Role profile
Job Title: Advice Services Manager
Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer
Immediate reports: Welfare Benefits Team Lead, Training Lead, Supervision Lead, Debt
Caseworkers, Energy Advisor.
Hours: Full time – 36 hours
Salary: £26,994 – £28,922 dependent on experience
Main Purpose of Job
· To be responsible for the delivery of all aspects of our advice services via telephone, email/web, in person and at outreach venues.
· To line manage team leads, debt caseworkers and the energy adviser and support them in achieving high standards of accessible advice services.
· To oversee the use of our volunteer adviser resources to cover each of our advice channels in the most effective way.
· To liaise with the training lead to ensure we have sufficient, well trained volunteer advice resources to deliver our service.
· To ensure cover for Advice Session Supervisors when needed
· To provide training, guidance and support on client records, telephone channel and quality standards
· To design and implement improvements to our advice processes based on best practice, leading and gaining buy-in from team members as necessary.
· To be overall responsible for the quality of our advice in line with our Quality of Advice framework and IFR’s to drive the organisation towards excellence in quality.
· To be responsible for Debt technical supervision and carry out continuous professional development activities and duties within the organisation.
· In maintaining quality, you will need to inspire and motivate your team and provide focussed individual support where necessary to achieve internal and external quality and KPI standards
· To drive a culture of continuous workforce development where a rigorous but supportive approach is adopted
· You will identify the best quality tools and execute investigations/analysis to improve workforce competency and quality across the organisation, and support our brand reputation
· Monitor and track performance progress of the service and of individuals against targets, achievement of deadlines and support staff as appropriate
· To undertake regular team meetings in line with the organisation’s quality expectations
· To undertake regular formal supervisions and review meetings
· Create a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are well managed, dignity at work is upheld and staff can do their best
· Encourage good teamwork and lines of communication between all staff and volunteers
· Ensure the core contracts are appropriately staffed at all times to achieve the expected standards and targets.
Debt Advice giving
· Interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills in order to allow clients to explain their problem(s) and empower them to set their own priorities.
· Use appropriate resources to find, interpret and communicate the relevant information to clients.
· 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.
· Ensure that all work conforms to the organisation’s office manual and the Advice Quality standard / other funding requirements, as appropriate.
· Ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service’s equality and diversity strategy.
· Maintain detailed case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.
· Take ownership for monitoring own workload e.g. proactively reviewing progress on current cases, outcome of completed cases and quality control.
· Be a DRO approved intermediary.
Research and Campaigns
· To ensure the advice team contribute to the development of social policy in line with our business plan
· To assist with social policy work as required by the organisation
Management duties
· You will be accountable and responsible for delivering the service delivery related objectives and outcomes from the organisation’s Business Plan and service-related KPIs.
· Prepare and issue reports as required for the CEO, funders and partners, attending meetings as required to present findings and recommendations
Learning and professional development
· Keep up to date with legislation relevant to the role, trends, ideas and thinking
· Attend and actively participate in regular support and supervision sessions and appraisals with the Chief Executive Officer
· Identify own learning and development needs and plan to meet them.
Administration
· Ensure that detailed records for the purposes of information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation are maintained and developed
· Produce comprehensive, analytical and developmental oral and written reports on the work of the service as required.
Other Duties and Responsibilities
· Undertake advice work as required, including supporting contracts and projects outside of the generalist service.
· Support with the efficient and effective use of Casebook, gathering, storing and analysing data and contributing to the reporting processes for services, projects and contracts.
· Keep up to date with Citizens Advice aims, policies and procedures and ensure these are followed.
· Ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service's equity, diversity and inclusion strategy.
· Develop and maintain effective admin systems and records relevant to the role.
· Act as key holder and open or close the building when necessary.
· Attend regular internal and external meetings relevant to the role and to services at outreach locations.
· Work cooperatively with colleagues and encourage good teamwork, clear lines of communication and common practices within the team.
· Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own health and safety and that of colleagues; taking particular account of this at outreach and shared locations.
· Identify own learning and development needs and take steps to address these.
· Carry out any other tasks within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.
· Ensure all data protection and GDPR requirements are adhered to in all work for which the post is responsible.
· Demonstrate commitment to the aims and policies of the Citizens Advice service
· Encourage staff to understand the importance of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy, implement the strategy, and act as a role model for EDI, including challenging any inappropriate comments or attitudes.
· Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with your line manager.
· Take personal responsibility for your own actions and for sorting out issues or problems that arise.
· Review and make recommendations for improvements to the service.
· Comply with all Citizens Advice information assurance guidelines.
· Work cooperatively with colleagues and encourage good teamwork, clear lines of communication and common practices within the team.
· As directed by the CEO, carry out other duties within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery of the service