Generalist Adviser Ybs

**Generalist Adviser YBS**

**Job Title**: Citizens Advice Ipswich Generalist Adviser

**Salary Scale**: £22,050 on completion of a successful probation period

**Hours**: Full-time - Monday-Friday 37 hours per week (Part-time considered)

**Responsible to**: Core Team Manager

**Key Work Area**:

- Provide the most appropriate advice, help, and support to clients, including, arranging specialist appointments where appropriate.
- To deliver Advice and Support in the local Yorkshire Building Society (1 day per week).
- To work within the aims, principles, and policies of the Citizens Advice service.

**Key Responsibilities**
- **Administration**_
- To promote Citizens Advice Ipswich as an independent charity.
- Record applicant details.
- To assess clients’ needs, capability, and complexity of their issues through effective interview skills.
- Research and deliver appropriate advice using Citizens Advice referencing systems.
- Make referrals/appointments to appropriate specialists.
- Follow up on client progress.
- Record outcomes.
- Use IT for statistical recording, record keeping, and document production.
- Ensure that all work conforms to Citizens Advice systems and procedures.

**Research and Campaigns**
- Contribute to local and national research and campaign work by providing case studies of circumstances where a social policy issue is in evidence.
- **Professional development**_
- Read relevant publications.
- Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the line manager.
- Attend relevant internal and external training sessions including being.
- Responsible for own personal development using CA or other learning platforms.
- Assist with service initiatives for the improvement of services.
- **Other duties and responsibilities**_
- Work with the Management Team where appropriate.
- Health & Safety: The post holder must take all due care in respect of Health and Safety at work and ensure compliance at all times with the relevant policies and procedures.
- Equal Opportunities: To carry out the responsibilities of the post, taking due regard to Citizens Advice Dignity at Work and any other associated policies and procedures.
- Risk Management: To be aware of risk management and to notify Line Manager of any new, emerging, or potential risks.
- Data Quality: To ensure that all necessary data is provided in a timely manner and is fit for purpose and meets Information Assurances Standards.
- Other: 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 principles of the Citizens Advice Service.

**Person Specification**

**Essential Criteria**
- **Qualifications**_
- Numerate to an intermediate level.
- Excellent verbal and written skills.
- IT literate to an intermediate level.
- **Skills/Competencies**_
- Effective oral communication skills with particular emphasis on negotiating and representing.
- Effective writing skills with particular emphasis on negotiating, representing, and preparing reviews, reports, and correspondence.
- Can effectively use the organisational IT systems, client referencing system, and Microsoft packages to record and report.
- Understand the issues involved in interviewing clients including potential barriers to the client accessing their rights.
- Demonstrate understanding of social trends and their implications for clients and service provision.
- Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of the CA service and its equality and diversity policies.
- Understanding of Universal Credit and welfare benefits or a willingness to undergo training in this area.
- **Experience Required**_
- Knowledge and experience in delivering advice.
- Experience working in a customer-facing role.
- **Personal Attributes**_
- Ordered approach to casework and an ability and willingness to follow and develop agreed procedures.
- Ability to analyze and interpret complex information.
- Ability to prioritise own work, meet deadlines, and manage own caseload
- Ability to use IT in the provision of advice and the preparation of reports and submissions.
- **Personal Qualities**_
- Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively.
- Ability and willingness to work as part of a team.
- Ability to monitor and maintain own standards.

**Desirable Criteria**
- **Qualifications**_
- Has completed generalist adviser training to the level required by Citizens Advice.
- **Skills/Competencies**_
- Effective interview skills to fully understand the complexity of client issues, their capacity to act, and their needs to resolve their own problems.
- **Knowledge**_
- General knowledge of services and provisions available within Ipswich and its Districts.
- Understanding the issues affecting society including social trends and their implications.
- **Experience**_
- Experience working with volunteers.

**Job