Adviser

We are looking to recruit a highly motivated individual as an Adviser (trainee roles will be considered) within our Generalist and Help to Claim Teams. Ensuring that the work conforms to the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) and Quality of Advice Assessment in Wales.

Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent (CACBG) is an established and well regarded local independent charity who provides free, impartial and confidential advice. We undertake Research & Campaign work to influence policy makers and to effect change.

If you are well organised, good with people, can prioritise your time and workload effectively and have a drive to learn, send us your CV and a cover letter to tell us why you want to become one of our advisers.

**Key responsibilities and duties**:
**Advice and Casework**
- Interview and advise clients by telephone, webchat and at Citizens Advice offices and community venues covering Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent. This post will be based at Bargoed but some delivery will be out of the office i.e. home visiting and/or community venues. Delivery may be required out of hours including the possibility of some evening or Saturday work. Some services are provided solely by telephone and webchat between 8:00am and 6:00pm (staff will be rota’d between these hours)
- Provide advice on a wide range of issues. There is particular emphasis in advice with welfare benefits, debt, employment, discrimination, housing, energy and financial capability.
- To work across multiple generalist advice projects across the Local Citizens Advice.
- Refer internally or to other specialist agencies where appropriate.
- Ensure that all work conforms to the CACBG Office Manual and relevant quality standards.
- Maintain detailed and accurate case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation. Ensuring all case records are updated in a timely manner.
- To provide clients with a wide range of assistance as required, including but not limited to:

- assisting with form filling;
- performing benefit calculations;
- providing information, advice & guidance;
- negotiating with third parties;
- act for the client where necessary by calculating, negotiating, drafting or writing letters and telephoning;
- To work with other CACBG staff to ensure the smooth running of the service.
Ensure good collaborative working with external organisations and partners.
Carry out any other tasks within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the services.

**Research and Campaigns (R & C) Monitoring**
- Assist with R&C work by providing information about clients' circumstances, through the completion of Evidence Forms (EFs).
- Provide statistical information on the number of clients and nature of cases and provide regular reports to line management as required.
- Alert other staff to local and national issues.

**Professional Development**
- Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures, and undertake appropriate training.
- Attend appropriate internal and external meetings as required.
- Read appropriate publications.
- Prepare for and attend regular supervision sessions.
- Be prepared to complete the Citizens Advice Generalist certificate in Generalist Advice Work or equivalent.

**External Relationships**
- Participate in community/service user consultation as part of service development. Maintain appropriate relationships with service users, community and partner representatives, attending liaison and meetings as required.

**Administration**
- Maintain local information systems.
- Use IT for statistical recording, record keeping and document production.
- Keep up to date with policies and procedures relevant to the post and undertake appropriate training.
- Ensure that all work conforms to CACBG’s standards and requirements.
- Maintain a library of reference material and case law.

**Other Duties and Responsibilities**
- Undertake any other duties in keeping with the general nature of the post.
- Promote the aims, principles and values of the service and abide by CACBG’s equal opportunity policies.
- Undertake travel within the area covered by CACBG, as required, in order to be able to fulfil the duties of the post.
- Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for your own safety and that of colleagues.

**Person Specification**

**Skills and Experience**
- Ability to research, analyse and interpret complex information.
- An understanding of the challenges faced by those with multiple issues including mental health.
- Understanding of the issues involved in interviewing clients away from the main Citizens Advice premises and an ability and willingness to do so.
- Ability to communicate with clients appropriately and effectively, identifying and supporting vulnerable clients.
- Ability and willingness to take on responsibility.
- Ability to adapt and work over multiple advice projects across differ