Advisor - Financial Support (Welfare Benefits)

Location Merseyside
Discipline: Customer Relationship
Job type: Permanent
Salary: £31,143 - 37,619
Contact email: hrsupportteam@livvhousinggroup.com
Job ref: 002384
Published: 6 months ago
Expiry date: 17 Oct 2024 00:59

Department: Communities

Reports To: Team Leader -  Financial Support

Directly Responsible For: N/A

Hours: 37

 

Overall team / department

The purpose of the department is to build strong customer relationships, sustain tenancies, maximising income, and ensuring the creation and management of safe and sustainable neighbourhoods. The team comprises of:

The Housing Team is responsible for building strong relationships with their customers to enable them to sustain their tenancy. They maintain contact with the customer throughout their tenancy, identifying where customers need additional support to maintain their tenancies in line with our requirements.

The Community Safety Team provides a responsive and proactive service to customers to tackle all forms of anti-social behaviour (ASB), and domestic abuse The team also offers signposting to support services for mental health and wellbeing for a defined period. These teams work closely with the Advisors - Housing on a case management basis to enable them to sustain their tenancy and remain safe in their home and their community.

The Income Team, which is responsible for effective arrears management and a financial wellbeing service for customers. The team proactively manages all housing debt types, implementing payment agreements when appropriate and pursuing debt recovery to maximise income for the business.

Key role priorities

*        Deliver interventions and specialist support to customers through a partnership approach, to promote financial wellbeing and maximise income for customers and the Business.

Key working relationships

*        Advisor – Financial Support is required to work closely with all colleagues across the Group as appropriate to deliver a customer-focused service.

*        Advisor - Financial Support will liaise with customers directly, visiting customers’ homes.

*        Advisor – Financial Support will work with external partners and key stakeholders to achieve the service's objectives.

Main duties & responsibilities

*        Deliver a person-centred advocacy model for financial wellbeing and signpost to specialist support.

*        Provide money management/budgeting skills and identify available financial support, either through benefits eligibility available or signposting to other specialist agencies that could support the customer.

*        Complete affordability assessments for customers as and when required.

*        Provide an advisory service to customers, working in partnership to bring the best resolution for the customer.

*        Provide accurate and timely information to the Team Leader – Financial Support for any purpose such as meetings, committee papers and performance reporting.

*        Manage day-to day relationships with key partners.

*        Ensure systems are updated with accurate and up to date information so that other teams are aware of the status of case situations.

*        Gather and assess relevant paperwork to ensure cases are progressed to legal action where appropriate.

*        Identify opportunities to improve the processes and share these with the Team Leader - Financial Support.

*        Identify gaps in service provision to support with the development of community investment projects.

*        Identify opportunities for customer engagement and work with customer engagement team to deliver the required outcomes.

*        Complete any other tasks commensurate with the level and nature of the post as delegated by the role’s line manager.

Key measures of success

*        Process compliance.

*        Income targets.

*        Tenancies sustained.

*        Customer Satisfaction target achieved.

Livving our values

Livv’s a place with opportunities to grow. We believe in empowering you to make a positive impact in your own unique way. Our values embody what matters to us and show what it means to be Livv, together:

Making a difference daily

We invest in our people, our customers and in the creation of a fairer society.

Positively open

We’re always open to feedback as we strive to deliver a first-class customer experience.

Forging the right way

We’re creating an inspiring road which others will want to follow.

Together as one

Our teams work on another level of cohesiveness to enable us to deliver better outcomes.

Each one of us

- listens to our customers and makes their needs a priority

- is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusivity

- takes a flexible approach and works where we are needed

- follows health and safety guidelines to keep ourselves, colleagues, and customers safe

- helps reduce risks by proactively communicating any potential issues to our line managers

- protects sensitive information by safeguarding customer, colleague, and third-party data

- is guided by our policies, procedures, and social aims

- is dedicated to continual learning and taking ownership of our personal and professional development.

 

Person Specification

E - Essential criteria / D - Desirable criteria

Education & Qualifications

3 GCSEs (Level 4 or above) or equivalent relevant customer service experience (E)

Experience

Customer facing experience in a service-related organisation (E)

Social housing specific experience (D) Relevant prior experience specific to the provision of financial support (E)

Experience in another enforcement and/or benefits type role (E)

Working knowledge of support/systems/platforms used/signposted within financial support

Working with 3rd party agencies (E)

Skills, knowledge & ability

Comprehensive understanding of issues relating to financial difficulties and/or Welfare benefits (E)

Housing Management legislation (D)

IT Skills, including Microsoft Office applications (E)

Strong communication, interpersonal and teamwork skills (E)

Ability to adapt to different situations and handle difficult customers and those in distress (E)

Ability to advocate for the customer in a professional manner (E)

Ability to communicate about complex and/or sensitive issues with a wide range of customers in a clear and concise manner (E)

Personal characteristics

Highly customer focused (E)

Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines (E)

Confident and resilient (E)

Ability to work on own initiative and as a multi-disciplinary team member (E)

Other

Flexible in approach to hours and locations worked (E)

Must be able to travel independently (E)

 

 

Give Get Go

As part of our commitment to the Give Get Go Programme, we will ensure that applicants who meet all essential criteria, as defined in the person specification, will be guaranteed the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at interview. Individual’s names will be confirmed with the Give Get Go Programme.

Should you wish your application to be considered under this scheme, please email us confirming this, along with your full name and the role you have applied for when you submit your application. Please ensure that you do this before the closing date for the vacancy.

Equality and Inclusion

Please visit here  to read more about Livv inclusive and our approach to equality and inclusion.

Disability Confident

The Equality Act protects disabled people from discrimination, and we welcome applications from disabled people. The Equality Act defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and adverse long-term effect, usually at least 12 months, on their ability to carry out day to day activities.

We will try to provide access, equipment, or other practical support to ensure that disabled applicants are not disadvantaged by their disabilities.

Data Protection

We fully recognise your rights under current Data Protection Laws and are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. We collect and process personal data relating to applicants to manage the recruitment process effectively, including for statistical purposes.

For full details please see our Job Applicant Privacy Policy

If you require any additional support when completing your application, please contact us