Money Advisor

Money Advisor

Salary: Band: 7 - £29,777 - £33,945 p.a.

Full Time, Permanent

Location - Havant & Portsmouth

Portsmouth City Council is the largest social landlord in the area with responsibility for managing over 17,000 council owned and leasehold properties.

We support our customers to solve their problems and meet their responsibilities, which includes paying their rent. Despite a busy period of recent welfare reforms, the pandemic and the current increase in the cost of living, our Money Advisors have continued to support our tenants to maximise their income, prioritise outgoings and resolve debt.

If you believe you can make a valuable, positive contribution to our team then please read below for more about the role. Please take the time to read 'how to apply' carefully to ensure that you demonstrate why you are suitable against each of the points of 'who is the person' so that yourapplication is not disregarded. Do not just send us a C.V.

What's in it for me?

You will be on a starting salary of £29,777 - £33,945 depending on your experience.

You will be entitled to 26 days holiday per year (plus bank holidays). The Council also offers a generous pension scheme and other staff benefits including free eye tests and discounts at local venues.

We value our employees and want them to reach their full potential. Although there is an induction period, you will be expected to learn on the job with the full support of the management team and your peers. Additional training from external agencies will be provided and will include membership to the Institute of Money Advisers. You will also have the opportunity to train to become a DRO Approved Intermediary.

What is the job?

The role includes keeping up-to-date with welfare reforms as they happen and sharing this with your colleagues. On a daily basis the Money Advisers support Housing Officers to maximise tenant's income, reduce debt, and sustain their tenancies.

This is not a traditional Money Advisor role. Working within our Housing Offices you will not necessarily have responsibility for case holding or lead on money advice to tenants. Instead, you will work as part of an area office team sharing your expertise in welfare benefits, debts and budgeting, developing the skills of others to deliver appropriate budgeting advice and assistance with maximising income.

You will support and develop Housing Officers to assist them to deal with the common financial issues that our tenants face - equipping them with the skills they need to offer the right support and advice in relation to finances and debts in a sympathetic and non-judgmental manner. You will aim to ensure that tenants have all the information they need to make informed choices that allow them to cope financially, and develop their skills and confidence to manage their financial affairs independently into the future.

Please click HERE to see the full job profile which includes more details of what the role entails!

Who is the person?

Remember to demonstrate why you are suitable against each of the points below through descriptive examples from work/personal experience which clearly illustrate what you did and where appropriate the outcome achieved.

You need to:

1. Demonstrate a good working knowledge of welfare benefits preferably with experience of supporting and advocating for customers.
2. Have experience of supporting customers with budgeting advice and advising on priority and non-priority debts, you may hold a relevant qualification, though applications are also welcomed from those without formal qualifications.
3. Be approachable, supportive and non-judgemental, and able to foster positive working relationships with customers, colleagues and other professionals.
4. Be able to listen well and use effective questioning skills to drill down into the root causes of customers' problems.
5. Be competent at understanding complex information and relaying to customers in clear and simple terms to ensure the best outcome for the customer.
6. Have strong written and verbal communication skills to enable effective negotiation with creditors or other professionals where appropriate.
7. Have experience of developing others in performing effectively in their role, with the confidence to reflect with them on the quality of their interactions.
8. Be self-motivated with the ability to work without support and with a willingness to keep your knowledge up to date through your own research.
9. Have an understanding of the wider social issues that effect our tenants.
10. Be competent with using Microsoft software including: Excel, Word and Outlook and be able to use IT systems to keep clear, accurate, concise and methodical records.
11. Be flexible as you may be required to work from any of the 7 area Housing Offices to cover periods of sickness and annual leave. You may be required to carry out visits outside of normal working hours.
12. Ideally have a current driving licence and daily use of a vehicle; however this is not essential to the role.

How to apply?

• DON'T JUST SEND IN A CV
• Please write to tell us how you meet the criteria for the role, and attach this as a cover letter in the 'Supporting Documents' section
• You will need to demonstrate transferable skills from your current or previous employment against each of the points described in 'Who is the person?'
• Applicants will be shortlisted based on their ability to use good examples illustrating what they've done, why they've done it and how they went about it?

Please click HEREfor the full job profile!

If you have any questions, or would like an informal discussion about the role, please call Kelvyn Walters on 02392 606410 or Sarah Robinson on 023 9268 8859.

This is an ongoing advert with no set closing date. Applicants will be contacted as and when shortlisting takes place.

We are a disability confident employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible and welcome applications from all areas of society.

We really appreciate our employees and fully realise they are essential to our success and look to offer an inclusive, supportive working environment where employees can reach their potentials with a healthy work life balance, offering the following rewards:

• A generous pension scheme
• Up to 31 days annual leave per year pro rata + bank holidays
• Flexible / hybrid working where appropriate
• A range of retail discounts via our reward portal offering discounts at retailers including IKEA, Currys, Tesco
• Free Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and wellbeing support
• Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities including apprenticeships
• Potential to purchase additional annual leave
• Business travel support and initiatives, including bike loans

Please click HERE to see all of the benefits of working with us! Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk