have a choice in the future too.

We know that access to reproductive choice is life changing. For some, it can mean the ability to complete an education or start a career. For others, it means being able to look after the family they already have. For everyone, it means the freedom to decide their own future, creating a fairer, more equal world.

About the Role

The Regional Programme Advisor will contribute to the fulfilment of MSI’s mission by providing support to country programmes, facilitating effective project and grant management, financial and narrative donor reporting and compliance and contributing to the development of strategies to improve capacity and delivery in our programmes. This role requires English fluency.

About You

We recruit talented, dynamic people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, all united by a belief in our mission and a focus on delivering measurable results. We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to creating a fully inclusive workplace, where everyone feels able to participate and contribute meaningfully. You must be open-minded, curious, resilient, and solutions-oriented, and committed to promoting equality, and safeguarding the welfare of team members and clients alike.

To perform this role, it is essential that you have the following skills:

• Professional proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Ability to work in a diverse and inclusive environment, respecting and collaborating with all individuals equally, and with a commitment to overcome bias and prejudice.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to organise and present information in a compelling way.
• Ability to design, implement and monitor effective project management, including a solid understanding of donor budget management.
• Understanding of, and ability to write and edit donor proposals and reports.
• Ability to design, implement and monitor effective project management
• Ability to work well with others in a team environment and across disciplines and cultures
• Excellent influencing and negotiating skills
• Ability to work proactively, with an enthusiastic, positive and determined mind-set.
• Ability to manage a heavy and fluctuating workload as well as competing priorities and remain calm under pressure.

To perform this role, it is essential that you have the following experience:

• Demonstrated administrative, finance and programme management experience.
• Experience of working in an overseas location, preferably a developing country (desirable)
• Knowledge of donor regulations, policies and procedures.
• A knowledge of reproductive health care (desirable)
• Understanding of, and ability to write and edit donor reports and/or proposals

Formal education/qualification

• Educated to Degree level or equivalent.
• Post-graduate qualification in public health, international development, public management or related field (desirable).
• Professional proficiency in written and spoken English

Personal Attributes:

We seek exceptional individuals who are aligned to MSI’s mission and entrepreneurial mindset. You must be a strong communicator, self-motivated and solutions-seeking, committed to driving social change in an environment that measures sustainable results and impact at an individual and global level. You must be able to work effectively with and across diverse teams and be comfortable with ambiguity. 

For this role, we’re looking for an individual who is:

• Committed to the protection of team members and clients, with a focus on vulnerable groups
• Able to role-model inclusive and culturally sensitive attitudes and behaviours
• Ability to manage a heavy and fluctuating workload. Results orientated
• Demonstrates MSI team member behaviours
• Pro MSI philosophy of social enterprise and cost recovery
• Pro choice

Please go to the vacancy on our website to view the job framework

Location: London Support Office (hybrid working) or where any MSI country programme operates.

Full-time: 35 hours a week, Monday to Friday (for UK based team members).

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: £34,200 - £42,750 per annum for UK based candidates. Discretionary bonus + benefits. For all other locations, the salary will be banded within the national context.

Salary band: BG 7

Closing date: 14th July 2024 (midnight GMT+1). Interviews may take place before this date for exceptional candidates.

For internal employees applying from an MSI country programme, the role will be positioned within the existing salary structure of the country. Local terms and conditions of the country will apply.