Helpline Adviser

Helpline Adviser

Glasgow city centre

Fixed-term contract until April 2026

£31,133.37 per annum pro rata

30 days holiday per annum plus bank holidays

About Shelter

Shelter Scotland helps over half a million people a year struggling with bad housing or homelessness – and we campaign to prevent it in the first place.

A home is a fundamental human need, as essential as education or healthcare. Yet millions of people across Britain struggle on a daily basis with homelessness, bad housing conditions, soaring rents, discrimination and the threat of eviction. 

Above all we seek a transformation in housing policy, including investment in homes people on low incomes can actually afford – an investment that has been missing for decades and from all political parties, so that now the human cost has become intolerable.

We need ambitious, best-in-class individuals who are passionate about our cause to join us at this exciting time. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve. 

Why Join Shelter? 

We welcome anyone to apply who possess the qualities and behaviours outlined or who believes they have the propensity to learn them fast. You will be joining an inclusive and supportive team who welcome people from all backgrounds. What’s important isn’t your level of education or the opportunities which you have had, it’s about you and how you seize the opportunities ahead of you.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit. We also offer the following benefits:

• Flexible working hours
• Flexible working practices
• 30 days paid holiday plus bank holidays
• Competitive pension scheme
• Salary sacrifice schemes

Diversity Statement

At Shelter we are united by our purpose to defend the right to a safe home; our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. We believe to win that fight; we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement for change. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, fair, equitable and transparent. We have committed to combat racism both within and outside Shelter and welcome you on our journey to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.  

At Shelter we recognise that people from marginalised groups might face particular difficulties in their career journey and we are committed as an employer to tackle this injustice. Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they feel confident that they meet every requirement listed.  

At Shelter we are dedicated to building an anti-racist, diverse, inclusive, equitable, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role and your experience or skills to date don’t align perfectly with every part of the role requirements in the job description, please don’t let that stop you applying. We encourage you to tell us how your skills, knowledge, behaviours, and experience will aid your success in the role. 

About the team

Shelter Scotland provide a free telephone and online housing advice service which covers all of Scotland. There are services accessible to anyone with a housing problem and a growing number of contract-funded services that focus on specific client groups, other advice agencies and geographically based populations. We also provide a telephone helpline for other agencies and run a number of projects throughout the country.  In Scotland, we helped over 25,000 people in our Telephone and Online Advice services in 2020/21. As well as our Telephone and Online Advice services, we have a number of projects and four core Integrated City Hubs. Through a balanced mixture of activities at local level and participating in nationally coordinated initiatives the Advice Service aims to help people in housing need and tackle the root causes of homelessness and bad housing. 

Role Specific Responsibilities

Main Objectives

• Deliver a professional, impartial, pragmatic and outcome focused telephone, digital and email advice service to Shelter clients (including 2nd tier advice to other agencies where appropriate) whilst working to Shelter Quality Standards and the National Standards for Information and Advice Providers. Advisers will give full advice on different areas of law which may include a number of the following areas: homelessness and housing, welfare & housing benefits. Advisers will also be undertaking some complex enquiries or cases. They will be supported in this by a Senior Adviser or National TOAS Manager.
• Grade 3 Adviser Specific
• Carry out diagnostic questioning through telephone or digital services to assess caller needs.
• Initiate contact or referral with other agencies where there are multiple issues and cases.
• Read incoming client emails and assess their needs.
• Participate in fulfilling rotas as agreed for service provision, i.e. telephone, digital & email.
• Give Full advice on housing cases as required by Senior Adviser/National TOAS manager. (subject to appropriate training).
• Advocacy on behalf of client to other agencies and authorities.
• Other advice related tasks as delegated by the Senior Adviser and Helpdesk Manager

All Helpline Advice workers

• Answer enquiries by telephone, digital or email service.
• Ensure client details are entered onto CRM accurately and punctually.
• Agree client’s needs and identify desired outcomes and actions
• Meets internal and external quality and performance targets.

About you

• Carry out diagnostic questioning through telephone or digital services to assess caller needs.
• Initiate contact or referral with other agencies where there are multiple issues and cases.
• Answer enquiries by telephone, digital or email service.
• You will have Experience of Telephone Advice work with a specific interest in housing law, welfare benefits and debt.
• You will have the ability to type and use Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, email and internet.

Required behaviours

The Shelter Behaviours demonstrate the attitudes and approaches we take to our work; from how we do things, how we treat each other and expect to be treated both internally and externally. They help us to have the culture we need to deliver our ambitious strategy. 

At Shelter we have 5 overall behaviours, that are each made up of 3 descriptors, these are outlined below.

We work together to achieve our shared purpose  

• by actively collaborating and putting trust in the people we work with
• by recognising the contribution of others
• by carefully considering the “how” when taking on new projects and initiatives

We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset 

• by not tolerating and actively tackling racism and any other forms of hate and discrimination
• by creating safe spaces for people to be their authentic self, challenge each other and learn
• by being compassionate towards the people we work with and prioritising each other’s wellbeing

We enable decision making

• by giving people the tools, they need to make well informed decisions
• by being accountable for the decisions we make
• by delegating authority to those closest to the work

We create change and align behind our strategy

• by participating in change initiatives that deliver our strategy
• by supporting tough strategic choices
• by saying no to work that does not serve our purpose

We are open to risk and learning from our experiences

• by learning from our failures and successes
• by being reflective and giving and receiving feedback
• by being proactive and taking initiative

Other information

• All staff should adhere to Shelter's Equality Policy and will be expected to play a key role in its successful implementation.
• This post is not exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

Please note

This job description cannot cover every issue or task that may arise within the post at various times and the post-holder will be expected to carry out other duties from time to time which are broadly consistent with those in this document. This job description does not form part of the contract of employment.

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