Generalist Adviser - Hailsham Foodbank

Wealden Citizens Advice is looking to recruit a dedicated and enthusiastic individual to provide advice and support to clients of Hailsham Foodbank within the Foodbank premises.

We are looking for an experienced Generalist Adviser who can provide full advice to Hailsham foodbank clients.

Role Description

Ability to interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills to identify the root causes of issues and empower clients, whilst maintaining structure and control of meetings.

Use the Citizens Advice AdviserNet website to find, interpret and communicate the relevant information.

Ability to manage clients independently with remote support form supervisor when needed.

Be competent in the use of Turn2Us to calculate benefit entitlement for the client.

Research and explore options and implications so that clients can make informed decisions.

Act on behalf of the client where appropriate, for example by negotiating, drafting correspondence, or making telephone calls.

Negotiate with third parties such as statutory and non-statutory bodies as appropriate.

Refer internally or to other specialist agencies as appropriate.

Maintain detailed case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.

Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service within Hailsham Foodbank.

Ensure that all work conforms to Citizens Advice Quality Standards and other funding requirements as appropriate.

Ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service's equality and diversity policy

Person Specification

Previous experience with Citizens Advice and highly competent in the use of Casebook and Turn2Us as well as the ability to use IT systems and packages.

Effective written and oral communication skills with particular emphasis on negotiating. Ability to research, analyse and interpret complex information and produce and present clear findings.

Ability to understand statistics and check accuracy of calculations. Provide case studies of work conducted with clients and contribute to the collection of statistical data 

Demonstrate commitment to the aims and principles of WCA and adhere to WCA policies.

Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.

Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively.

Understanding of the issues affecting society and their implications for clients and service provision.

A commitment to continuous professional development, including a willingness to develop knowledge and skills in advice topics.