Adviser

Citizens Advice Torridge North Mid and West Devon; Barnstaple; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Citizens Advice Torridge North Mid and West Devon is seeking an enthusiastic trainee adviser to join our multi-channel service. You’ll support clients face-to-face, by phone, via digital channels and email, with a strong focus on listening and clear communication. Training will develop you into a qualified adviser.

Based at one of our offices in the Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon area, travel to other offices may be required.

Qualifications

• Customer service experience across face-to-face, telephone and digital channels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Full driving licence and car access.
• Experience using sensitive listening and questioning skills.
• Ability to give and receive feedback objectively.
• Ability to use multiple telephony and IT systems (email, webchat, telephone).
• Experience with Microsoft Office 365.
• Commitment to personal development in advice giving.
• Understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Knowledge or experience of the benefits system.
• Experience with client management and database systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice to external clients via face-to-face interviews or by telephone.
• Research options impartially to support client decisions.
• Provide administrative support across the service.
• Refer to specialist services when appropriate.
• Gather information to support Research and Campaigns.
• Maintain detailed case records for continuity and reporting.

Skills

Customer service

Communication skills

Driving licence

Active listening

Feedback skills

Multi-channel IT

MS Office 365

Personal development

Equity & Inclusion

Benefits knowledge

Client management

Database systems

Tools

MS Office 365

Job description

Company: Citizens Advice Torridge North Mid and West Devon

Are you an excellent communicator and passionate about helping people in need?Citizens Advice Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon wants to hear from you!

Being an Adviser at CA TNMWD is so much more than a call centre role. This is a varied, multi-channel position involving face-to-face, telephone, digital and email advice. You may support clients in our offices, specialist services or outreach locations, while also providing high-quality administrative support to the wider service.

Every day is different, and you’ll play a direct role in helping people navigate challenging situations and improve their lives.

This role supports people with complex needs and those for whom language or communication may be a barrier. As such, you will need to be a strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills, committed to developing your knowledge and happy to work flexibly across offices and outreach locations.

You will have excellent listening and questioning skills and understand how to adapt to the needs of others whilst embracing the charity’s twin aims.

This is an entry-level role and you’ll start as a Trainee Adviser, working your way up to a fully qualified Adviser through our robust training pathway. You’ll start on £25,880, with salary incentives along the training pathway.

This role will be based at one of our Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon offices, with the expectation that travel may be required to other offices across our geographical area.

JOB SPECIFICATION

Main purpose of the job

• Provide advice to external clients by face to face interviews or by providing advice on the telephone.
• Research all of the options available to the client adopting an impartial and non-judgmental stance.
• Provide administrative support across the whole service as required.
• Work alongside the specialist services and make referrals into them as appropriate.
• Gather information to support our Research and Campaigns team.

Advice giving:

• Interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills.
• Use the Citizens Advice resources to find, interpret and communicate the relevant information.
• Research and explore options and implications so that clients can make informed decisions.
• Act for the client where necessary by calculating, negotiating, drafting or writing letters and telephoning.
• Negotiate with third parties such as statutory and non-statutory bodies as appropriate.
• Refer internally or to other specialist agencies as appropriate.
• Ensure that all work conforms to the Advice Quality Standard.
• Ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service equity and diversity strategy.
• Maintain detailed case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, funder requirements, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.

Administration:

• Receive referrals by all channels – phone, voicemails, web-form, email and internally
• Manage and process all internal and external communications for the team, including scanning and attaching files to cases electronically.
• Where directed, make appointments and coordinate calendars.
• Make referralswhere appropriate to external agencies.
• Support caseworkers as required to ensure objectives are met.
• Use IT for statistical recording of information relating to research and campaigns and funding requirements, record keeping and document production. Ensure GDPR training is completed on an annual basis.
• Maintain records for funder requirements.

Other duties:

• Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.
• Demonstrate commitment to the aims and policies of the Citizens Advice service.
• Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.
• Comply with all Citizens Advice information assurance guidelines.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

• Customer service experience with one or all of the following channels – face to face, telephone and/or digital (webchat or email).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• Experience in using sensitive listening and questioning skills.
• Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively, and a willingness to challenge constructively.
• Ability to use a variety of telephony and IT systems to deliver services across multiple channels, for example email, webchat and/or telephone.
• Demonstrable experience using Microsoft Office 365.
• A commitment to personal development and a willingness to develop knowledge and skills in the area of advice giving.
• An understanding of and ability to work within the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service with a strong focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
• Knowledge or experience of the benefit system.
• Experience of using client management and database systems.