Generalist Adviser - Canvey Job Centre & Basildon Foodbank

Job summary

Location Canvey Island & Basildon

Workplace Office based

Contract Fixed term contract, until 31 March 2027

We’re looking for a skilled and motivated Generalist Adviser to join our team – and this is a role with a difference.

Working across Canvey Jobcentre and Basildon Foodbank, you’ll have the opportunity to support people at two important points in their lives: when they need help understanding their rights and options, and when they are experiencing financial hardship and need someone to help them find a way forward.

You’ll spend 2 days a week at Canvey Jobcentre, providing generalist advice to local residents, and 3 days a week supporting people accessing Basildon Foodbank.

It’s a varied role, but there is one constant: you’ll be helping people solve problems and make positive changes to their lives.

What will you do?

2 days a week – Canvey Jobcentre

As a Generalist Adviser, you’ll provide free, independent and impartial advice to people in the Castle Point area.

You’ll help clients understand their situation, explore their options and take practical steps to resolve their problems. Your work will cover areas including:

• Housing related advice
• Benefit entitlement & issues - incl face to face Universal Credit application
• Debt management
• Family
• Consumer
• Employment

You’ll provide advice face-to-face, by telephone and through digital channels, undertaking casework where appropriate and ensuring that clients receive accurate, effective and timely support.

3 days a week – Basildon Foodbank

For three days a week, you’ll work alongside Basildon Foodbank, supporting people who are experiencing financial hardship.

For many people, needing to use a foodbank is a sign that something more fundamental is going wrong. Your role will be to look beyond the immediate crisis and help people understand what is driving their financial difficulties.

You’ll provide practical advice on issues such as benefits, debt and income maximisation, identify wider support needs and connect people with the appropriate Citizens Advice services.

You’ll listen, ask the right questions, identify the underlying issues and help people take realistic steps towards improving their circumstances.

About you

We’re looking for someone who combines excellent advice skills with empathy, resilience and a genuine commitment to helping people.

You’ll ideally have experience of providing generalist advice and casework and a good understanding of areas such as benefits, debt, housing or employment.

You’ll also have:

• Excellent interviewing, listening and communication skills.
• The ability to build trust quickly with people from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Experience of working with people who may be vulnerable or facing difficult circumstances.
• Strong IT and digital skills.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage your own caseload and competing priorities.
• The ability to work independently while also being part of a supportive team.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• A commitment to providing a high-quality, client-focused advice service.

At Citizens Advice Braintree & South Essex, no two days are the same. You’ll work with people facing real challenges and have the opportunity to make a tangible difference to their lives.

Whether you’re helping someone understand their benefit entitlement, supporting a person struggling with debt, helping someone resolve a housing problem or simply being the person who listens and helps them work out what to do next, your advice can make a real difference.

This is a great opportunity for an experienced adviser who enjoys variety, values partnership working and wants to use their skills where they can have the greatest impact.

If you’re passionate about advice, committed to helping people and want a role where what you do genuinely matters, we’d love to hear from you.

Interested?

For further information about the role, please contact Rachiel Cabrelli rcabrelli@cabse.org.uk

We’re Disability Confident

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

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