1 Job Description & Person Specification DESIGNATION: HOURS: SALARY: TERM: RESPONSIBLE TO: Personal Budgeting & Assisted Digital Support Officer 30 hours per week [09:00 16:00] [Open to job share] Living Wage 8:45 per hour Fixed term contract to 31st March 2018 UC & Budgeting Support Advice Session Supervisor... Background With full roll out of Universal Credit [UC] the demand for client support services will grow as UC brings cultural change together with behavioural shifts for clients. The transition to monthly payments and direct payments of housing costs requires clients to be responsible for managing their own money, prioritising and paying their bills. The move to UC full service in November 2017 also means that UC is delivered digitally via self-service using the internet. Some claimants will need digital support, help with budgeting and potentially how to prioritise and manage debts. Role purpose This post will provide proactive support for people in making and managing their UC claim including accessing and utilising on-line services; and assist them with managing their financial affairs. You will actively support people individually or in-group sessions to adjust to managing their money on a monthly basis through personal budgeting support. Your role is to investigate the claimant s current financial and personal situation including digital skills, help claimants to prioritise and budget, and provide handy hints and tips on how to cut expenditure and give advice on dealing with debts; with referrals to a debt specialist for casework as appropriate. Context of role The post is supervised by our Universal Credit Advice Session Supervisor and is initially a fixed term contract to 31 st March 2018 with the possibility of extension dependent upon funding from DWP & Peterborough City Council. The post is suitable for job share. Personal Budgeting Support [PBS]
2 The objective of PBS is to support claimants transitioning into UC with budget management to enable them to manage their money and pay their bills on time, prioritising rent or mortgage payments. The outcomes of PBS should include but not be restricted to the claimant being able to undertake the following activities: - Work out monthly income and outgoings Recognise priority bills such as rent payments Identify and cut back on non-essential expenditure Complete and maintain a budgeting plan Move from a Post Office card account to a Credit Union or bank account Have a functional transactional bank or credit union account for payments in and out Set up direct debits for prioritised payments such as rent Assisted Digital Support [ADS] The objective of ADS is to: - Provide support for claimants who, with help, are capable of transacting with the UC website Ensure that claimants unable to self-serve are helped to access UC Identify need to access more intensive digital up-skilling to effectively use the internet Support digital inclusion The outcomes of ADS will include but not be restricted to the claimant being capable of undertaking the following activities on the UC website: - Security awareness to ensure claimant log in details are safe Set up and manage their own email account Access and navigate and understand the information required to gather data and complete online UC claims Navigate and update on-line diaries, to do lists and journals Upload documents including CV s, medical certificates, & job search evidence Notify a change of circumstance Use online UC account for enquiries Print documents Key tasks: Take calls from DWP and arrange interviews with new UC claimants within 48 hours and complete the necessary DWP budgeting documentation
3 Ensure that claimants can prioritise their housing costs and pay their rent once UC is in payment Provide assistance to DWP customers that need additional help to complete their initial UC claim online and assistance to maintain a secure live on-line claim Provide extensive IT support for vulnerable or other customers with more technically complex claims Personal budgeting support and advice for claimants to help them adapt to receiving their welfare support through Universal Credit Provide regular management information to the DWP within agreed timescales Assess Peterborough Community Assistance Scheme [PCAS] clients as and when required Quarterly Management Information to be sent to PCC within 30 days of the end of each quarter Monthly Management Information to be sent to PCC on the last day of each month Monitor and record accurately time spent with each UC client Research and Campaigns Keep up to date with research and campaigns issues and ensure research and campaigns is promoted and integrated in a way relevant to the role. Motivate the team and assess effectiveness of team members in identifying and reporting appropriate R&C issues Professional development Identify and implement plans for training and development needs. Keep up to date with personal finance and budgeting topics identifying available training materials and other resources. Reflect on effectiveness of learning activities delivered and review training practice. Prepare for and attend supervision sessions / team meetings / staff meetings as appropriate.
4 Other duties and responsibilities Uphold the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service and its equal opportunities policies. Establish and maintain effective and efficient administration systems for the delivery of budgeting sessions. Use IT for statistical recording, record keeping and document production. Participate fully in the life of the charity, attending volunteers development meetings, staff meetings, internal planning events etc. as agreed with supervisor. Support other work as required (e.g. providing referrals for advice appointments where appropriate). Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues. Carry out any other appropriate tasks requested by the supervisor, to ensure the effective delivery of the PCAS service.
5 Person specification 1) Have held a Certificate in Generalist Advice from Citizens Advice for a minimum period of 12 months 2) A knowledge of the personal finance issues that affect adults at risk of financial exclusion. 3) Ability to support clients to utilise the internet with a good understanding of IAS protocols 4) Knowledge and understanding of Universal Credit 5) Ability to collect, analyse and produce data for DWP 6) Undertake PCAS assessments as appropriate when required. 7) Ability to sensitively empower and engage with adults who have had poor experiences of formal education. 8) Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service and its equal opportunities policies. 9) Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to relate and work with a large variety of different people. 10) Ability and willingness to work both on own initiative and as part of a team. 11) Numerate and literate to the level required by the tasks. 12) Effective written and oral communication skills with the ability to use IT applications to record statistics, produce documents, training materials & keep accurate records.