Pennine West

Citizens Advice

Vacancy Information Pack

Advice Service Supervisor

Application Return Date:- 9.00am Wednesday 18th April 2018

Introduction

Dear Candidate

Thank you for your interest in applying for our vacancy at Pennine West Citizens Advice.

The enclosed information refers to the available role as an Advice Service Supervisor and will provide more details about the role, our processes and our organisation and I hope gives you a sense of the high quality organisation that we are, with a ‘can do’ attitude, along with the enthusiasm we feel about welcoming the right person into our team.

Our main office is located in central Oldham, with other offices based in Rochdale and at Waterside Plaza in Sale. We deliver advice services from all three locations as well as a number of outreach venues across all 3 Boroughs. The role, although based in Rochdale, may occasionally require some travel to all our offices.

Joining the service will be your opportunity to be part of a National organization that focuses on meeting local needs and you’ll be at the forefront of helping us to achieve our aim – to help as many people as we can – whoever they are, whatever their problem.

The successful applicant would be part of a highly motivated communications team and, where possible, be able to take part in our flexible working scheme for employees.

We are sure that you will find working with the Citizens Advice service rewarding, exciting and challenging and look forward to receiving your application.

Thank you for your interest.

Yours sincerely

Linda Browne

Generalist Advice Services Manager

Registered office: Pennine West Citizens Advice, 1 & 2 Ascroft Court, Peter Street, Oldham, OL1 1HP

Charity registration number 519868, Company Limited by guarantee, Registered number 2165003 England

About us

Citizens Advice Pennine West is a small non-profit charity which relies on funding to make a difference to the lives of individuals, families and communities across the Oldham, Rochdale and Trafford Boroughs

We help more than 35,000 people a year fight for their rights and get back on their feet.

We also tackle the root causes of social problems by campaigning for new laws, policies and solutions.

Advice giving

We provide an initial check of our clients’ needs via Adviceline, email or at one of our face to face drop in services. We guide and support people so that they may be empowered and confident in helping themselves. To do this we use vast and regularly updated online information systems and in office resources, our knowledge of local services and the shared experience of advisers and supervisors. Where needed we will refer clients on to our Generalist Advisers or Specialist Caseworkers for an appointment.

We also fight for changes in law and policies to improve the lives of local people long term. We work closely and, increasingly in partnership, to protect and improve good practice by influencing government agencies and local authorities to help people in need.

Our aims

We aim to provide the advice people need for the problems they face and improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives.

Our principles

We provide free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. We value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination.

Established in 1939 as an emergency war service, the Citizens Advice service has developed into the UK's largest independent advice provider.

Guidance Notes for applicants

Application form

Please complete your application and return it by post or email (as a Word document) no later than the closing date referred to in the advert.

By post please send to: General Advice Services Manager, Pennine West Citizens Advice, 1&2 Ascoft Court, Peter Street, Oldham OL1 1HP

By email:

CVs will not be accepted as a substitute for the application form.

The application form plays a key part in our recruitment and selection process. We use the information you provide about your skills, experience, career and education history to decide whether or not to invite you for an interview. It is important that you complete the application form as fully and accurately as possible, ensuring that you give specific examples that demonstrate how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role for which you are applying.

Disability

Please let us know if you require any adjustments to be made to the application process or would like to provide any information you wish us to take into account when we are considering your application. If you are selected for interview, we will ask you to let us know if you have any access needs or may require reasonable adjustments to the interview or assessment (if applicable) at that stage. Please be assured that we will be supportive in discussing reasonable adjustments with you at any stage of the recruitment and selection process.

Entitlement to work in the UK

A job offer will be subject to confirmation that you are permitted to work in the UK in accordance with the provisions of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996. You will be asked to provide evidence of your entitlement to work in the UK if you are successful and an offer of employment is made.

Please note that Pennine West Citizens Advice does not hold a sponsor licence and, therefore, cannot issue certificates of sponsorship under the points-based system.

Diversity Monitoring

Our service values diversity and promotes equality. We encourage and welcome applications from suitably skilled candidates from all backgrounds. Monitoring recruitment and selection procedures is one way of helping us to ensure that there is no unfair discrimination in the way that we recruit people. To do this we need to know about the diversity profile of people who apply for posts at Pennine WestCitizens Advice.This information is given in confidence for monitoring purposes only and is not seen by anyone responsible for making recruitment decisions. However, if you would prefer not to answer any of the questions we ask, please leave them blank.

Information, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities

This is a key section of the application form which allows you to provide evidence of your experience, knowledge, skills and abilities that are relevant to the role as described in the role profile. Selection is based on an assessment of the evidence you provide against the requirements of the role as set out in the person specification. It is important that you tailor your response to clearly demonstrate how you meet each requirement. No assumptions will be made about your achievements and abilities.

Please provide one example for each requirement. You should choose examples of past experience that clearly demonstrate what we are looking for, and be precise about what you did, how you did it and the outcome or result of your actions. Please try to limit your response to each criterion to a maximum of 200 words.

A useful guide is S.T.A.R:

Specific – give a specific example

Task – briefly describe the task/objective/problem

Action – tell us what you did

Results – describe what results were achieved

Please provide recent work examples wherever possible. However, do remember that relevant examples from other aspects of your life, for example: voluntary or unpaid work, school or college work, family or home responsibilities, can also be given.

Shortlisting outcomes

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview. Some positions may require additional assessments (practical task/test or assessment centre). If this is the case, further details will be provided if you are shortlisted.

Please be aware that we often receive a large response to our job vacancies. Unfortunately, we cannot reply to those who are not shortlisted for interview. If you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, you should assume that your application has been unsuccessful.

References

All job offers are subject to the receipt of two satisfactory references: One should be from your current or most recent employer or line manager (if you are employed through an agency), or your course tutor if you have just left full time education. The other should be someone who knows you in a work related, voluntary or academic capacity. Both referees should be able to comment on your suitability for the role.References will only be taken up for successful candidates following interview.

Criminal convictions

Anyone who applies to work within Pennine West Citizens Advice will be asked to disclose details of unspent convictions during the recruitment process.

Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working for our service – much will depend on the type of job you have applied for and the background and circumstances of your offence. However, we are not able to employ anyone with a conviction for a sexual offence against a child or vulnerable adult, regardless of when the offence took place. All other convictions will be considered on an individual basis.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosures are only requested where proportionate and relevant to the post concerned. As the post will not specifically be working with vulnerable clients a DBS disclosure is not applicable to this post.

We look forward to receiving your application

We wish you every success in your application, and thank you for taking the time to consider joining us.

Pennine West Citizens Advice

Job Description

Date: January 2018

Job title: / Advice Service Supervisor
Salary: / £20,015-£21,952 (dependant on skill & experience)
Location: / Rochdale
Reporting to: / Communications Centre Manager
Hours of work: / 35 hours per week
Context: / Pennine West Citizens Advice Communication Centre is based in Rochdale, but is a part of the Greater Manchester group of Advice Line. The centre is staffed by a team of volunteers and paid staff.
Role purpose: /
To develop Pennine West Adviceline service as the main service access point, this essentially includes:
  • To develop the telephone advice service and promote the use of Adviceline, ensuring that clients can access advice by phone five days a week from 9.00am – 5.00pm, possibly flexing to out of hours in the future should demand evidence a need for this.
  • To supervise and manage a team of volunteer and paid assessors ensuring that targets are met and that clients receive a quality service
  • To ensure the service is adequately staffed for each session
  • To help support and develop a team of volunteer assessors and advisers who can provide assessments and some generalist advice by telephone
  • To develop telephone referral mechanisms internally within Pennine West and the GM group and with other local partners to ensure that clients are able to access the follow up advice they need.

Key Responsibilities / Key elements/tasks
1. Contract compliance /
  • Fully understand the requirements of an enquiry handling service and the associated performance targets.

2. Recruitment, Induction, training & development of volunteers /
  • Support the recruitment, induction, and training of volunteers
  • Contribute to the development of volunteers and staff
  • Conduct coaching sessions with volunteers, listening to calls and providing feedback.
  • Identify and provide feedback to the manager on any team or individual learning and development needs.
  • Monitor individual targets for volunteers and focus learning on achieving these.

3. Support and Supervision /
  • Provide daily support to volunteers in dealing with enquiries, and calls.
  • Act as technical (assessment/advice) consultant to enquiry handlers on how to respond to enquiries/requests for advice, what is within the scope of a triage enquiry and how to deal with anything outside of scope.
  • Provide support on the technical operation of systems utilised in the operation of the communication’s centre services.
  • Deal with escalation calls from volunteers i.e. requests to speak to supervisor, first stage complaints
  • Prioritise and assign tasks to members of the team.
  • Arrange and chair regular team meetings.
  • Maintain an environment where staff/volunteers are committed to high standards of customer service and seek to enhance this.
  • Assist in the provision of overall leadership and direction for the communications centre team.

4. Performance targets and quality standards /
  • Monitor the individual call rates of volunteers and provide adequate support and motivation to ensure role expectations and targets are achieved.
  • Provide motivation to individual volunteers, working in such a way so as to develop a positive, enthusiastic and efficient working environment.
  • Monitor performance targets on a daily basis and provide regular reports as required.
  • Keep up to date with and instil the QAA Standards required for triage interviews and the operating procedures required.
  • Monitor the quality of assessment interviews by individual observations and case checking. Highlight and feedback any issues to the individual concerned / Training Officer / line manager, as appropriate.
  • In conjunction with the Communication Centre Manager, work to identify and implement new practices / ways of working to improve the performance of the Communications Centre services.
  • Monitor system performance and ensure that the communications centre services are operating within normal parameters, if not ensure faults are reported to the Citizens Advice Operations Team.
  • Contribute to team meetings as required.

5. Staffing and rota scheduling /
  • Ensure the telephone lines are adequately staffed at all times with particular emphasis on peak times.
  • Devise and co-ordinate duty rotas for volunteers, understanding how many assessors/advisers are required and which shifts they will be working.
  • Respond to the daily need to make changes to the rota e.g. swap shifts, bring in volunteers willing to be contacted at short notice.
  • Staff the telephone lines as required.
  • Maintain weekly schedules of assessors/advisors reporting on contract compliance, shortfalls in resource and actions taken to remedy.

6. Triage - assessment /
  • Conduct short, focused interviews, either via telephone, email or other electronic methods to explore the client’s situation and issues that need resolving.
  • Operate the interviews as required by Citizens Advice
  • Lead by example when dealing with enquiries and demonstrate good practice in performance, efficiency and quality.

7. Advice Support Work /
  • Ensure that all client work is recorded accurately on CASE BOOK and other required sources.
  • Maintain detailed statistical information as required by the line manager.
  • Ensure systems are used accurately in order that monitoring reports can be produced.
  • Liaise with other agencies as appropriate.

8. Learning and Development /
  • Attend regular support/supervision sessions and appraisals with your line manager
  • Work with your manager to identify appropriate learning and development opportunities.
  • Undertake relevant learning and development in order that knowledge and skills are maintained.
  • Keep up to date with relevant advice issues.

9. Administration /
  • Follow the policies and procedure as stated in the Office Manual.
  • Be self-administrating and comply with existing practices.
  • Prepare communication centre performance reports by collecting, analysing and summarising data and trends to the line manager.
  • Assist in the general administration tasks e.g. taking messages; collating statistics; processing post.

10. Research & campaigns /
  • Assist in the monitoring and collation of research & campaign issues as and when required
  • Help identify and report trends

11. General / Other duties and responsibilities /
  • Demonstrate a commitment at all times to the aims, principles and policies of the service and the implementation of our equality policies.
  • Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.
  • Ensure the highest standard of consideration and respect to all stakeholders of the service, including clients, volunteers, colleagues and funders.

A job description does not constitute a ‘term and condition of employment’. It is provided only as a guide to assist an individual in the performance of the job and is not included to be an inflexible list of tasks.
Citizens Advice is a fast moving organisation and therefore an employee’s duties may be varied from time to time. The post holder accepts that they may be asked to undertake any other work or duties as may reasonably be required within the scope of and commensurate to the nature of the post as and when required.

Pennine West Citizens Advice
Person Specification
Advice Service Supervisor

This document sets out the essential abilities and qualities needed by the successful candidate for this post. When completing your application, please demonstrate your understanding and experience of each of the points set out below.

Date: January 2018

Essential Criteria
1 / Customer service experience – front line work with the general public
2 / Experience of and an ability to support and motivate others – individually and in groups.
3 / Experience of supporting, guiding, tutoring and/or coaching individuals or groups of people to develop their skills.
4 / Excellent interpersonal, communication & customer service skills, including the ability to give feedback objectively and sensitively (verbally and in writing) combined with a willingness to challenge constructively where appropriate.
5 / Experience of and an ability to deal with frustrated / angry / distraught clients in a calm and effective manner, and the ability to deal effectively with escalated issues, requests to speak to the supervisor and first stage complaints.
6 / Experience of or an ability to monitor and achieve the target call performance of a contact centre on a daily basis, both by individual agents and as a team.
7 / An understanding of the quality standards required and an ability to monitor and check that the work undertaken by individuals meets the required standards.
8 / Ability to prioritise tasks, to identify and work to deadlines and to manage time effectively using own initiative.
9 / Ability to use IT , including competent use of word processing, spreadsheet and performance management packages and ability to use e-mail and maintain an electronic diary. Plus a willingness to learn to use other relevant tools.
10 / An ability and willingness to work effectively and supportively as a member of a team.
11 / A commitment to continuing professional development, primarily aimed at keeping abreast of developments relevant to the role.
12 / Evidence of willingness to work irregular hours and willingness and ability to travel to meet the needs of the job.
13 / An understanding of, and commitment to, the aims, principles and policies of Citizens Advice and the positive value of diversity.
Desirable Criteria
14 / Extensive experience of working in a contact centre environment.
15 / Experience of providing a triage (information & guidance) service – conducting short focussed interviews, in person, via telephone, email or other electronic means.

Key: