Chemists' Community Fund Caseworker in Cambridge

We are looking for a Chemists’ Community Fund Caseworker to join the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) on a fixed term basis covering maternity leave for up to 12 months. This is a part-time role, working 28 hours per week (to include Wednesdays and Thursdays). The Chemists' Community Fund, the working name of the RSC Benevolent Fund, provides financial support for the relief and prevention of poverty, as well as advice and signposting to support members and their families through challenging life events.

Handling a typical caseload of 20-25 cases, this is a rewarding opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of RSC members and their families at some of the most challenging points in their lives. As a Caseworker, you will support the day-to-day activities of the Chemists' Community Fund, providing guidance and support to members, helping to develop the service in line with the Fund's new strategy, and building your specialist understanding of the wider advice and guidance landscape. You will work closely with colleagues across Member Communities and with the RSC Careers service on matters such as employment and job seeking where relevant.

At the RSC, we believe in flexibility, and this role offers hybrid working. While the position is contractually based at our Cambridge office, you'll have the option to work from home elsewhere in the UK. We do ask that you attend the Cambridge office at least twice a month (currently Thursdays) with more frequent visits expected early on to support your induction. This role will also require occasional travel within the UK. If you need flexible working arrangements, please outline this in your application. This role will require a relevant DBS check.

In this role you will:

• Act as a point of contact for the RSC's Chemists' Community Fund services, responding to initial enquiries and providing information, advice and guidance to members as appropriate.
• Ensure service delivery to members is in line with national information, advice and guidance standards.
• Use up-to-date working knowledge of major state benefits and awareness of the availability of assistance from other sources e.g. local government and other charitable organisations.
• Undertake online calls and occasional home visits with members and beneficiaries, offering guidance and gathering information to enable accurate assessment of potential areas of need.
• Support the Chemists' Community Fund Committee.
• Prepare grant recommendations for consideration, ensuring that complete but concise briefing information is available to approvers, developing and justifying recommendations in line with criteria.
• Develop our external relations with member-groups, employers, university welfare officers, other related charities and organisations, to support better signposting and referrals to the Fund.
• Support the team with administration duties when required.
• Take ownership for the confidentiality and protection of all personal data handled by the Fund.
• Assist the Chemists' Community Fund Managers with the delivery of key projects.
• Contribute to other activities as required by the Chemists' Community Fund Managers.

What we are looking for:

• Experience of managing casework and be able to handle phone calls, emails and issues of a sensitive nature, demonstrating tact, diplomacy, empathy and the ability to relate to people who may be experiencing difficult personal circumstances.
• Articulate communicator with experience in a customer-focused environment.
• Ability to discern between information essential to case development and information of only peripheral importance.
• Ability to exert effective influence and form productive relationships with internal colleagues and external contacts.
• Must be able to work independently when required, but also as part of a team.
• Be up to date on data protection and confidentiality practices.
• Forward thinking with an empathetic approach to casework and services, able to undertake administration duties and project management when required.

If you are interested in this role, please apply before the end of the closing date. When applying, you will need to provide an up-to-date CV and a cover letter (in no more than 500 words) telling us about your relevant knowledge, skills and competencies and why you are applying for this role.

About the RSC: We are a thriving international community of over 60,000 members in 125 countries, an internationally renowned publisher of high-quality chemical science knowledge and the professional body for chemists in the UK, with a reputation as an influential champion for the chemical sciences.

Benefits: We promote a healthy work/life balance and flexible working options. Our benefits package includes: 26 days’ paid holiday per annum plus bank holidays, pension plan with up to 12% employer contributions (depending upon your contribution), life assurance at 3 times basic annual salary, enhanced parental leave, and paid volunteering days.

At the RSC, we recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce and welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds to apply. We particularly encourage applications from disabled and ethnic minority candidates. As a part of the Disability Confident Scheme, we endeavour, where possible, to offer an interview to candidates meeting the essential criteria of the role, who have a substantial physical/mental impairment which impacts their ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

We are committed to making our recruitment processes accessible to all and as part of this, we are flexible in the ways we give and receive information. If you would like to apply using a different format, please contact the Recruitment Team at jobs@rsc.org or on +44 (0) 1223 432229 and we will do our best to put any reasonable adjustments in place. If you have any questions, please contact us at jobs@rsc.org.