Advice Services Managers

We are looking for an Advice Service Manager to join our passionate and hardworking team. The successful candidate must have an in depth understanding of refugee and asylum seeker support needs. Key elements of the role include:

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Management Team:

• As part of the Management Team to oversee the function of the organisation and its strategic development, especially in relation to SRS’s advice service

Service Development

• Be responsible for developing the advice service according to organisational needs and strategy

 Team Management:

• To line manage and develop a team of Advice Workers and Reception/Admin Officer, to ensure they are suitably trained and supported to deliver a high-quality advice service across the county
• To line manage the Employment and Training Coordinator to ensure the employment and training team delivers an effective and cohesive service, which complements the work of the advice team

 Management of Advice Service and Direct Service Provision:

• To ensure that the advice service promotes equality of access to all asylum seekers and refugees (clients) seeking advice and that they feel welcome and effectively supported
• To manage the advice team across the following areas:

1. To assess clients’ needs and propose actions to address these needs (e.g. writing letters or emails and/or making telephone calls) in a professional manner
2. To ensure that clients have access to advice about all aspects of living in the UK and to ensure they understand their rights and responsibilities under UK law
3. To work to achieve agreed outcomes which will bring about positive changes in our clients’ lives
4. To promote independence on the part of the clients and actively empower them to help themselves according to their individual abilities
5. To direct clients to other services provided by Suffolk Refugee Support and / or external agencies (making appointments where appropriate)
6. To respond to telephone requests for information from clients, statutory, voluntary, and private sector organisations and the general public

The Advice Service Manager will:

• Guide the advice service team on complex casework, where needed
• Building on the advice team’s expertise, and with the support of the HR and Training Officer, ensure that their team is up to date on the latest legislation and procedures that impact the asylum seekers and refugees we work with
• Be responsible for decision making and for ensuring that direct funding and grants to clients are in line with policy

Newly arrived asylum seeker support

• To keep abreast of numbers of new arrivals of asylum seekers into Suffolk
• To facilitate clothing donations to those in most need, ensuring that stocks are maintained
• To ensure that clients in asylum accommodation across Suffolk can access our services
• To develop and oversee positive activities for asylum seekers, such as sports and music groups (in liaison with SRS's Operations Manager)

Immigration support lead

• To develop good relationships with immigration legal services and solicitors to ensure that clients can access the information they require and that clients understand the processes they are going through

 Vulnerable Client & Safeguarding Lead

• To be the support lead for very vulnerable clients or where there are cases with safeguarding concerns

Client representation

• To promote the views and experiences of SRS’s clients at external meetings and advisory boards, by participation in face to face and virtual meetings and in giving occasional presentations, using on-the-ground knowledge

Partnership working

• To develop and maintain good working relationships with external service providers and agencies, and to oversee joint working and services development

Monitoring, Evaluation and Donor Reporting

• To ensure services given and outcomes achieved are recorded on internal monitoring systems and that data protection regulations are adhered to
• To provide monthly summary reports for the Charity Manager and board of trustees
• To compile reports in reference to our funders’ outcomes and targets
• To help with the development & administration of written information produced by SRS for our clients’ benefit
• To contribute to development of new services and funding applications