Advice Services Supervisor Plus – Role Description
Role Overview
The primary responsibility of this role is to oversee the advice service, providing guidance and assistance to advisers and caseworkers in delivering favourable advice outcomes to individuals within the local community. Additionally, the role involves conducting quality assurance procedures, including case evaluations, to uphold the standard of advice provided. You will also provide line management to project staff.
You will work across each of the Citizens Advice East Berkshire offices and other locations as required to meet service demands. This position frequently involves offering support to individuals facing significant mental health challenges and distress. Collaboration with professional and voluntary sector partners is integral to the role, as is working alongside a dedicated and experienced team. A DBS check is required for this role.
Salary: £21,608 pro rata (£33,313 FTE), dependent on experience
Hours: Part time, 24 hours per week
Contract Term: Permanent
Location: Office based in one of our two offices (Bracknell or Maidenhead). Possibility of some remote working
Reporting to: Head of Advice, Citizens Advice East Berkshire
Main Duties and Responsibilities
1 Advice service
1.1 To supervise the advice sessions, supporting the generalist team of advisers and caseworkers.
1.2 To monitor and assess the quality of advice delivered in line with national QAA standards, intervening in a timely manner to provide feedback and support as required.
1.3 To carry out case checking, including monthly QAA checks providing appropriate coaching and feedback, and supervising any remedial follow up action as needed.
1.4 To ensure the advice session is ready to operate during core hours, by opening and closing the office and carrying out any related tasks.
1.5 To maintain a focus on achieving positive outcomes, including financial gains and soft outcomes from welfare benefits, income maximisation, debt management, securing housing, and consequent improvements in health and wellbeing.
1.6 To support management in the promotion and development of the service as required, focusing on quality of advice.
1.7 To support the training team in facilitating the training and development of trainees and established advisers and caseworkers, monitoring and assessing the quality of advice, supporting induction and peer support, providing feedback and other related tasks as required.
2 Line management
2.1 Line management of allocated paid staff (by project / service)
2.2 Manage, motivate and support individual paid staff to meet expected service level objectives and targets and to understand organisational policies, systems and processes.
2.3 Escalate any contractual, partnership or operational issues related to relevant project or service agreement to the Head of Advice and CEO as appropriate.
2.4 Monitor and support paid staff performance through regular 1-1 check-ins and the appraisal process, including identifying and supporting individual learning and development needs, giving constructive feedback when required and ensuring remedial work is completed within quality guidelines and relevant service level agreements.
2.5 With Head of Advice oversight, authorise and manage appropriate leave and expenses.
2.6 With support of the Head of Advice, have oversight of the health and safety of allocated paid staff, including ensuring the appropriate risk assessments are in place and incidents are reported and addressed.
2.7 Using CAEB’s policies as guidance, identify and escalate any HR related issues that may need informal or formal action, while exercising sensitivity and confidentiality.
2.8 Encourage good teamwork and lines of communication between all members of staff.
3 Staff and volunteer management
3.1 Ensure the effective performance management and development of volunteers through regular supervision sessions, the appraisal process and learning and development.
3.2 Participate in the induction and training of new staff and volunteers as delegated.
3.3 Participate in recruitment and selection activities as delegated.
3.4 Identify recruitment and training needs, and liaise with the Training & Session Supervisor to ensure needs are met through targeted recruitment and training.
3.5 Create a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are well-managed, dignity at work is upheld and staff and volunteers can do their best.
4 Professional development
4.1 To participate in learning and development activities to achieve and maintain supervisor competences and promote best practice.
4.2 To keep up to date with relevant legislation, case law, policies and procedures, and undertake skills and subject based training as appropriate.
5 Administration
5.1 To use and maintain case records using case management systems.
5.2 To ensure case records are recorded and maintained in line with QAA requirements and other principles of best practice.
5.3 To manage information to enable required reporting, case studies and outcomes measures.
5.4 To ensure that all work complies with relevant Citizens Advice quality standards, systems and procedures.
6 Networking and partnerships
6.1 To develop links with relevant statutory and non-statutory agencies relevant to the role.
6.2 Grow and maintain partnerships with professional and voluntary sector partners, while acting as an ambassador for Citizens Advice East Berkshire.
6.3 Attend regular team meetings with external partners, present our services, and act upon feedback to improve our services.
6.4 Use influencing skills to promote Citizens Advice and foster good relationships with external stakeholders.
7 Other
7.1 To keep up to date with Citizens Advice aims, policies and procedures and ensure these are followed.
7.2 To ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service's equality and diversity strategy.
7.3 To keep up to date with research and campaigns issues and provide evidence as appropriate.
7.4 To maintain effective admin systems and records relevant to the role.
7.5 To attend regular internal and external meetings relevant to the role.
7.6 To work cooperatively with colleagues and encourage good teamwork, clear lines of communication and common practices within the team.
7.7 To abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for your own health and safety and that of colleagues.
7.8 To identify your own learning and development needs and take steps to address these.
7.9 To carry out any other tasks within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.
Person specification
1. Empathy and motivation to provide good quality advice and casework support to clients.
2. Experience of delivering advice and casework, particularly on the subjects of welfare benefits and debt advice, in person and remotely.
3. Experience of supervising others, preferably in the provision of advice work.
4. Experience of quality assurance work, maintaining quality to set standards and providing coaching and feedback.
5. Commitment to achieving the best outcomes for clients through delivery of high-quality advice and casework.
6. Strong organisational and time management skills, using systems effectively, prioritise appropriately, and enable timely responses to client needs.
7. Able to demonstrate good communication, listening skills and empathy to respond appropriately to challenging behaviour.
8. Able to demonstrate adaptability, to manage different situations calmly and professionally.
9. Ability to work independently, with the confidence to ask for help from the wider team and be proactive in managing challenges.
10. Able to effectively and confidently use IT systems as a core element of day-to-day work, including case management. debt and benefits calculations.
11. Self-awareness to enable giving and receiving feedback; and constructive engagement to achieve development goals.
12. Willingness to carry out role in a main office and other locations to meet service delivery needs.
13. Ability to demonstrate a commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service, including its equality and diversity policies, and research and campaigning role.
14. To provide evidence as appropriate of any research and campaign issues.
15. Ability to contribute to an inventive, responsible and generous organisation and team culture, sharing tasks and supporting organisation goals.
16. Ability to utilise a range of reference resources.
What we give our staff
- 5% employer pension contribution
- Generous holiday entitlement – 25 days plus 8 days Public Holidays
- Free parking at Maidenhead and Bracknell offices
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Employee Perks Programme
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Pay: Up to £21,608.00 per year
Expected hours: 24 per week
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Store discount
Schedule:
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
- No weekends
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Bracknell, RG12 1JG: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- welfare rights, benefits, employment, housing, and debt: 2 years (required)
- Citizens Advice Supervisor: 1 year (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Bracknell, RG12 1JG
Application deadline: 21/06/2025
Reference ID: AS-S-I
