Senior caseworker jobs

Based in Camberwell with frequent travel across London, primarily Lambeth

Ref: LSS-261

Are you an experienced support worker with a passion for helping young people achieve independence? Do you have experience supporting vulnerable young people with complex needs while providing guidance and support to colleagues?

If so, St Giles Trust is looking for a highly motivated Senior Caseworker to join our Lambeth Floating Support Service, helping young people secure and sustain safe accommodation while supporting the wider team to deliver outstanding person-centred support.

About St Giles Trust

An ambitious, well-established charity that helps people facing adversity to find jobs, homes and the right support they need. Central to our ethos is our belief that people with first-hand experience of successfully overcoming issues such as an offending background, homelessness, addictions and gang involvement, hold the key to positive change in others.

About the service

Our Lambeth Floating Support Service helps young people successfully move into independent living by providing practical, tailored support to secure and sustain accommodation. Working closely with Social Workers, Personal Advisors, housing providers and other partner agencies, the service supports young people to overcome barriers to independence, build resilience and achieve positive long-term outcomes.

About the role
As Senior Caseworker, you will manage a caseload of young people with a range of housing and support needs while acting as the day-to-day lead within the team. You will support colleagues with complex cases, provide guidance and mentoring, and work closely with the Team Manager to ensure the service delivers high-quality, outcome-focused support.

You will develop holistic support and risk management plans, work collaboratively with statutory and voluntary sector partners, and provide practical assistance to help young people establish and maintain successful tenancies. This may include supporting access to education, employment and training, benefits, debt advice, health services and community resources, as well as accompanying young people to appointments and advocating on their behalf.

What we are looking for

• Experience supporting young people with housing, tenancy sustainment and independent living.
• Experience supervising, mentoring or supporting staff and/or volunteers.
• Proven experience working with vulnerable young people or adults with multiple and complex needs.
• Experience developing support plans, carrying out risk assessments and providing advice and advocacy to help young people access accommodation and support services.
• Experience working effectively within multi-agency partnerships to achieve positive outcomes for young people.
• Knowledge of housing legislation affecting young people and an understanding of the barriers faced by people with lived experience.
• Strong communication, organisational and IT skills, including experience maintaining accurate case records.
• The ability to work flexibly across London, including occasional evenings and weekends, and to manage competing demands within a busy service.

In return, you can expect a competitive salary, generous leave allowance, staff pension, flexible working, a mentoring programme, an advice and counselling service, access to clinical supervision, season ticket loan and much more.

We are an equity and inclusion-confident employer. We welcome all applications, and we particularly encourage applications from people of the global majority (black, brown, multi-heritage) and those who identify as disabled, neuroexpansive, or neurodiverse, with any protected characteristics and/or social barriers or challenges. We value the empowering and informative impact that all lived experiences and diversity of thought can offer the organisation.

Please note St Giles will guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria set out in the Job Description for the vacancy.

Please note this role requires an Enhanced DBS check with Adult Barred List.

Closing date: 3rd August 2026 at 9am.

Overview of role

The UK Casework Lead is responsible both for a personal caseload and for the supervision, output, quality and revenue performance of RLS's UK legal team of three frontline caseworkers. We are looking for a qualified solicitor who is also IAAS accredited at Supervising Senior Caseworker level, qualifying ideally to supervise both the Immigration and Asylum and the Public Law contracts. The post holder will also hold the role of authorised litigator.

The postholder will be expected to generate legal aid income at a level that covers their own gross salary cost, and to lead the team's growth in legal aid billings against an agreed annual target. 

We are looking for someone with a positive, can-do approach and a strategic, ambitious, big-picture view of the team and the work. We want someone who will set direction for the UK team, grow the LAA contract in line with RLS’ strategic objectives, and support caseworkers and operational colleagues to become confident, self-supporting practitioners on a day-to-day basis, working in a trusting collegiate environment. 

Why work for RLS 

You will have autonomy to shape the UK casework team’s direction and grow the LAA contract.

We also offer: 

• Generous annual leave (28 days) plus bank holidays and a Christmas shutdown period, so you can properly switch off
• The chance to work in a small, dynamic team with an international footprint -  operating across the UK, northern France and Greece.
• Flexible working 
• Fantastic offices in London Fields, with free Climpson’s coffee

Key responsibilities 

Legal aid income generation 

• Lead the growth of RLS's legal aid income and maintain a personal legal aid caseload sized to generate billings covering the postholder's own gross salary costs. 

• Design and oversee caseload allocation across the team so that caseworkers develop skills and expertise, progressing swiftly in their professional development, legal aid revenue grows in line with the strategic target of 10–15% year-on-year, while preserving quality of advice and client care. 

Personal casework 

• Carry a legal aid caseload in immigration and asylum / public law, including controlled and licensed work as appropriate. 

• Provide high-quality legal advice and representation to clients throughout the application procedure, on appeal and in related judicial review claims where applicable. 

• Maintain client files and records to LAA, SQM, and SRA standards, and in line with GDPR and RLS's internal procedures. 

Supervision and team leadership 

• Supervise three frontline caseworkers (currently covering refugee family reunion and asylum) - including regulatory compliance, file reviews, technical supervision, casework allocation, performance managementand professional development. 

• Set and keep under quarterly review, ambitious-but-achievable case targets across the team in consultation with caseworkers, and monitor progress against them. 

• Help to supervise pro bono volunteer lawyers and trainees through three established pro bono partnerships

• Deliver internal and external training

• Foster a supportive, learning-oriented team culture 

Legal aid contract and regulatory compliance 

• Act as the LAA Supervisor for both RLS Immigration & Asylum and Public Law legal aid contracts 

• Manage the LAA contract end-to-end: compliance with the contract specification, oversight of controlled and licensed billing, exceptional case funding applications and billing of ECF files, and audit (LAA, SQM)readiness. 

• Act as the LAA authorised Litigator, the RLS's Quality Representative for the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM); manage Peer Review readiness and oversee actions arising from LAA and SQM audits, reviews or visits. 

• Ensure full compliance with IAA, SRA (where applicable) and SQM standards and record keeping across the UK casework team. 

• Maintain accurate financial records and information as required. 

• Provide half yearly reports to the RLS ED and Trustee Board on RLS audit readiness, and confirmation of progress to monthly and annual record keeping being up to date.

Monitoring, evaluation and reporting 

• Lead monitoring and evaluation of the legal team's outputs: case numbers, client outcomes, billing performance and quality indicators. 

• Report against targets internally (to the ED) and to funders where required. 

• Use case management system data and other evidence to inform team development, fundraising proposals and external impact reporting. 

General duties 

• Keep abreast of developments in immigration and asylum law and practice 

• Deliver training internally for caseworkers, trainees and pro bono volunteers 

• Adhere to all RLS policies and procedures, including safeguarding. 

• Undertake other duties within the scope of the post as agreed with the Executive Director. 

Person specification 

Essential criteria 

Candidates must meet all the following: 

• Qualification and accreditation: Solicitor qualified in England & Wales and IAAS accredited at Supervising Senior Caseworker level, qualified ideally to supervise both the Immigration and Asylum and the Public Law contracts. If only currently qualified to supervise the Immigration and Asylum contract, willing to work towards eligibility to supervise the Public Law contract as swiftly as possible.

• Casework experience: At least five years' (or equivalent) experience of running a caseload of complex asylum, immigration and human rights cases in a legal aid environment (including appeals and judicial review). 

• Billing track record: Demonstrable experience of meeting personal and/or team legal aid billing targets, and a clear understanding of how cost-billable work is generated and managed in practice. 

• Supervision experience: Experience of supervising caseworkers working in an LAA environment, including SQM and Immigration Specification compliance, file review, technical supervision and performance management. 

• LAA contract knowledge: Comprehensive understanding of LAA contract and specification provisions in the immigration and asylum, and public law categories, including controlled and licensed work, exceptional case funding,

• Tribunal experience: Experience of litigation in the Immigration Tribunals and the Administrative Court.

• Working style: Strong organisational skills; able to prioritise and meet deadlines; comfortable working autonomously in a small team and balancing personal casework with supervisory responsibility (anticipatedratio 75:25) 

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; able to deal effectively with clients, colleagues, commercial pro bono partners and external stakeholders. 

• Values: A strong commitment to the protection of the rights of people who migrate, and to access to justice through high-quality, client-centred legal services. 

• Right to work: Right to reside and work in the UK. Successful candidate will be required to obtain an enhanced DBS certificate (RLS covers the cost). 

Desirable criteria

• Lived experience of migration systems. 

• Experience of working in a small charity or non-profit legal services setting. 

• Experience of working on pro bono partnerships with commercial law firms. 

• Experience of training and supervising trainees, volunteers or paralegals. 

• Knowledge of languages other than English relevant to RLS's client base (e.g. Arabic, Farsi/Dari, Tigrinya, Pashto). 

Terms and conditions 

• Salary: c. £50,000 per year, depending on experience. Pay scales are reviewed annually. 

• Hours: 37.5 hours per week (1.0 FTE). Flexible working arrangements considered. 

• Annual leave: 28 days per year plus bank holidays and Christmas shutdown period.

• Pension: Employer pension contribution of 5% (postholder contribution 3%). 

• Location: Hybrid working from London. Minimum two days per week in-person, including for confidential client meetings and team gatherings. 

• Probation: Six months. 

• DBS: Successful candidate will be required to obtain an enhanced DBS certificate. RLS covers the cost. 

We will be conducting rolling interviews as applications are submitted. 

We are proud to be a member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network. The initiative supports inclusive recruitment of people with lived experience of the UK asylum or immigration system. If this is your experience, you can find useful resources on their website.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

IRC UK
IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its global headquarters in New York. Our team in the UK works to raise profile, deliver policy and practice change, and increase funding to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in England.

In Europe, the IRC also has offices in Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Geneva and Stockholm. 

The Purpose of the Role

The Refugee Employability Officer will provide tailored employability support to resettled refugees in Hampshire under the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP), the United Kingdom Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship and other eligible schemes. 

The role delivers structured one-to-one and group-based support focusing on supporting individuals towards employment. This will include agreeing and supporting individuals towards employability related goals and actions within the Individual Support Plan, job search and application support, interview preparation, understanding UK workplace expectations, employer engagement, and links to training, apprenticeships and (where appropriate) self-employment. This work will support individuals often facing barriers such as limited English, recognition of overseas qualifications, childcare responsibilities, health needs or confidence challenges.

Employability support will be integrated within wider Integration support planning to promote sustainable economic independence, strengthen longer-term integration outcomes and support access to appropriate public services where needed.

Key Working Relationships

This position will work closely with all staff involved in the delivery of the Hampshire Resettlement and Integration Support Service. This will include the Programme Manager (Resettlement and Integration), Programme Manager (Economic Empowerment), Senior Integration and Resettlement Officers, Integration Officer, Bilingual Integration Officer, Bilingual Resettlement Officers, ESOL and Education colleagues, Employment Caseworkers and other relevant staff.

This position will also work closely with staff at our partner organisation, Citizen Advice Rushmoor, Jobcentre Plus (DWP), statutory funded employment support services (ie Connect to Work), education and training providers, employers, and relevant advice organisations across Hampshire.

This role will be line managed by the Senior Integration Officer with a dotted line to the Programme Manager (Economic Empowerment). 

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Employability support to individuals (55%)

• Conduct structured individual assessments to identify skills, qualifications, employment history, transferable competencies and career aspirations, translating these into clear and realistic actions and goals within an Individual Support Plan. 

• Deliver tailored job readiness support through one-to-one coaching and group-based workshops, including CV development, interview preparation, UK workplace norms, digital literacy, job search strategies and confidence-building.

• Support individuals to access and sustain employment opportunities, facilitating job matching, including liaising with employers, facilitating introductions, supporting applications and providing on the job follow-up assistance to promote job retention and progression.

• Monitor and respond to employment and training‑related risks, including exploitation, unsafe work and discrimination, ensuring appropriate safeguarding action, advocacy for clients, and partnership working with Citizens Advice Rushmoor and other external partners.

• Provide structured guidance to individuals considering small‑scale self‑employment work, including exploring viable income‑generating ideas, basic planning and market research, understanding relevant UK start‑up and compliance requirements (e.g. sole trader status, HMRC registration and Self Assessment, banking, insurance and any required licences), and signposting to appropriate start‑up and business support services.

• Facilitate access to vocational training, apprenticeships, accredited courses and skills development opportunities that enhance employability and support longer-term career progression.

External engagement and partnerships (20%) 

• Develop and maintain productive relationships with local employers across Hampshire to facilitate direct placements, identify suitable job opportunities, work experience placements and promote inclusive recruitment practices amongst local employers.

• Promote awareness among employers of the skills and contributions of resettled refugees, supporting inclusive workplace practices and addressing misconceptions where appropriate.

• Build and maintain collaborative working relationships with Jobcentre Plus (DWP), education and training providers, and business advice and start-up support services to strengthen pathways into work, training and self-employment.

• Represent the service in local employability and partnership forums, contributing to multi-agency strategies that improve labour market access and progression for resettled refugees.

Key Administrative tasks (15%) 

• Ensure timely and accurate compliance with all reporting requirements, including database management, case noting, and file maintenance with a focus on evidencing client progress and outcomes. This will require completion of accurate and timely records and case notes in line with data protection and reporting requirements. 

• Provide logistical support for the procurement of into‑work support items and the delivery of employability workshops and employer events, including preparation of participant materials and coordination with partners.

• Analyse trends and barriers affecting employment outcomes and contribute insights to service development discussions to strengthen overall programme impact.

Ways of working (10%)

• Collaborate with internal colleagues and external partners to ensure that employment, training and self-employment pathways are integrated within longer-term integration planning.

• Gather and analyse client and employer feedback to inform continuous improvement of employability interventions and self-employment support.

• Carry out all the above in accordance with the aims, values and policies of International Rescue Committee, in particular in relation to safeguarding, confidentiality, impartiality and Equal Opportunities.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications

Essential

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, partners and clients in English.**

• Strong knowledge of the local Hampshire employment context, including employment opportunities, key local employers and available training and development pathways. 

• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills, with the confidence to engage and maintain a wide range of internal and external partnerships.

• Good IT skills, including proficiency in using Microsoft Office and experience delivering or supporting meetings/workshops via online platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom.**

• Strong working knowledge of the UK labour market and recruitment processes, with the ability to coach clients on job search, CV development, interview preparation and workplace expectations.

• Ability to travel regularly throughout Hampshire, the service delivery area.**

Desirable

• Ability to communicate in Dari and/or Pashto, or another community language relevant to the Hampshire resettled population.

• Lived experience of forced migration, resettlement, or navigating UK employment systems as a refugee or migrant.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum two years of related experience, delivering tailored employability support with refugees, migrants or other vulnerable populations in Hampshire.**

• Experience delivering one-to-one employability coaching and/or group-based job readiness workshops in diverse, multi-lingual and cross-cultural environments.

• Experience conducting outreach to the private sector to build relationships and raise awareness. 

• Experience supporting clients to access employment, education and training opportunities, including liaising with Jobcentre Plus (DWP), training providers and employers where appropriate.

• Experience handling confidential documents and sensitive information.**

• Prior experience of using a client relationship management system or case management database, with accurate case noting and outcome tracking.

Desirable

• Experience supporting clients with self-employment pathways, including UK start-up basics (e.g., sole trader/limited company options, HMRC registration/Self Assessment) and signposting to appropriate business advice and start-up support services.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Legal Casework

• Work closely with the Public Law Supervisor, Director of Legal Casework and Asylum Aid Executive Director to develop a public law caseload and drive change through strategic litigation;
• Provide legal advice and representation to clients on asylum and human rights claims, and on judicial review challenges pertaining to asylum and immigration matters and the treatment of asylum seekers and other migrants;
• Identify common problems and issues from the wider team’s caseload which are suitable for strategic challenges; 
• Contribute to internal strategy discussions
• Attend external meetings on behalf of AA and contribute to strategy discussions within the wider sector
• Where appropriate, apply for LAA Case Funding through the CCMS, obtain appropriate costs and scope extensions, and submit claims for payment;
• Ensure that legal aid and other income is maximised, and targets are achieved;
• Maintain client files and records in line with file management procedures;
• Provide technical supervision and training in judicial review procedure to other staff where necessary.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The first stage is to complete on our online application form on our website by 9am on Monday 27th July 2026

The website form will ask you to:

1. Upload a short covering letter. Please tell us why the position appeals to you, and how your

relevant skills and experience, including any voluntary experience and lived experience, matches the listed responsibilities and person specification. Please also state in your covering letter when you would be available to start the role.

1. Upload your current CV
2. Complete an online Equal Opportunities monitoring form – completion of this form will help us ensure that our recruitment procedures operate in such a way as to provide genuine equality of opportunity. The questions are entirely optional, and this information will not be available to members of the selection panel.

SELECTION PROCESS

We will invite candidates to an initial 15-minute online screening meeting week on 3rd, 4th or 5th August followed by shortlisted candidates attending in-person interview at our office in Old Street on 10, 11th or 12th August. We will also ask you to complete a short exercise on the day.

At Asylum Aid we want to be transparent about what kind of qualities we are looking for and build trust from the very beginning of your journey with us. The first step is your interview, and we mean ‘your’ interview so we will provide you with your interview questions ahead of the interview. This will allow you time to prepare, and ensure you have your best examples in mind. We will also ask you some questions which you will not have prepared.

We offer a guaranteed interview for refugees, stateless people and others with lived experience of forced migration, provided that they meet at least 50% of the essential criteria, where practical.

EXPERTS BY EXPERIENCE SUPPORT

We are also proud to be a member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network which aims to increase representation of people with lived experience in the charitable sector.

If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network and access other information and resources. You can also request 121 interview mentoring ahead of your interview from them.

Are you an experienced IDVA, ready to work with a creative and dynamic team, advocating for women, families and the LGBT+ community who have experienced Domestic Abuse? Then join us to lead a team of specialist caseworkers, supporting survivors to address practical issues and empower them in their recovery!

The RISE Team Leader will be a skilled independent domestic and sexual violence advocate who will oversee a small team of case and group workers as well as managing Helpline volunteers. She will be a qualified IDVA and ISVA or be willing to complete the accreditations in the first six months in post.

She will hold a caseload of her own and coordinate a team providing support and guidance through a range of interventions and support offers working closely with an experienced Manager and other Team Leaders. Together with their team they will build, maintain and create links to deliver survivor-focused, trauma aware/ responsive support to help survivors and their family to cope and recover.

They will be the lead on developing, implementing and coordinating the Helpline, Casework and Projects with day-to-day practice oversight of staff and volunteers. The Team Leader will work co-operatively and flexibly alongside RISE colleagues providing expert input and contributing to the effective running of the organisation as a whole.

This post is subject to a DBS check.

The deadline for applications is: 2nd August 2026

Interviews are expected to be held during the week commencing 10th August 2026

* This post is only open to female applicants as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

The successful candidate will join a highly regarded women-led, women-centred, and trauma-informed charity with almost 30-years track record in violence against women and girls (VAWG) and LGBT Domestic Abuse.

RISE is committed to ending racism and has signed up to the Ending Racism in VAWG commitments.

We are committed to actively holding anti-racist values and practices and nurturing the contributions from Black and minoritised women within the sector so that Black and minoritised leadership can grow.

RISE is a Disability Confident Employer.

Benefits that we can offer in return:

• 3% employer contribution pension.
• Generous holiday entitlement of 27 days’ annual leave rising to 29 after 5 years plus bank holidays.
• Employee Assistance programme.
• Focus on well-being and balancing flexible working alongside RISE’s priorities.
• Committed to training and learning opportunities for continuous development.
• Trauma focussed wellbeing support.

We really look forward to hearing from you.