Debt Advice Caseworker (Trainee)

About the role

Role Purpose: Do you enjoy helping people? Are you a compassionate and people focused person? Do you want to make a real difference to the lives of people who are in problem debt and help them find a way forward? The Debt Advice Caseworker will provide an in‑person high‑quality debt advice and casework service to the organisation’s clients. The Duty Advice Caseworker will provide mentoring and support to their co‑workers, helping to develop their skills and expertise in debt and money management service, ensuring the best possible service for our clients. This is a demanding role, requiring the ability to understand and deal with complex information. The caseworker will work collaboratively with their team, management and external organisations. Flexibility is a key characteristic of all our posts, and the post‑holder may be asked to carry out other tasks consistent with the grade from time to time.

Qualifications

• Knowledge and experience of complex debt casework, covering priority and non‑priority debt advice, options and insolvency solutions.
• Experience of achieving performance and quality targets/KPIs.
• Ability and willingness to undertake training and development to comply with Money and Pensions Service and Citizens Advice quality standards.
• Effective oral and written communication skills and numeracy at the level required by the tasks.
• Ability to prioritise own work, meet deadlines, manage workload and targets in a pressured environment.
• An ordered approach to casework and the willingness to follow and develop agreed procedures.
• IT literacy with an ability to use software packages including Microsoft Office products in the provision of advice and preparation of formal written materials.
• Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team.
• Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service and its equalities and diversity policy.
• Ability to work across different sites within Liverpool.
• Institute of Money Advisers Certificate in Money Advice Practice or MaPS Caseworker accreditation equivalent.

To be appointed as a Trainee Money Advice Caseworker, you will need to have knowledge of advice areas and money advice issues and experience of giving advice. We’re not looking for a finished product; if you have the right attitude we can help develop your skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide a casework service covering the full range of debt and money management advice, including debt relief orders, bankruptcy, and debt management plans.
• Deliver our service by a range of methods required, including telephone/digital channels, drop‑in sessions, appointments, outreach work, and home visits.
• Act on behalf of clients where necessary; this includes drafting letters, budgets, financial statements, and negotiating with third parties.
• Ensure income maximisation through the take‑up of appropriate welfare benefits.
• Prepare and present cases to statutory bodies, tribunals, and courts when required.
• Assist clients with issues, referring them to appropriate agencies and advisers as necessary.
• Maintain standards of service delivery and ensure that casework conforms to the Citizens Advice membership requirements, the Advice Quality Standard, and the Money and Pensions Service Advice Quality Framework.
• Comply with systems for monitoring and reporting purposes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure that the service area meets key performance indicators and targets.
• Assist in the smooth running of the organisation and provide emergency cover for other parts of the service when necessary.
• Analyse and interpret complex information, communicating this effectively in writing with a particular emphasis on negotiation and representation.

Research and Campaigns

• Keep up to date with current research trends and campaign issues.
• Participate in research and campaigns activity by providing information on client’s circumstances and acting on behalf of the client.

Equality and Diversity

All staff members are expected to demonstrate a commitment to equality and diversity. We recognise and celebrate the positive value of diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination.

We’re Disability Confident. Disability Confident is a government scheme that supports employers to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.