Personal Advisor in Oldham

Based: Address provided at interview

Closing Date: Sunday 22 February 2026

Shortlisting & Interview Dates: TBC.

Role Overview

Working as part of a team undertaking direct work with children and families, to promote and safeguard their welfare, in accordance with their appropriate plans and strategies. To work with young people aged 16 yrs - 25 yrs who are or have been looked after or accommodated by a Local Authority in order to assist them to live an independent life in their community. Working in an anti-oppressive way and ensuring equality of opportunity to ensure that young people receive appropriate levels of support.

Key Responsibilities

• To carry out the responsibilities and duties for Care Leavers in line with the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and 1989 Children Act whilst also act as an advocate for young people.
• To work with young people to ensure that their views and wishes are taken into account when developing Pathway Plans whilst maintaining regular contact with young people as required under the Children (Leaving Care) Act, 2000.
• To contribute and participate in the delivery of a duty system within the service Monday to Friday.
• To promote the involvement of young people in all aspects of service delivery and pathway planning and also develop and maintain relationships with young people who are or have been looked after.
• To engage with internal and external organisations as required to encourage and secure permanence in accommodation, education, employment and training and health to enhance young people’s outcomes and target those young people who are classed as difficult to engage and hard to reach in order to improve their life chances (ie those who are NEET).
• To continue to implement and review accordingly individual pathway plans for young people in partnership with young people and other agencies to ensure an appropriate service is delivered to meet assessed needs and risks.
• To ensure files and records are accurately maintained, reflecting partnerships with families, in accordance with Council policies and procedures. Information should be appropriately shared with other professionals.
• This should include co-ordination, planning and review of pathway plans and to ensure young people receive sufficient financial support, develop independence skills and are supported where necessary in their progression to higher education and/or employment.
• To manage a case load effectively, ensuring provision of written electronic records in line with the Council’s systems, policies and procedures.
• To contribute to the development of the team, and less experienced colleagues, offering support, guidance and mentoring where appropriate and to contribute to the development and promotion of the Post 16 Service.
• To engage in regular team meetings and participate positively in Supervision with the Senior Practitioner or Service manager and to attend appropriate training as required.
• To develop a local knowledge and understanding of resources which are available to meet the needs of the child and family, e.g. housing legislation, employment, education and training opportunities, the benefits system, local children’s centres, family activities, leisure facilities, support groups for child/family, support of health related issues such as sexual health or drugs.

Key Requirements

• To actively promote the equalities and diversity agenda in the workplace and in service delivery.
• To uphold and implement policies and procedures of the Council and Directorate including customer care, data protection and health and safety policies.
• To undertake required training and continuous professional development and to be aware of new developments, legislation, initiatives, guidelines, policies and procedures.
• Undertake any additional duties commensurate with the level of the post.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application. Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and therefore expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

About Us

We want Oldham to have vibrant, safe neighbourhoods where people are proud to live with opportunities for healthier, more fulfilled lives; and a sustainable, thriving economy. As we look to the future, the challenges may be significant, but so are the opportunities. We’ve identified three missions with our residents and partners, focusing on what will deliver the biggest impact: A Great Place to Live, Healthier, Happier Lives, and Green and Growing. We’re looking for candidates who will support us to achieve our ambitions and we encourage you to download our Corporate Plan: Ready for the Future and our Oldham Plan for further information.

Our Values and Behaviours

By driving innovation, investing in our people, and championing our communities, we will ensure that Oldham continues to be a place where everyone can live their best life. To support this, we have three core values which define who we are and how we operate. These are ‘Proud, Ambitious, and Together’, and they shape our culture, inform our decisions, and inspire us to deliver on our commitments to the people of Oldham. We have translated these values into five behaviours which guide our actions and are the standards we hold ourselves to, day in and day out:

• Work with a resident focus
• Support local leaders
• Committed to the borough
• Delivery high performance
• Take ownership and drive change

You can find out more about our values and behaviours on our greater.jobs Oldham page.

Our Benefits Package

At Oldham Council we offer a great benefits package for our employees, which includes the following:

• 25 days annual leave which increases after 5 and 10-years’ service
• The option to purchase additional annual leave.
• An attractive LGPS benefit pension scheme with the option to make shared cost additional voluntary contributions.
• Discounted gym membership with Oldham Active.
• Staff discount scheme for shopping, entertainment, eating-out, eating-in, travel, motoring and more.
• Salary sacrifice scheme for home and electronics and Cycle to Work.
• Wellbeing support, including a Mental Health First Aider network and an Employment Assistance Programme that provides 24 hours access to advice and support.
• Staff recognition and celebration events.

Inclusive Recruitment

We work closely with employees to help them work at their best, including making adjustments such as flexible working, describing available working patterns, providing equipment or making changes to the workplace. If you’re an applicant with disabilities, aged 24 or under and have previously been in or currently in care, a carer, someone who has served in the Armed Forces, or you’ve participated in the GM Elevate Programme, and you meet the essential criteria of the role, you are guaranteed to reach the first stage of assessment under our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme.

Data and Privacy

For details of how we use your data please see our privacy notice.