At a Glance
- Tasks: Support clients with financial resilience through coaching and casework.
- Company: Join Citizens Advice Leicestershire, a values-driven organisation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible hours, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Enjoy a supportive team environment with opportunities for growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while developing your skills.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and a passion for helping others.
The predicted salary is between 33953 - 41499 £ per year.
Indicative Job Description & Person Specification
Resilience Coach Caseworker
Typically £25,000 FTE (37 hrs) pro-rata for part-time hours. Salary evaluations underway which may result in some salaries being re-evaluated - no salaries will be decreased.
Full time and part-time hours considered.
Contract: Permanent
Location: Travel across Leicestershire to branches and community venues, plus some home working.
Line Manager: Service Manager / Service Supervisor
People Management: This role has no line management responsibilities.
DBS Check: This role is subject to a basic DBS check.
Purpose of Role
Our client-facing advice services are delivered through a tiered model, with each tier reflecting the level of complexity and expertise required to support clients effectively. This role forms part of Tier 2 within the structure.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Manage an active caseload of clients requiring sustained intervention to achieve long-term financial and personal resilience.
- Apply trauma-informed practice principles to establish empowering, supportive relationships with clients.
- Carry out comprehensive income maximisation, including benefit entitlement calculation and assistance with claims/appeals.
- Deliver non-regulated debt advice, financial capability training, and budgeting plans.
- Identify when a client's debt or housing issues require referrals to Tier 3 Specialists.
- Work with clients to set realistic goals, reviewing progress periodically to ensure independent and sustained resilience.
- Maintain detailed, audit-ready casenotes and action plans on the client record management system.
Administration
- Attend internal and external meetings as agreed with your line manager.
- Prepare for and attend supervision sessions and team meetings.
- Manage your workload using task lists to make sure work is completed, deadlines are met and cases are closed in good time.
- Contribute case studies for reporting purposes when needed.
Targets
- Work towards agreed targets for your role, keeping your line manager informed if you run into any difficulties.
Learning and Development
- You’ll be supported to learn our client management system and advice resources so you can find, interpret and communicate the right information with confidence.
- Stay up to date with changes to advice, policies and procedures, and take part in training - making sure any mandatory training is completed on time.
- Take ownership of your own development by seeking out learning opportunities, including reading relevant publications.
Research and Campaigning
- Play an active part in local and national campaigns by sharing relevant information, working closely with your line manager.
Other Duties and Responsibilities
- Share our commitment to the aims, principles and values of the advice service.
- Prepare for and participate in regular one to one supervision and team meetings.
- Take on any other tasks within the scope of your role that support the effective delivery and development of the service.
- Look after yourself and your colleagues by following our health and safety guidelines.
Person Specification Criteria
- Committed to the aims, principles, and values of Citizens Advice LeicesterShire.
- Able to travel to locations across Leicestershire.
- Respectful and open to views, values and cultures different from your own.
- Excellent communication skills, written and verbal, across a range of methods including face to face, telephone, digital platforms and email.
- Able to plan and prioritise own workload, meeting deadlines and targets, with appropriate support.
- Excellent IT skills across a range of applications, particularly with Google Workspace.
- Able to work with numbers, including percentages.
- Experience of delivering advice formally or working in a client-facing or customer-facing role.
- An understanding of confidentiality and data protection responsibilities, including safe handling of sensitive personal information in line with GDPR.
- Able to listen carefully, extract key information, and identify priority or time-sensitive issues.
- Able to maintain clear, accurate, and timely records of work carried out with or on behalf of clients.
- Able to receive and act on feedback professionally, and to challenge constructively when appropriate.
- Able to engage with clients in a warm, non-judgmental way, including those who are in distress or in vulnerable circumstances.
- Able to work well as part of a team, with a flexible, self-motivated approach and the ability to work independently when needed.
- A willingness to learn and develop, including completing the Certificate in General Advice (full training provided).
- Able to manage emotionally demanding work, sustain performance under pressure with appropriate support and maintain your own wellbeing over time.
- Experience of working with client management systems (training on our case management system will be provided).
- Working knowledge or experience of income maximisation and non-regulated debt advice.
Home/Hybrid Working
For roles that include home working, it is a requirement that you have a reliable internet connection, a private space to work confidentially, and a safe, comfortable setup in line with our home working policy. You'll be trusted to manage your own time and work independently while remote. Because of restrictions on accessing our systems, your primary residence needs to be in England or Wales.
Advice Roles employer: Citizens Advice LeicesterShire
Citizens Advice Leicestershire is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth, offering a supportive work culture where diversity and equality are celebrated. With flexible working arrangements, including home working options, and a commitment to high-quality service delivery, employees are empowered to make a meaningful impact in the community while developing their skills and careers. The organisation fosters strong relationships with local stakeholders, ensuring that staff are part of a collaborative environment dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation in advice services.
Contact Details:
Citizens Advice LeicesterShire Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Advice Roles
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Citizens Advice LeicesterShire.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Citizens Advice LeicesterShire!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Citizens Advice LeicesterShire, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Citizens Advice LeicesterShire or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Advice Roles
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Citizens Advice LeicesterShire:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Citizens Advice LeicesterShire! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Citizens Advice LeicesterShire
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
