Specialist welfare benefits advisor jobs in tower hamlets, greater london

WORKING WITH US

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the page.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking a proactive and knowledgeable HR Advisor to join our central HR team. You’ll support a group of academies, providing expert guidance on HR policies, employee relations and workforce initiatives, while contributing to projects that shape the future of education.

This is a dynamic generalist role requiring strong communication, analytical skills and a collaborative mindset. You’ll be part of a pioneering multi-academy trust known for transforming schools and empowering communities. With access to outstanding CPD, a supportive team and a culture of excellence, this is a fantastic opportunity to grow your HR career in a purpose-driven environment.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Your responsibilities will include:

• Delivery of a generalist HR advisory service to the Federation and our Academies, providing up to date and informed HR guidance and support on HR policies, processes and systems
• Providing professional advice and support to Federation and Academy leaders in all areas of HR practice and employee relations such as grievance, disciplinary, performance management and sickness absence management, escalating complex cases as appropriate to the Head of HR and HR Business Partners
• Supporting the HR Business Partner with organisation change programmes including redundancy, restructuring and TUPE transfers; preparing documents, supporting planning, due diligence completion etc.
• Participating in the development and delivery of HR policy skills workshops for line managers and academy HR
• Assisting with end-to-end employee lifecycle and payroll processes
• Preparing HR documents and create and maintain templates
• Producing management information reports
• Evaluating job descriptions and providing advice and guidance on salary bandings to ensure a consistent and fair approach
• Assisting with the development and implementation of HR policies and procedures

For a full job description, please download the Job Pack.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

You should be able to demonstrate:

• Experience providing generalist HR advice on terms & conditions, application of policies and first line employee relations
• Up-to-date knowledge of employment law & current HR practice
• Qualifications to degree level, or equivalent experience
• At least part qualification to CIPD Level 5 or equivalent by experience with a willingness to study
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills
• Confidence and ability to develop and maintain professional relationships at all levels
• Discretion and diplomacy, with the ability to adhere to confidentiality requirements

For a full job specification, please download the Job Pack.

APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.

Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.

When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application. 

A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.

OUR VISION & VALUES

Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.

We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:

• Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Annual performance and loyalty bonus
• Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
• 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
• Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
• 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
• Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans

For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.

Welfare Rights Adviser 

Department - Support hub

Salary £32,445 per annum ( £19,467 pro rata for part time) 

Hours of work 22.5 hours a week over three days.

Base Hybrid working for the foreseeable future with regular attendance to the office at least 2 days week at Royal Free Charity, The Pears Building, Pond Street, London, NW3 2PP and Royal Free Hospital- Support Hub

The role

The welfare rights adviser will report to the welfare rights supervisor.

The welfare rights adviser  will be supporting people affected by long term health issues with financial challenges, supporting with benefit and housing advice, and referring on for further support where appropriate. 

Experience as a welfare rights adviser, including managing your own casework, is essential when applying for this role.

Principal accountabilities / responsibilities: -

Welfare rights advice and casework

· To provide welfare rights advice and casework for people affected by long-term health conditions, including inpatients, outpatients, and carers.

· To work at least two days per week on site, mainly based at the Royal Free Hospital or the Royal Free Charity office

· To provide advice and support primarily on welfare benefits and housing matters (that do not require a solicitor).

· To check whether clients are in receipt of all the benefits they are entitled to and help them claim relevant benefits.

· To help clients understand benefit decisions and challenge them (where appropriate) by way of mandatory reconsiderations and appeals.

· To help clients ensure they keep to their responsibilities in respect of their benefit claims, for example by notifying any relevant changes of circumstances.

· To refer or signpost clients to other agencies or departments as appropriate, e.g., housing solicitors; community care cases involving social services and NHS duties, FCA-regulated debt and immigration services.

· To signpost or refer to other services that might be valuable to a client such as condition specific charities, mental health support, or offerings in the local community that would improve their health and wellbeing.

· As part of this role, there may be some advice given to NHS staff.

· There may also be some involvement in new advice projects

· There will also be some triaging new referrals as part of this role

The team

The support hub department is here to support people affected by long term health conditions (patients and carers), to help them with the practicalities of living with a chronic condition; to improve wellbeing and quality of life. 

We are here to transform patient experience and staff experience and change lives for the better.

We aim to play our part in addressing inequalities in health, through supporting with the wider determinants of health (e.g., finances, housing); areas which can have a direct impact on someone’s health outcomes and recovery. Through doing this, we support the NHS and Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust staff, stepping in where they may not have the time or expertise.

We are proud to hold the Advice Quality Standard (AQS), recognising us as well-run legal advice service, operating within social welfare law, and committed to social justice. 

Organisation

The Royal Free Charity stands at the threshold of its most important period of development.

Our vision is for everyone served by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (RFL) to have access to world-leading healthcare, delivered by a thriving workforce, and driven by medical research that has a global impact. We support the 17,000 staff of the RFL and their two million patients across Barnet, Chase Farm, North Mid and Royal Free hospitals and more than 30 NHS services.

Through the services we provide, and the programmes and equipment we fund, we make a profound and immediate difference to patients’ experiences of care.

The recruitment process

To apply for this post, send your:

•  CV (please include your last employer and dates of employment)
• Cover letter addressing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description and person specification.

Please note, that applications submitted without a cover letter may not be considered for this role.

Closing date for application: Monday 10 November 2025, 12 noon.

Interview date: Wednesday 19 November  2025

Please kindly note that we may close the job advert before the closing date if we receive a large volume of applications.

• You must be eligible to work in the UK

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may require during the recruitment process.

As an equal opportunities’ employer, the Royal Free Charity is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join the Royal Free Charity and act in line with our values of dedication, innovation, partnership, energy and respect.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Employee Relations Specialist located at our Head Office in Islington.

£50,000.00 per annum, working 35 hours per week.

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

Our benefits include:

Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
Free DBS
Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
Fully paid induction programme and further training
ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
Cycle to work scheme
Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
Online wellbeing resources
A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
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:

The Employee Relations Specialist is responsible for building strong working relationships across the business and advising, coaching and training stakeholders and the People team on best practice on all aspects of HR case work. This includes (but not limited to) disciplinary, grievances, absence management, probations, restructures and TUPE as well as training and coaching managers to enable them to successfully manage their teams whilst effectively managing risks.

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:

Offering best practice and pragmatic advice on all areas relating to HR Case work with the outcome of aiming to manage risks and reach successful resolution
Working with managers and staff to resolve conflict and grievances at the lowest level of formality possible
Addressing employee raised issues/concerns
Coaching and advising managers on policies/procedures, best practice and identifying risks/costs
Ensuring compliance with employment law and policy and processes
Ensuring all casework is dealt with in a timely and pragmatic way
Facililate change - supporting and advising on restructures, TUPE etc
Being a 'trusted advisor' to the business on all aspects of employee relations
Support on succession mapping: Provide support in identifying current and future skills requirements, succession gaps.
Support on HR induction and other HR related training
Building a good working relationship with the wider People team to ensure the effective working of the whole team
Ensure people management practices reflect employee brand, values and expected behaviours
Health & Wellbeing: Provide guidance to business on best practice approach to dealing with and supporting life events and issues relating to health and wellbeing, including reasonable adjustments and referral to Occupational Health.

Essential:

Excellent HR experience with a strong emphasis on Employee Relations
Ability to effectively influence, challenge and negotiate within their business area on a range of people/HR issues
Ability to build effective relationships with people at all levels in the organisation, to understand business needs and consider and be aware of wider organisational and external impact
Ability to give sound HR advice to managers on all aspects of HR issues
Excellent understanding of employment law, regulations and good practice
Ability to think outside of process where necessary and take full accountability
Excellent stakeholder engagement and customer service with all managers and staff across the Organisation

Desirable:

Social Care sector
Ideally have operated in a multi-site and unionised HR role
TUPE experience

For our full job description please visit our website

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 100 services, providing support to thousands of 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 and complex needs, young people and care leavers 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.

Advice Manager
£45,000 | Full-time | Hybrid (London-based with some outreach work)

Are you an experienced debt advice professional looking for a new challenge in a leadership role?

We’re working with a specialist charity that provides high-quality debt and money advice to help people manage their finances, protect their essential services, and safeguard their income. They are now seeking an Advice Manager to lead their advice team through a pivotal stage of growth.

In this role, you’ll:

• Lead and support a busy team of debt advisers, ensuring advice is accurate, effective, and compliant with FCA and sector standards

• Oversee quality control, case management, and reporting to funders and regulators

• Support and develop staff through training, supervision, and case reviews

• Work closely with senior colleagues to deliver funding requirements, explore new opportunities, and strengthen services for clients

This is a hands-on, senior role where you’ll combine leadership with maintaining up-to-date knowledge of debt solutions, casework processes, and sector developments.

About you:
You’ll bring at least 5 years’ experience of delivering debt advice and managing caseloads, together with a specialist debt advice qualification (or the drive to complete one). You’ll be confident managing a team, balancing priorities, and ensuring services meet the highest quality standards. Strong communication, data, and organisational skills are essential.

Salary & Benefits:

• £45,000 per year

• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays + birthday leave (plus extra leave with service, up to 35 days)

• Hybrid working (with some outreach in London)

• Pension, Employee Assistance Programme, home office allowance, Costco membership

• Commitment to training and professional development

This is an exciting opportunity to step into a senior post within a small, dynamic, and mission-driven team.

If you’re passionate about using your skills to make a real difference for people experiencing debt, we’d love to hear from you.

At Citizens Advice Westminster, you will be part of a mission-driven organisation that empowers local residents through expert advice, advocacy, and education. As an Advice Manager, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the delivery of high-quality, multi-channel advice services, assuring that the most vulnerable members of our community receive the support they need and when they need it the most.

Your work will directly contribute to improving lives across Westminster, helping clients navigate complex issues such as debt, housing, benefits, and immigration. You will be a trusted leader, technical expert, and mentor, driving excellence in service delivery and championing continuous improvement.

You will manage outreach sessions, supervise advisers, and take ownership of debt casework and technical quality. From coaching and mentoring to shaping service innovation.

You will manage your own team, oversee outreach sessions, and lead on debt casework with full responsibility for quality assurance, performance metrics, and client outcomes. As a specialist in debt supervision and casework, you will:

• Deliver expert advice to vulnerable clients
• Provide technical supervision and case checking to uphold AQS standards
• Lead training and coaching in debt-related areas
• Consult with partners and stakeholders to enhance service delivery
• Monitor and communicate key policy developments in the debt advice landscape

We offer more than a competitive salary and a fulfilling career in a values-led organisation. Our benefits include annual season ticket loans, career breaks, and a deep commitment to your ongoing development. Whether you are honing your expertise in casework or growing into a leadership role in policy and campaigning, you will find room to stretch and thrive.

You will be part of a warm, inclusive team culture where collaboration is encouraged, opinions are respected, and every voice matters. We also offer flexible working arrangements, including the opportunity to work from home several days a week.

If you are ready to be a part of this community organisation offering a vital service to people who need our help, then click Apply to find out more. Please note we expect employees to spend 50% to 60% of their working time at the office or in outreach location(s).

Citizens Advice Westminster value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination. We strongly encourage applicants from all parts of society and believe that diversity is what makes us the leaders in what we do. Please help us by completing the Diversity Monitoring Form.

 ID: 1601 Learning & Development Business Partner (Leadership & Management Development)

Service: Learning & Development

Salary: £37,211 to £41,518 FTE per annum

Additionally, £3,866 Inner London Weighting FTE per annum (if Office based)

Additionally, £480 home-based allowance FTE per annum (if Home based)

Location: This role is offered as either Homebased or from our London (N1) office (with hybrid

working available). Our office space is wheelchair accessible.

Hours: 37 hours per week (Full-time). Candidates seeking part-time work are encouraged to apply as we will consider 29.6 hours per week

We offer flexible working arrangements - please see below for more details.

Contract: Permanent

Family Action & the Role’s Impact:

At Family Action we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the

importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

To help achieve this we rely on an amazing group of leaders and managers. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced L&D professional with a passion and expertise in leadership and management development to join us to help support the development of those leaders and managers. We’re investing in leadership and management development at Family Action, and this role will be responsible for the design, development and delivery of an integrated leadership and management development offering

Main Responsibilities: (for a full list of the main responsibilities for the role please check the job description)

· Develop and implement a clear, outcome-focused leadership and management development offering for aspiring leaders to senior management.

· Design and deliver leadership and management training (and wider support/interventions) across Family Action.

· Embed a blended learning approach, including the curation of workshops, e-learning, coaching, mentoring, and other management learning resources.

· Actively support the implementation of the wider Learning and Development strategy and the continuous development of a strong organisational learning culture.

Main Requirements (for a full list of the requirements for the role please check the job description and person specification): 

· CIPD Learning & Development level 5 or above (or equivalent significant experience/training/qualification)

· Good experience in a specialist Learning & Development role at Officer/Advisor level or higher

· Demonstrates strong knowledge and understanding of leadership and management development as a subject matter expert

· Expertise in instructional design, including needs analysis, learning objectives, curriculum development, and assessment strategies.

· Ability to develop blended learning solutions, incorporating digital tools, e-learning, and experiential learning methods.

Benefits:

- an annual paid leave entitlement that commences of 30 working days plus bank holidays

- up to 6% matched-pension contributions

- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions

- eye care and winter flu jabs vouchers

- cycle to work scheme

- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

We are forward looking, ambitious and committed to continuous improvement. We are a people focused, can-do organisation, which strives for excellence in all we do and operates with mutual respect.

To Apply:

· Click the ‘Apply’ link below and fill out our digital application form

· Closing Date: Friday 31 October 11.59pm

Interviews are currently planned to take place virtually from w/c 10 November.

All appointments with Family Action are subject to satisfactory Safer Recruitment checks.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process and you will be asked whether you require any adjustments if shortlisted for interview. We also make reasonable adjustments on the job, where required.

We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Intersectionality is important to us and we welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates. We are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action because we know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and we strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.

All candidates with a disability are welcome to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and request priority consideration for an interview, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role.

To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.

About you

We are looking for a proactive and visible finance professional who is able to engage and build relationships across the organisation as a pivotal member within a values-led high performing organisation. You will be a qualified accountant with proven track record of financial management awareness and a solid understanding of charity audits and statutory accounts preparation. You will have the ability to work with staff across the organisation in supporting good financial governance and oversight of financial operational matters. You will have the ability to analyse financial information and present this in a suitable format for the audience. You will have good ability to meet deadlines, be IT literate with an emphasis on financial systems, spreadsheets, Quickbooks and Excel. You will be highly organised with excellent attention to detail and be able to work with minimum supervision.

About the role

The role will involve the management of the day-to-day financial activities, VAT, gift aid, payroll and the monthly, quarterly and annual reconciliations and statutory accounts preparation. The job holder will work closely with the Chief Operating Officer, Finance Officer and volunteers within the team. There will be a requirement to work closely with the income generating staff, budget holders, auditors, banks and credit card providers on a regular basis. The Finance Manager will be responsible for managing the Finance Officer and Finance volunteer.

About us

Carers UK is the leading national charity for unpaid carers. Our support, advice, information and campaigning work are now needed more than ever, as unpaid carers are providing more and more care, adversely impacting on their own health and wellbeing. We exist to make life better for carers and bring about lasting change.

Diversity and inclusion

Carers UK is committed to becoming a diverse and truly inclusive organisation. We strive to create a workplace where our colleagues and volunteers can truly be themselves and feel like they belong and constantly seek to ensure all voices are heard.

To embrace this culture of diversity, our employee and volunteer recruitment should reflect our stakeholders and the society that we serve and support, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, physical abilities, disabilities or religious practices. We value individual diversity and are actively building diverse teams here at Carers UK and value our colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds.

As a membership charity for carers, we particularly seek employees and volunteers with a real understanding of the issues faced by carers. Reasonable adjustments can be made to the process and role dependent on the needs of the applicant.

At Carers UK, we want our application process to be as accessible as possible. If you need any adjustments to apply please email the recruitment team to discuss.

The closing date for applications is Friday 7 November 2025, 5pm.

The information on the diversity monitoring form will be treated as confidential and used for statistical purposes only.

Carers UK anonymises all applications prior to shortlisting.

Carers UK reserves the right to appoint at any stage, should an outstanding candidate emerge.

Carers UK may carry out online and social media checks before a formal offer is made.