Trainee Generalist Advisor Jobs

Citizens Advice Westminster works to make a difference to the lives of people in Westminster. We deliver a high quality, agile advice service which reflects community issues and needs. Our service puts people first.

As a Generalist Adviser / Caseworker, you will be part of a dedicated team helping in the delivery of advice and casework on full range of advice enquiry areas in particular welfare benefits and housing. You will also be undertaking casework support for vulnerable clients including acting on their behalf with third parties.

You will need to be a strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to deal with diverse range of people including vulnerable clients. You will be committed to developing your skills and happy to work flexibly, including from home, since we offer advice services on the phone, via digital technologies and face to face. While we are based near Royal Oak station the role will also include working from community settings including Food Banks across Westminster.

We will offer the right candidate a generous salary with other benefits including hybrid and flexible working, annual season ticket loans, career breaks, and the opportunity to develop yourself professionally and your career within the organisation. You will be part of a warm and friendly work culture where opinions are valued. We can also offer a flexible working environment where you can work some days from home.

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 and complete the application process, demonstrating how you meet the competencies in the Person Specification in your supporting statement. Please note we expect employees to spend 40% to 60% of their working time at the office or in outreach location.

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.

Closing Date: 3rd May 2024, 5pm

Assessments and Interviews may be booked before closing date if we find the right candidates with the skills and experience we are looking for in the person specifications, so apply now!

Hours: 37.5 Full Time (part time may be considered)
Location: Various locations in the London Borough of Hounslow
Closing date: On an on-going basis until filled – we reserve the right to withdraw this job opportunity early if this vacancy is filled
Interview date: To be arranged directly with shortlisted candidates.

Citizens Advice Hounslow is a well-established charity operating in the London Borough of Hounslow, supporting over 10,000 clients a year. We want to expand our capacity for face to face and telephone advice; hence we are looking for an experienced generalist Adviser with the ability to provide advice in person as well as on the phone through our dedicated helplines.

In particular, the role requires you to:

• conduct a thorough holistic exploration of the problem(s) to gain an accurate picture of the client’s situation
• do a benefit calculation as standard for clients
• give full advice and support to clients to resolve their issues
• where necessary, make a referral or signpost clients
• write up case notes to Citizens Advice national standards

For more information about the role and the criteria to apply for the post, please download the Job Description and Person Specification.

We might consider strong trainee advisers who have completed the adviser training and have been exposed to sufficient practical generalist work (about to achieve the adviser certificate or an equivalent qualification).

Please note: We can only respond to successful applicants. If you do not hear from us within three weeks from receipt of your application, please assume that it has been unsuccessful.

We offer a range of employee benefits, including generous annual leave, pension contribution, and training and opportunities to continue your professional development.

We consider applications from all applicants who meet the person specification irrespective of sex, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, age, or disability.

Location: The post holder will have a normal place of work in Hampton Hill, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and will be required to travel throughout the borough to support our other offices and outreach venues.

About the role:

We are pleased to offer you an exciting opportunity to join our advice team at Citizens Advice Richmond as a generalist adviser.

In this role you will be working alongside volunteer advisers, and be responsible for providing generalist advice to clients, including advice about financial confidence, welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment, immigration, discrimination and other areas of public and social welfare law.

You will work alongside our existing projects and services, which are already seeing a large number of clients affected by cost-of-living issues.

The role will focus on responding to clients by email and giving advice over the telephone. There will also be some face to face interaction with clients when needed. It will be helpful to have experience of supporting new trainees.

We are a friendly and diverse office. We support clients across our community, and aim to reach the most vulnerable and excluded in our community.

Normal working hours 9.00 – 17.00 excluding lunch break. Some evening attendance is required at governance meetings – time off in lieu will be offered.

Closing date for applications:Rolling – if we fill the role we will withdraw the advert

Hours: Full- and part-time positions

Contract: Permanent

Location: CAML charity offices and outreach venues

Salary (pro rata for part time): From £28,000 per annum

Annual Leave: 25 days (pro rata for part time), Charity Day, plus public holidays

Pension: The charity operates a pension scheme

The charity offers an employee assistance programme  

Deadline: 6pm, Thursday 16th May 2024

Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth (CAML) is the leading advice charity supporting individuals and families across the London boroughs of Lambeth, Merton and beyond.  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 accredited Debt Adviser to provide comprehensive debt advice and support to those in need.  If you have at least one year’s experience as an accredited debt adviser, passionate about supporting individuals and families in need and interested in joining a dedicated, professional team we would love to hear from you.

If you are not an accredited Debt Adviser but you are an accredited Generalist Adviser with at least one year’s experience, are willing to complete the relevant training, passionate about supporting Merton and Lambeth residents, we would love to hear from you.

The successful candidate will have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to work flexibly with clients.  You will be meticulous in your work, especially when supporting clients and maintaining case records for continuity of casework.  You will also be very well informed with regards to legislation, case law and policy changes relating to debt and benefits.

Our offices have excellent public transport links and Mitcham also has a carpark.  We offer a friendly and welcoming work environment and can provide flexible work opportunities dependent on service demands. 

Main duties and responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive, full range of debt advice in line with Financial Conduct Authority and Debt Advice Quality Framework

• Commit to train for debt adviser (if trainee) and ongoing training/development (all roles) as requested by the charity

• Provide generalist advice in benefits, income maximisation and housing as required

• Complete Debt Relief Orders on behalf of clients (if accredited)

• Use your interpersonal skills to explore, listen and understand complex problems as they affect each individual and tailor approach to advice accordingly

• Provide a clear plan of action and follow-up on actions relating to cases as appropriate

• Follow-up on actions relating to cases as appropriate

• Identify and escalate serious problems, including safeguarding, appropriately

• Ability to work to own initiative within a team environment. 

• Work closely with service colleagues and wider CAML team

• Support clients in CAML offices and outreach venues

Monitoring Quality and Case Recording

• Ensure all client engagement and support is comprehensively and accurately recorded

• Review your work, and monitor quality standards, as per the Citizens Advice quality framework

• Ensure data protections regulations are adhere and office procedures followed

• Work with your line manager, senior managers and charity colleagues to develop and improve services, and your own standards.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• With wider charity team and other organisations, ensure clients are supported with related advice issues

• Ensure all work is fully compliant with our policies and procedures and Citizens Advice Quality Standard

• Assist and contribute to the charity’s communications, research and campaigns work

• Maintain positive working relations with our stakeholders

• Professionally represent Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth

• Other duties as requested by your line manager, senior manager and Chief Executive

Professional Development

• All our team receive comprehensive induction to the charity and our work.  We support Advisers in their professional development to ensure we’re up to date with recent legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to benefits and debt and undertake appropriate training as agreed with your line manager (Head of Advice Services).

Person Specification

• Generalist Adviser certificate (Citizens Advice or equivalent) – Essential

• Accredited debt adviser (either through relevant Citizens Advice debt training, Wiser Adviser training). – Essential for accredited role

• Willingness to undertake training and development to comply with Citizens Advice quality standards

• Experience of using client management databases (we use Casebook) - Desirable

• Ability to prioritise work, meet deadlines and manage caseload - Essential

• IT competency and experience - Essential

• Ability and willingness to work as a team - Essential

• Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of Citizens Advice service - Essential

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

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 to find out how to apply. (please note we will not consider CVs for this role).

The deadline for applications is 6pm, Thursday 16th May 2024. 

If you do not hear from us, we are afraid your application was unsuccessful.

We reserve the right to close applications early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

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.

Hours: Full- and part-time positions

Contract: Permanent

Location: CAML charity offices and outreach venues across Merton

Salary (pro rata for part time):

From £30,000 per annum for Advice Supervisor

From £29,000 per annum for Trainee Supervisor

Annual Leave: 25 days (pro rata for part time), Charity Day, plus public holidays

Pension: The charity operates a pension scheme

The charity offers an employee assistance programme

Deadline: 6pm, Thursday 9th May 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 two years Citizens Advice Adviser 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.

Our offices have excellent public transport links and Mitcham also has a carpark.  We offer a friendly and welcoming work environment and can provide flexible work opportunities dependent on service demands. 

This role is a service manager including line management responsibilities and reports to Head of Advice Services.

Main duties and responsibilities

• As a member of service managers team, ensure client support team members are supported with the appropriate level of guidance and supervision

• Complete casework and generalist advice for clients (when required)

• Monitor the case records / telephone calls of designated staff and volunteers to meet quality standards and service level agreements

• Ensure remedial and developmental issues are identified and acted on to develop individuals, improve the quality of advice, and ensure clients do not suffer detriment due to poor or inadequate advice

• Keep technical knowledge up to date and provide technical support to advisers and / or caseworkers

• As a service/team manager you are a member of CAML’s Service Manager Delivery Team

• Assist trainees through self-learning modules and review progress on a regular basis.

• Research, design and deliver training programmes and sessions

• Take part in recruitment, induction and coordination of our fantastic volunteers

• Attend appropriate internal and external meetings as agreed

Research and Campaigns

• Promote the importance of research and campaigns work

• Include a review for research and campaigns within case-checking

Other duties and responsibilities

• Uphold the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service and its equal opportunities policies.

• Professionally represent and promote Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth in your work

• Other duties as requested by your line manager (Head of Advice Services), SMT or Chief Executive

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. 

Person Specification

• Citizens Advice qualified and experienced across all advice areas essential.

• Ability to support volunteers and staff and maintain motivation.

• Demonstrable ability to monitor and maintain service delivery against agreed targets.

• Well-organised and able to prioritise own work and the work of others, meet deadlines and manage workload in a busy environment.

• Ability to use IT systems and packages, and electronic resources in the provision of advice and the preparation of reports and submissions.

• Commitment to and work within the aims, principles and policies of the Citizens Advice service.

• Strong understanding of equality and diversity and its application to the provision of advice, and the supervision and development of staff.

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

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 to view the full job description and find out how to apply (please note we will not consider CVs for this role).

The deadline for applications is 6pm, Thursday, 9th May 2024. 

If you do not hear from us, we are afraid your application was unsuccessful.

We reserve the right to close applications early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

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.

About Citizens Advice Camden
We are a well-respected local charity with more than 80 years’ experience of delivering free, independent and impartial information, advice and casework services which meet the changing needs of local residents. Our aims are to provide the independent, impartial, confidential and free advice people need for the problems they face and to improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives. 

​We target our services at the most vulnerable in our community. Our client profile closely matches local indices of deprivation with most of our clients coming from the most deprived wards in the borough. We identify trends to ensure our services remain agile and able to respond to changing and emerging advice needs.

​About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to work on a new initiative, providing generalist advice to service users of Mind in Camden. This new project will develop to meet the needs of service users and so you will need to be flexible in your approach.

​You will be an experienced Generalist Adviser able to work in partnership with staff at Mind in Camden to support their service users. Clients will either self-refer or be referred from the core team at Mind in Camden.

​Advice will be delivered both face-to-face and remotely according to individual needs. Face-to-face advice will be delivered at Mind in Camden offices and those of Citizens Advice Camden. This role is not suitable for remote working only.

​You will need to be experienced in delivering generalist advice on issues such as welfare benefits including Universal Credit, housing, money advice and cost of living issues. You will also be available to support Mind in Camden staff in identifying suitable referral routes to support their service users so that overall needs are met. This role is not available as a trainee position.

​​Closing date for applications: 9.00am Monday 29 April 2024

Interview date(s): 8-10 May