Training Officer

Company Benefits

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

Context of role

North and West Gloucestershire Citizens Advice provides advice and information services to over 15,000 people every year. This is done through a team of volunteers and staff. All our volunteers and staff are fully trained and supported before they start delivering advice services to the community.

Location: Our offices in Gloucester, Cheltenham and the Forest of Dean

Reporting To: Training and Development Manager

Role purpose

Reporting to the Training and Development Manager, you will be responsible for coordinating and delivering high-quality learning and development for both volunteers and staff across North and West Gloucestershire Citizens Advice.

You will plan, deliver and evaluate induction and core training programmes, ensuring learners develop the knowledge, skills and confidence required to carry out their role effectively. You will support volunteers through to competency to deliver advice services and provide all new staff with organisational induction and foundation training.

Working closely with managers across the organisation, you will ensure a smooth transition from core training into role-specific learning, with responsibility for ongoing specialist training and development passing to the individual's line manager. You will also contribute to the continuous improvement of learning resources, training programmes and the overall learning culture within the organisation.

Role profile

Volunteer Recruitment and Selection

➢ Promote volunteer opportunities, using different channels to target identified groups, as appropriate
➢ Deliver recruitment and selection activities that ensure a fit between the organisations needs and the volunteer’s and staff expectations
➢ Ensure all new volunteers and staff receive a high-quality induction and foundation training programme, enabling them to transition confidently into their role. Support the handover of staff to their line manager for specialist, role-specific training and ongoing development.

Support and Supervision

➢ Ensure the effective performance management of volunteers through regular supervision sessions and the appraisal process.
➢ Support managers by providing feedback on staff progress during induction and foundation training. Ongoing supervision, competency assessment and performance management will remain the responsibility of the staff member's line manager.
➢ Help to organise activities to recognise and reward volunteers are in place and delivered.
➢ Ensure volunteers and staff are aware of the policies and procedures in place to manage how they operate within the organisation.
➢ Create a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are wellmanaged, dignity at work is upheld and people can do their best.

Training

➢ Assist trainees and other staff through self-learning modules and review progress on a regular basis.
➢ Provide face-to-face and digital assistance with practical activities such as preparing emails, contacting client by phone and assisting clients face to face.
➢ Ensure trainees and other staff are informed of the activities, content and practical issues in the Citizens Advice learning programmes.
➢ Research, design and deliver training programmes, sessions, lesson plans and materials.
➢ Deliver induction and core training programmes for new volunteers and staff.
➢ Coordinate learning pathways and ensure all learners complete mandatory training.
➢ Support trainees and staff through self-learning modules and regularly review progress.
➢ Deliver face-to-face and digital training sessions, workshops and practical learning activities.
➢ Develop and maintain training materials, lesson plans and learning resources.
➢ Assess learners' readiness to progress into operational or specialist training.
➢ Work with line managers to ensure a smooth handover of staff once core training has been completed, enabling managers to deliver role-specific training and ongoing competency development.
➢ Monitor learner progress and provide feedback to managers where appropriate.

Administration

➢ Provide oral and or written reports on progress for the line manager.
➢ Ensure trainees are booked on to training courses, events and stocks of training materials are maintained.

Person specification
Essential Criteria

1. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, particularly in an education and development setting.
2. Experience of supporting the learning and development of volunteers and/or staff, with an understanding of adult learning principles and a commitment to developing people.
3. Ability to contribute to, implement and deliver training modules, combined with understanding of adult learning techniques / theories.
4. Experience of designing and delivering engaging training programmes, inductions or workshops to a range of learners.
5. Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively. A willingness to challenge constructively.
6. Experience of providing advice / training in Citizen Advice setting or equivalent is desirable, but not essential.

Terms and conditions

Want to chat about this role?

If you want to chat about the role further, see details to the right of this advert.

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. Completed application forms should then be emailed via the email address to the right of this advert.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to provide individual feedback to applicants who are not shortlisted for interview.

If you have not been contacted within one week of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

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.