At a Glance
- Tasks: Support vulnerable customers and ensure positive outcomes through expert social work.
- Company: Join a purpose-driven financial services organisation with a strong ethical foundation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 28 days holiday, private medical care, and a discretionary bonus scheme.
- Other info: Flexible working arrangements and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while shaping social work practices.
- Qualifications: Degree in Social Work and extensive experience in safeguarding required.
The predicted salary is between 37035 - 45265 £ per year.
About the role
Our Customer Wellbeing team have the brand new opportunity for a dedicated, compassionate and skilled Social Worker Senior Specialist (Customer Wellbeing) to join them. This role will play a critical part in supporting customers experiencing vulnerability and ensuring fair, consistent and positive outcomes in line with Consumer Duty, vulnerability guidance and safeguarding principles. The role holder will act as a specialist advisor within the organisation, helping to ensure customers receive the support, protection and understanding they need during difficult circumstances as well as building our strategy for the future. This is a 12 month opportunity.
As a Customer Wellbeing Social Worker Specialist, the role holder will take ownership of complex vulnerability and safeguarding cases, applying trauma‑informed practice and professional assessment skills to support customers across a range of needs. The person in post will act as a trusted point of contact, coordinating support, identifying safeguarding risks, making referrals where appropriate and providing specialist recommendations to inform customer outcomes and business decisions.
Working closely with colleagues across the Group and external partners, including charities, local authorities and specialist support agencies, the role holder will help deliver a coordinated and joined‑up approach to customer wellbeing. Building strong partnerships to ensure customers can access appropriate support, while providing professional input into governance forums, vulnerability panels and customer outcome reviews involving complex circumstances will be key parts of the role.
This role offers a unique opportunity to help shape how social work is delivered within a financial services environment, combining advanced social work practice with service development and organisational influence. Alongside managing complex customer cases, the successful candidate will use their expertise to influence customer wellbeing and safeguarding practices, contribute to policy and framework development, improve customer journeys, and help build organisational capability through coaching, awareness initiatives and the sharing of specialist expertise.
This role can operate from either our Head Offices in Manchester or Binley, Coventry but as a Group role, travel to both locations will be required and a team‑led hybrid working arrangement is in place.
Benefits include:
- 28 days holiday a year plus bank holidays and a holiday buy/sell scheme
- Annual discretionary bonus scheme
- Personal pension with enhanced contributions
- Private medical and health screenings
- Maternity, paternity and shared parental leave
- Life assurance (6 times annual salary)
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
About you
For this role its essential you have:
- Degree in Social Work (or recognised equivalent social work qualification) and Social Work England registration.
- Current registration with Social Work England, with a requirement to maintain continuous registration throughout employment.
- Practice Educator certification (stage 2 or equivalent)
- Extensive post‑qualification experience in a statutory or safeguarding-focused social work setting.
- Strong safeguarding knowledge, including the Care Act 2014, Domestic Abuse Act 2021, and local safeguarding procedures.
- Demonstrable experience of managing complex, high‑risk casework.
- Strong analytical and assessment skills, with the ability to interpret financial and behavioural information within a safeguarding context.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including accurate case recording.
- Resilience, emotional intelligence, and commitment to trauma‑informed practice.
- Ability to work with sensitivity, discretion, and professional integrity.
- Experience of persuading and influencing up to a senior level.
Experience in these areas would be helpful:
- Evidence of senior practice, including mentoring, practice development, or specialist safeguarding roles.
- Financial services, debt advice, housing, or other regulated sector background.
- Evidence of service improvement, practice development, policy development or contributing to organisational change initiatives.
About us
In 2025, Coventry Building Society purchased The Co-operative Bank. Bringing together our purpose‑led building society with the UK’s original ethical bank was the start of an exciting journey. Trusted by over four million people, we’re a mutually owned business free from shareholders, and with our combined experience of almost 300 years, our ethics and dedication will continue to guide us. Together, we have shared values and an ethical approach towards our members, customers and colleagues. We’re officially recognised as a ‘Great Place to Work’ and our benefits go beyond basic pay, with a discretionary bonus scheme, a culture of reward and recognition and comprehensive support for wellbeing. We’re serious about equality, of race, age, faith, disability, and sexual orientation and we celebrate diversity. By working together, we know you’ll build more than just a career with us.
Flexibility and why it matters
We understand the need for flexibility, so wherever possible, we’ll consider alternative working patterns. Have a chat with us before you apply to see what the possibilities are for this role.
Proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer
We’re proud to offer an interview or assessment to every disabled applicant who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies. As part of the application process, disabled applicants can opt in for the Disability Confident Interview Scheme. If there are ever occasions where it is not practicable to interview all candidates that meet the essential criteria, such as when we receive a high number of applications, we commit to interviewing disabled candidates who best meet the minimum essential and desirable criteria.
Feedback
We are currently receiving a high number of applications for our roles and, while we review each one carefully against the advertised criteria, unfortunately we're unable to provide individual feedback. We will contact shortlisted candidates directly.
Location: Coventry-Binley Business Park, Hybrid, Manchester
Salary: Up to £65,000 (dependant on relevant experience)
Social Worker Senior Specialist (Customer Wellbeing) in Coventry employer: Co-operative Bank plc
Coventry Building Society is an exceptional employer, offering a collaborative work culture that fosters innovation and professional growth. Employees benefit from comprehensive training opportunities and a supportive environment that encourages cross-functional teamwork, making it an ideal place for those looking to make a meaningful impact in financial planning and analysis.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Social Worker Senior Specialist (Customer Wellbeing) in Coventry
✨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 Co-operative Bank plc.
✨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 Co-operative Bank plc!
✨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 Co-operative Bank plc, 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 Co-operative Bank plc 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 Social Worker Senior Specialist (Customer Wellbeing) in Coventry
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 Co-operative Bank plc:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Co-operative Bank plc! 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 Co-operative Bank plc
✨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.
