Want to work in a fast-paced environment with opportunities to learn benefits advice skills? Are you a proactive person interested in making a real difference to disabled people?
Richmond AID have 3 main advice teams: Information Navigation, Benefits Advice and Money Advice. We also administer a number of grants on behalf of local grant giving charities and the local authority. Our teams are busier than ever and this role will play a vital part in supporting the team with advice and administration tasks including; taking client enquiries from the phone, website and email and uploading them to our database, scanning and photocopying.
You will spend your time working directly with clients with a range of physical, sensory and mental health impairments to help them to secure disability benefits. You will support them to challenge bad decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions and help prepare cases for Tribunal.
You will receive training in the benefits system as well as other relevant topics such as various mental health conditions, managing challenging behaviour, professional boundaries, and case management. You will be supported by a friendly team of experienced advisers who will have the opportunity to shadow and you will also have access to a range of external training and development opportunities.
You will need to have clear written and oral communication skills as you will need to make phone calls and write emails and letters to clients as well as providing progress updates to clients and the team.
- Position: Benefits Advisor (trainee)
- Location: From our office in Teddington, Richmond Upon Thames, London
- Salary: pro rata of £23,500-£26,500 depending on experience, incl OLW
- Hours: Full time, 36 hours per week – possibility for part time or job share for suitable applicants
- Contract: to 31st March 2024 with potential for extension
- Annual Leave: 25 days leave plus bank holidays
- Closing Date: 11am on Thursday 5th January 2023
About you
To be successful in this role you will have solid administration and organisational skills, and a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail. You will have strong communication skills across all levels and will be a real team player with a genuine interest in supporting disabled people.
An interest in developing advice skills in essential and experience or a background in advice and information will be an advantage.
You will have excellent communication and IT skills, administrative skills and be fully competent on Microsoft applications. You will have the ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
The ideal candidate will be passionate about social justice and the empowerment of disabled people and excited to learn valuable skills on the job.
To apply
To apply for this role, please send your CV and a covering letter of up to 2 sides of A4 stating how you meet the Essential and Desirable criteria in Experience and Knowledge section of the Job description. Please apply via the Charities Job website via the following link
https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/richmond-aid/benefits-advisor-trainee-/875725?tsId=6
Please click here for the Job Description and Person Specification
Benefits Advisor (trainee) JDPS
Disabled Candidates
The charity is an equal opportunities employer and particularly welcome applications from disabled candidates and has been awarded the Disability Confident Employer quality mark, meaning any disabled candidates that meet the minimum criteria will be invited for interview. Please advise if have a disability or long-term health condition that you would like considering when you apply.
Other roles you may have experience of could include: Advisor, administrator, admin, officer, legal advice, social worker, generalist advisor, specialist advisor, welfare rights advisor.