Location: Lewes base with travel across Sussex.
Salary: £27,942 per annum plus £1,000 essential car user allowance
Hours: 37 per week
What you’ll be doing:
Are you passionate about financial inclusion and mental health? Join our team as a Financial Inclusion Specialist and help people build financial stability and confidence as they move forward in their recovery journey.
Part of Southdown’s wider mental health services in East Sussex, you’ll provide one-to-one support to clients experiencing mental health challenges, helping them navigate the benefits system, manage their money, and access the right support at the right time. You’ll be a go-to expert on welfare benefits such as PIP, ESA, Jobseeker’s Allowance, and Universal Credit, and work with clients to explore budgeting, maximise income, and reduce financial stress.
This is a varied, client-facing role where no two days are the same. You'll assess new clients, support people in crisis, run money management workshops, and work closely with other services. You'll also help improve the service by sharing ideas and client feedback.
We welcome applications from candidates with previous experience such as Welfare Rights Adviser, Benefits Adviser, Money and Debt Adviser, Financial Inclusion Officer, Support Worker, Housing Officer, or Mental Health Practitioner. Or you may be looking for a new challenge and believe you have the transferable skills to support people facing financial and mental health challenges. If you’re passionate about helping others build stability and confidence, we’d love to hear from you.
Perks and benefits:
Health cost cash-back scheme: access to our health insurance scheme which covers dental, optical, physical therapies and other medical treatments with the option to add greater levels of cover.
Interest-free loans: assistance with larger costs that arise such as tenancy deposits, season travel tickets or buying a car.
Access to the Easit Network: discounts and incentives on train, bus and car journeys such as 15% off eligible daily and season rail tickets.
Blue Light card: access to discount services for the social care sector with savings across thousands of online shops, restaurants, and high-street vendors.
Free advice and counselling service: confidential emotional support and practical guidance from our independent telephone service.
25 days paid holiday plus bank holidays
Knowledge, Skills and Experience -What you’ll need for the role:
Experience supporting people with mental health needs, including those in crisis or facing complex challenges
Strong working knowledge of UK benefits and welfare entitlements
Experience giving budgeting advice, completing benefit calculations, and challenging decisions
Confidence managing risk and co-creating safety plans
Strong communication and partnership skills
A standard DBS check (paid for by Southdown)
A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle
What would be nice:
Familiarity with the principles of co-production and personalised care
Experience facilitating financial capability workshops or training sessions
Knowledge of employment and education pathways to help clients move forward
Training:
Our award-winning in-house training team will help you to gain valuable qualifications, continually develop your skills and build a great career with the largest provider of housing, care and support in Sussex.
How to apply:
Please click on the ‘Apply Now’ button and fill out our simple one-page application form.
The application closing date is 27 August 2025. Interviews will be held on 3 September 2025.
Please note, if we receive a large number of applications then this position may close before the advertised application closing date. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.
About Southdown
Contact information:
Our online careers page has a list of helpful FAQs that you can view here. If you have any further questions, please get in touch with recruitment via email at jobs@southdown.org
We are a Disability Confident Employer and are fully committed to supporting Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and welcome applications from all candidates that meet our job specifications. If you feel there is a barrier that potentially prevents you from applying, do get in contact with us, as we are always happy to discuss (or arrange a discussion with the recruiting manager) to explore if any reasonable adjustments can be made to support your application.
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