Money Advice Caseworker (Trainee)

North & West Gloucestershire Citizens Advice are looking for an enthusiastic individual to join our Money Advice team and make a real difference to their community.

This is an opportunity for you to join an established charity that has an excellent reputation for the provision of high-quality advice and is a great place to work. You’ll be part of a team committed to working together and with partner agencies to achieve the best outcomes we can for our clients.

If you do not have the experience for this role, we are considering trainees. We have a training programme which will provide you with the skills, knowledge, and experience to do the role as well as a career opportunity which could lead to professional progression within the service.

Please note, this job specification applies to a fully trained adviser. Trainee will be working towards gaining those qualifications.

The role

Pension: Contribution of 7% based on 4% employee contribution

Employee Assistance Scheme:  Health Assured

Birthday Leave: Take a day to celebrate your annual personal milestone. This leave does not form part of your annual leave entitlement.

Christmas Closure: Our office will be closed between Christmas and New Year’s, and these days won’t count towards your holiday entitlement.

Flexible Working Policy:

Includes compressed hours, flexitime, homeworking/hybrid

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may be held before the closing date, so early applications are encouraged.

This role as a Money Advice Caseworker is to support clients with personal debts. Working within the money advice team you will provide casework support to a range of clients, many with complex needs and in conjunction with both staff, volunteers and our partners, you will be working to achieve exceptional outcomes for our clients.

Context of role

North and West Gloucestershire Citizens Advice have several contracts working to support clients from a variety of backgrounds. These contracts include the Money Advice and Pension Service, Healthy Homes contract funded by Gloucestershire CCG, NHS and funding from Local Authorities. Advice is given to our clients through a variety of channels including Face to Face, Telephone and Video/Conference calls.

This role will include supporting volunteers who specialize in providing debt advice as well as managing a caseload of debt clients.

Role profile

Casework

➢ Provide casework covering all aspects of debt advice.
➢ Undertake benefit checks and where appropriate support clients to maximise their income through benefit applications
➢ Undertake income maximisation including energy switching checks and applying for individual charitable grants where appropriate
➢ Act for the client where necessary by calculating, negotiating, drafting or writing letters and telephoning.
➢ Negotiate with third parties as appropriate.
➢ Assist clients with other related problems where they are an integral part of their case and refer to other advisers or specialist agencies as appropriate.
➢ Make home/outreach visits as necessary. Home visits only carried out in exceptional circumstances and under strict regulations.
➢ Ensure that all casework conforms to the bureau's Office Manual and the Advice Quality Standard and/or the Specialist Quality Mark as appropriate.
➢ Maintain case records for continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.
➢ Work closely with the whole team, including volunteers, to deliver effective money advice.

Research and campaigns

➢ Assist with research and campaigns work by providing information about clients' circumstances.
➢ Provide statistical information on the number of clients and nature of cases and provide regular reports to bureau management for the purposes of reporting to funders.

Professional development

➢ Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to Money Advice and Welfare Benefits.
➢ Undertake appropriate training including keeping technical debt knowledge up to date by completing 16 Continuing Professional Development points p/a.
➢ Undertake Money Advice Caseworker accreditation training under the MAPS framework.
➢ Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the line manager.
➢ Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/team meetings/management team meetings as appropriate.

Administration

➢ Maintain local information systems.
➢ Use IT for statistical recording, record keeping and document production.
➢ Keep up to date with policies and procedures relevant to bureau work and undertake appropriate training.
➢ Maintain close liaison with relevant external agencies.

Other duties and responsibilities
➢ Carry out any other tasks that may be reasonably considered within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.
➢ Demonstrate commitment to the aims and policies of the Citizens Advice.

Person specification

1. Knowledge and experience of Money Advice casework (desirable but not essential)
2. Debt Relief Order intermediary (desirable but not essential)
3. Knowledge and experience of maximisation of income through benefit checks and applications to charitable trust (desirable but not essential)
4. Effective oral communication skills with emphasis on negotiating and representing.
5. Effective writing skills with emphasis on negotiating, representing and preparing reviews, reports and correspondence.
6. Ordered approach to casework including ability to prioritise own work, meet deadlines and an ability and willingness to follow agreed procedures.
7. Ability to use IT in the provision of advice and the preparation of reports and submissions.
8. Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively.
9. Ability and willingness to work as part of a team.
10. Ability to support volunteers in the provision of money advice
11. Ability to monitor and maintain own standards.
12. Demonstrate understanding of social trends and their implications for clients and service provision.
13. Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of the CAB service and its equality and diversity policies.

Want to chat about this role?

If you want to chat about the role further, you can contact Fiona Ross-Collins via the email to the right of this advert or calling the number in the contact details.

Applying for this post

To apply for this post, please complete our application form, which can be found on our website, by clicking on Apply Now. 

In accordance with Citizens Advice national policy, we may require the successful candidate to be screened by the DBS. However, a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to your being able to take up the job.