Advice and Support Officer - Gateshead, United Kingdom - Gateshead Council

Gateshead Council

Verified Company

Gateshead, United Kingdom

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

Advice and Support Officer

1 x Part Time (18.5 hours, alternate Wednesdays, Thursday and Friday) Permanent Post.
Do you want a role where you're recognised for what you do, given the opportunity to thrive and have the chance to be the best version of yourself? Do you want to work with us in helping to create spaces that are great to work and/or live in? If so, please keep reading as you're just what we're looking for

We have exciting opportunities for an Advice and Support Officer to join our brilliant team whose ambition is to deliver on the promises we make to our customers.

Interested in joining a great organisation with an employee offer and experience that rivals others, then this could be an opportunity you just don't want to miss.

Please take a look at the full job profile via this link JOB PROFILE It's important that you read it in full and check that you meet the essential criteria.

About the role.

You will work as part of a wider advice and support team, directly line managed and supported by a Team Leader.

You will be responsible for the daily management of your own caseload, which will involve assessing and supporting customers who will have a variety of needs and vulnerabilities.

You will offer this guidance and support in our base at Gateshead Civic Centre, over the telephone, in tenant's homes and via co-location at Citizens Advice Gateshead and Job Centre Plus.

Moving forward there may be a requirement to work in local housing offices and other community locations to support locality working.

The role may also encompass Homeworking where required.

The role is crucial to maintaining our high collection levels, sustaining tenancies, and alleviating difficulties Gateshead residents encounter in relation to Welfare Reforms and issues around benefits and income maximisation.

An important element of your role will be to work with our partners at Citizens Advice and Job Centre Plus and other partners in the locality.

You will also support our customers with other issues including welfare benefits advice, appealing sanctions, maximising income, advice around opening bank accounts, affordable credit options, food bank support, budgeting and money advice, energy advice and fuel poverty.

You will be someone who is dedicated to helping our customers, enjoys working within a team environment and is comfortable managing your own caseload.

You will be an active listener with excellent attention to detail, interacts well with customers and key partnering organisations and is solution focussed.

You should have a high level of personal resilience especially when dealing with difficult and often emotional situations, setbacks, unforeseen events, obstacles, and failures and have coping strategies to manage these.

You will be proactive in continually evaluating existing processes and practices to inform continuous service improvement.

This includes a commitment to continual personal learning, keeping up to date with relevant legislation and sharing best practice and knowledge with colleagues to enhance the advice and support offered to our customers.

You should have a good understanding of the welfare benefit system, possess first-rate customer care skills, and have experience in discussing complex issues with customers.

A bit about Gateshead Council
Gateshead Council is responsible for the day-to-day management of almost 19,000 homes.

We are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality of service and we believe that the key to achieving this is to recruit enthusiastic, talented people with the right skills, knowledge, attitude, and behaviour.

We are seeking knowledgeable and resilient applicants to join our team to provide benefit and money advice to Gateshead residents, some of whom are at crisis point.

We're truly committed to providing our customers with the highest quality of service and we need like-minded people who can help us deliver a sector leading service.

We need people who want to make a difference, who are talented, possess the right knowledge and skills and who want the chance to demonstrate how good they are.

What's in it for you? Well, there's so much on offer and here's just a few of the highlights

You'll be paid a competitive salary plus additional allowances where relevant.
We'll help you save for your future with an outstanding employer contribution to your pension of approximately 18.9% per year.
You will have access to a Council vehicle for work use.
You'll get a generous annual leave package of 27 days annual leave for new employees, rising to 31 days after 5 years continuous local government service.
You have the chance to buy up to 10 additional holidays per year.
You'll have access to great health and wellbeing support, including discounted membership to GO Gateshead Leisure Services and ability to use our cycle to work scheme.
We'll give you the chance to take advantage of various off