Citizens Advice Calderdale

District Office

37 Harrison Road

Halifax

HX1 2AF

Date as Postmark or email

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for your interest in this vacancy

The following page contains a summary of the principal terms and conditions, key dates in the recruitment process and a contents sheet. On receipt of the pack, please review to make sure everything you need to make your application.

The application pack is designed to be sent, completed and returned electronically

I would draw your attention to the person specification, which outlines the skills and experience we expect the post holder to have.

Should you wish to have informal chat or have any specific questions about the post please give me a call on 01422 340303.

Best wishes with your application

Alastair McGregor

Chief Executive

CITIZENS ADVICE CALDERDALE

JOB APPLICATION PACK

Telephone Advice Worker

  • Hours: 21 per week
  • Salary: From £17,600- £19,900 FTE depending on experience

Based in Todmorden

  • 22 days pa plus 10 Public Holidays
  • Fixed term contract to 31.03.17

This Job Pack Contains:

  1. Covering Letter and Job Application Pack
  2. Person Specification and Job Description
  3. Notes on the Application Process
  4. Equal Opportunities Notes and Monitoring Form
  5. Application Form

Advertisements

Deadline for receipt of applications noon Monday 16th May 2016

Interviewsend May

Return Address:

Citizens Advice Calderdale
Job description and Person Specification

Telephone Advice Worker

Context of role: The Telephone Advice Line (TAL) is a core part of the Bureau’s advice service; the position of paid TAL Advisor will augment the existing service, which is delivered by volunteers and paid advisers with the support of an experienced service supervisor.

Role purpose:

  • To provide an effective and efficient generalist telephone advice service to the public, operating within the aims, policies and principles of the CAB service.
  • To work alongside a team of volunteer telephone advisers to deliver the service and support the service manager in identifying and meeting their training and development needs.

Key work areas and tasks:

  • Delivering advice/information over the phone using a gateway /assessment approach to ensure clients get the right advice / service quickly
  • Campaign work – to contribute to ‘Bureau Evidence and local/national campaigns
  • Providing appropriate leadership and support to volunteer colleagues & working as part of team to deliver a comprehensive advice service
  • Providing full advice by phone and e mail

Responsible to: Telephone Service Manager

Duties of Post

Advice giving

  • Provide a Gateway / assessment / full advice service to clients over the phone and meeting agreed service level/ targets
  • Interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills in order to allow clients to explain their problem(s) and empower them to resolve their problems.
  • Use the Citizens Advice Information System to find, interpret and communicate the relevant information.
  • Research and explore options and implications so that clients can make informed decisions.
  • Follow up work for the client where necessary.
  • Refer internally or to other specialist agencies as appropriate.
  • Maintain detailed case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.

Research and Campaigns

  • Assist with social policy work by providing information about clients' circumstances through the appropriate channel.
  • Alert clients to current campaigns.

Valuing and Working with Volunteers

  • Provide leadership to volunteers through being a model advisor, with demonstrable high standards of work and commitment to the service this could include face to face work.
  • Act as mentor to nominated volunteer advisors to support development of their advice knowledge and skills
  • Work alongside a volunteer team to deliver a quality assured advice service

Professional development

  • Keep up to date with legislation, policies and procedures and undertake appropriate training.
  • Read relevant publications.
  • Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the line manager.
  • Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/team meetings/staff meetings as appropriate.

Administration

  • Use IT for statistical recording, record keeping and document production.
  • Ensure that all work conforms to the bureau's systems and procedures.
  • Provide statistical information on the number of clients and nature of cases.

Other duties and responsibilities

  • 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 CAB service.
  • Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.
  • Support work that will promote sustainability of project beyond initial funded period
  • Undertake activities to promote and encourage use of the service
  • Ability to work unsociable hours and undertake evening sessions
  • Ability to work across the district.
  • In carrying out this job description, at all times to ensure that Citizens Advice policies in relation to confidentiality, equal opportunities and anti-discrimination are observed and actively promoted.
  • To undertake such other recurring and non-recurring duties as are necessary to ensure the smooth running of the bureau.
  • To participate in undertaking periodic reviews of this job description for consideration by the Trustee Board.

Telephone Advisor - Person Specification

Essential Criteria / Desirable Criteria
1 / Citizens Advice Certificate in Generalist Advice Work/ gateway assessment or equivalent
2 / At least 1 years full time recent experience of generalist advice work paid or unpaid
3 / Understanding of the issues involved in interviewing clients on the phone
4 / Experience of giving advice over the phone
5 / Ability to organise own time/resources and work under pressure and without close supervision, including managing a caseload / Experience of organising own time/resources and working under pressure and without close supervision, including managing a caseload
6 / Effective written and oral communication skills with particular emphasis on negotiating. / Experience of writing reports, letters or negotiation
7 / Numeracy skills to understand statistics and check calculations.
8 / Ability to use IT in the provision of advice and learn new skills / Experience of using IT to support advice work, record keeping and statistical recording
9 / Up to date knowledge of main enquiry areas (welfare benefits and debt) / Ability to research, analyse and interpret complex information.
10 / Ability to have an ordered approach to case work and follow set procedures for file management etc
11 / Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of the CAB service and its equal opportunities policies. / Experience of undertaking social policy work to bring about change
12 / Flexibility and willingness to work as part of a team including paid staff and volunteers / Experience of working as part of a team including paid staff and volunteers
13 / Able to provide coaching to volunteers. Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively. / Experience of coaching to volunteers. Providing feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively
14 / Willingness to work unsocial hours (including early evening sessions and possible split shifts)
15 / Ability and willingness to travel throughout Calderdale
16 / Eligible to work in the UK
17 / Able to Speak Urdu and/or Punjabi

CITIZENS ADVICE CALDERDALE

YOUR APPLICATION AND OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The information you provide in your application is the only information we will use in deciding whether or not you will be short-listed for interview. Your application form is therefore very important and the following advice is designed to help you complete it as effectively as possible. This is part of our commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for job applicants. Do not substitute your CV for a completed application form, since this will not be considered.

PLANNING YOUR APPLICATION

Before filling in the application form read the job information carefully

  • Every vacancy is based on a job description, which lists the main duties of the post, and a person specification describing the skills, experience, qualifications and personal attributes we are looking for. Please look at this carefully so that you know what the job involves and the range of expertise required. Ask yourself why you are interested in the job.

Using the person specification

  • The person specification is the listof criteria or requirements regarded as essential and desirable for the post. To be considered for an interview you have to fulfil each of the essential points of the person specification, which are marked 'Application Form', demonstrating your abilities by telling us about your experiences. You need not address those not marked 'Application Form' because these will be assessed at interview or by references.
  • Before you fill in the application form look at the person specification and decide how to relate your skills, knowledge and experience to each point marked 'Application Form'. Try not to repeat yourself by using just one area of your experience to cover more than one requirement. Draw upon your past and present jobs or interests; you may discover you have a broader range of skills than you imagined. Remember that voluntary work or work at home can be as valuable as paid employment.
  • Ensure that in the application form you address each point marked 'Application Form’ in the person specification as fully as you can. If this is not done, it is highly unlikely that you will be called for interview.
  • Whatever it is, the most important thing is to tell us - we are unable to guess or make assumptions.

Completing the application form

  • Decisions about who will be selected for interview will be based on the information you give in your application form. Therefore application forms should be filled in as completely and as clearly as possible so that we can consider all candidates on the same basis.
  • It is important that your application relates to the job you are applying for. Do not copy the same one for a series of different jobs.
  • Make sure you complete the form clearly typing it or in your own handwritingusing black ink (black ink shows up best when photocopied).
  • The job information will state by which date you are to return your completed application. Remember to keep a copy for reference. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
  • Please also complete the enclosed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form and return it with the application form.

IMMIGRATION ACT 1971

The last box on page 4 of the application form applies only to advisers, and not to other posts. Section 25 and 26 (1) (d) or (g) of the Immigration Act 1971 are concerned with the following offences: assisting illegal entry, falsifying documentation or obstructing the authorities investigating immigration offences. If you have committed one of the offences above you may still be able to be an adviser; however, we would have to contact the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner in order to discuss the issues.

DATA PROTECTION ACT 1988

As part of our recruitment and personnel procedures we may collect and store sensitive personal data about you. We are required by law to obtain your consent to such data being recorded.

Sensitive personal is defined by the Act as information relating to any of the following: racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, health, sexuality or sex life, offences and/or convictions.

In relation to recruitment procedures, it is our policy to store data for 12 months after the date, on which it is submitted, for internal auditing purposes. Any information of this nature will be treated confidentially.

In relation to individuals appointed to posts, it is our policy to store data about post-holders for the length of their employment by the bureau and for 7 years afterwards (for purposes of providing references). Any information of this nature will be treated confidentially.

In signing the declaration at the end of the Application Form you will be giving your consent to sensitive personal information being recorded and stored.

SHORTLISTING

After the closing date, the application forms are read very carefully by the Selection Panel to see how each person’s skills and experience relate to the skills and experience marked A in the person specification and applicants who meet these requirements are short listed for interview. Only information contained in the application will be considered in making the decision to shortlist.

INTERVIEWS

The Selection Panel is normally made up of two or three people who ask similar questions of each candidate covering the person specification criteria. The questions are intended to allow you to expand on your application and to show the panel how far you meet the requirements of the post.

Short listed candidates may be asked to complete a task either at or before the interview.

You will have the opportunity to ask questions about the job, conditions of service etc.

Panel members keep a record of their assessment of each candidate so that the reasons for their decisions are clear, consistent and justifiable. You should therefore not be worried about the Panel taking notes.

If a candidate is not able to attend the interview there is no guarantee that an alternative date will be offered. The Panel will consider requests for alternative dates as they arise.

FEEDBACK

If you are unsuccessful and feel that feedback on your application and/or interview would be helpful in applying for other jobs, please write to the Chief Executive and he will be pleased to arrange this for you.

COMPLAINTS

We are trying hard to ensure that every stage of our recruitment process is fair and properly thought out. We want to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and helpfully, even if not appointed. If you feel you have been treated unfairly, please write to the Chief Executive and we will investigate this.

We hope you will be successful in your application. However, if you are not, please do not be discouraged from re-applying - your skills and experience may be what we need for our next vacancy.