Experienced Financial Capability Advisor

If you are seeking part-time work, we will consider this for the right applicant. Please apply and state the hours you are seeking. Salary pro-rata for P/T.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Financial Capability/ Welfare Benefits Advisor to join our team at the foodbank. Working under the guidance of the Project Manager, and with external advice supervision & expert support you will have the opportunity to help our service grow and develop.

Our clients have been receiving income maximisation and welfare benefits advice for the last couple of years and this has worked really well to ensure they many longer need to use a foodbank. Our desire is that every person has enough money in their pocket to buy food and pay their bills. We work towards an end to the need for foodbanks.

As our advisor you would be working with clients on a one-on-one basis to holistically look at what the underlying causes of their crisis are. You’ll help address these by benefits checks, help with applications, digital inclusion, applying for grants and liasing with our local partners to refer clients for the appropriate help for debt, housing, health issues, energy etc.

You’ll be a strong communicator, organised and able to work on your own initiative. Your heart to serve local people in crisis will be evident in your track record of successfully providing financial inclusion/ welfare benefits advice to vulnerable people. For the right person there is ample opportunity to develop this service in new ways. We already have plans for debt provision in the coming months.

If you are passionate about helping others and have a track record of providing face-to-face & telephone support and advice, then this could be an exciting opportunity for you to work within the foodbank at Bexhill & Battle supporting vulnerable clients. You will be based at our new Foodbank Advice Service office in Bexhill but will attend the Battle & Bexhill foodbanks frequently.

JOB DESCRIPTION: Financial Capability Advisor

Responsible to: The Foodbank Project Manager/ CTiB Trustees

Responsible for: Offering clients of Bexhill & Battle Foodbank quality financial capability advice to ensure that they are empowered to be more financially capable and confident, with the aim of them no longer needing to use a foodbank.

Salary Range: £26,000 – 29,500pa depending on experience

Full-time: 37.5 hours per week

Base: Bexhill Foodbank Advice Service, 28 Sackville Road with attendance at Battle
foodbank as necessary.

Overall responsibility of the Job: Provide financial capability advice and associated casework to help clients address the underlying causes of their crisis, make informed decisions in addressing their needs and to improve their financial resilience. Practically this will mean undertaking benefit reviews, helping clients to apply for welfare and health benefits, supporting clients to challenge benefit decisions and sanctions, referring clients to our trusted partners for energy, debt, housing, immigration and wellbeing, offering digital inclusion help, and supporting our clients in the most appropriate way to help empower them to change their situation.

At all times ensuring quality standards and compliance with industry standards in regard to confidentiality, independence and impartiality, accountability and equality and diversity.

Specific Responsibilities:
Advice & Advocacy
• Provide financial capability advice and associated casework ensuring that clients are supported to overcome issues relating to anything that may be causing detriment, with a focus on preventing destitution and/or homelessness.
• Advise, assist and support clients who could benefit from welfare benefit advice in accordance with agreed procedures, policies and good practice. To complete applications for benefits with clients.
• Act for the client where necessary by calculating, negotiating, drafting or writing letters, emails and telephoning.
• Negotiate with third parties such as statutory and non-statutory bodies as appropriate.
• Refer to other specialist partner agencies as appropriate.
• To act as an advocate for clients in order for them challenge welfare benefit decisions. Referring them on if their case needs a full appeal.
• Guide and work alongside advice service volunteers within the Bexhill Foodbank Advice Service, sharing your specialist knowledge.
• Provide training, briefing sessions and fact sheets to colleagues to ensure they are able to impart up to date, relevant information to clients.

Administration:
• Arrange, confirm and manage client appointments in collaboration with the Foodbank Administrator.
• Ensure the accurate recording of all details of advice and casework on AdvicePro.
• Maintain detailed, up to date and confidential case notes and supporting documentation for the purpose of information retrieval and continuity of casework.
• Confirm advice by letter/email in a clear, concise, and timely manner.
• Along with the Project Manager review cases on a regular basis, ensuring actions are followed up and cases are closed at the appropriate time.
• Work with the Project Manager to monitor progress against identified targets and potential outcomes. Collaboratively creating reports as necessary.
Collaborative Working:
• Work with clients and colleagues to ensure that the Bexhill Foodbank advice service is strongly rooted in the experience of those who access our frontline services, thus providing a person-centered service.
• Develop positive partnership working relationships and referral procedures with relevant statutory, voluntary and community sector providers as appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with other colleagues in the team and wider organisation to enhance the services provided.
• Represent Bexhill Foodbank at a range of local networks and forums.
• Familiarise yourself with and ensure that all Bexhill Foodbank policies are adhered to.

Personal Development:
• Maintain up to date knowledge of the benefit system, case law and the effects of welfare reform and forthcoming changes.
• Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/ team meetings as appropriate.
• Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the Project Manager

And undertake any other reasonable tasks at a commensurate level as requested by the Foodbank Project Manager.

Training
Training will be provided in all aspects of the job role and ongoing training will be made available to the successful applicant in areas such as welfare benefits changes, debt, housing, GDPR, H&S, safeguarding & other legislation and personal development skills.

Person Specification

Essential
• Substantial proven experience of providing advice and casework support to individuals and families who have complex needs including homelessness and welfare rights advice.
• Experience of maintaining and reviewing casefiles, as well as effectively managing their caseload.
• Knowledge and understanding of the rights, entitlements and support available to the client group and of referral processes to statutory and non-statutory support agencies.
• In-depth knowledge of the current benefits available to those on a low income, with a particular focus on Universal Credit.
• Empathy and ability to work with people from disadvantaged, marginalised, or socially excluded backgrounds.
• A sound knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures for children and vulnerable adults.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Good working knowledge of data privacy and GDPR.
• Clear understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion and of how to create and maintain accessible and appropriate services.
• Confident IT user and able to learn new computer systems.
• Ability to communicate and establish good relationships with a range of people.
• Ability to work without close supervision, prioritise own work and meet deadlines.
• Ability to deal with difficult situations in a calm, effective non-confrontational manner.
• Sympathetic to the Christian beliefs of Churches Together in Bexhill that underpins our foodbank.
• Full driving licence and access to a car to travel between the foodbank branches.

Desirable
• Experience of delivering an outreach advice service and/or working as a self-supervising lone adviser.
• Experience of public speaking and/or the ability to give presentations and facilitate group discussions and training. Or be willing to develop these skills.
• Ability to evaluate the development of services and implement improvements with minimal input.
• To already have relationships with local referrers, schools, charities and/ or churches that are beneficial to the work of the foodbank.
• An understanding of homelessness and the issues affecting homeless individuals and families.
• Experience of providing advice-related consultancy support to non-advisers.
• Personal lived experience of the UK asylum or immigration system.
• Personal lived experience of hardship/ having used a foodbank.
 

Closing Date: 4pm Monday 26th August 2024
Interviews: W/c 2nd September 2024

Please submit a completed application form, CV, and covering letter to Michelle Pannell, Foodbank Project Manager