Positive Employment is currently recruiting for a Employment And Financial Support Officer for our client a government organisation in Kensington.
The successful post holder will provide an employment and training, welfare benefits, grants, debt, and budgeting support service for households living in Kensington and Chelsea and those placed in temporary accommodation outside of the borough.
Identify, contact and support residents who are facing financial difficulty or seeking employment to identify and understand their options and help them to pursue the options that best meet their needs.
Work with internal departments, external partners, and agencies to develop options for residents including to advocate and assist residents to access additional assistance such as housing or health, ensuring they are able to make appropriate decisions based on their individual circumstances.
Deliver one-to-one support and Information, Advice and Guidance to explore what is possible for residents, and to help them access any necessary additional support with local agencies to improve their financial resilience and/or progress into work.
This role is a temporary contract initially for 3 months with the possibility to extend. This role is hybrid working.
Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to:
- Manage a caseload of residents and support them with employment and training, welfare benefits, grants, debt, and budgeting.
- Keep up to date with changes in the employability landscape, and legislation and regulation that affect the payment of welfare benefits.
- Assess individuals’ employment, training, and budgeting needs, draw up an individual action plan to identify the steps required to address needs and review at regular intervals.
- Prepare an income and expenditure analysis to address reduction in welfare benefits, any debt, and budgeting needs, and create personal budget/payment plans for residents affected by any welfare benefit shortfall.
- Provide one to one support to residents to help them understand and take forward their options regarding securing work and/or increasing their income including exploring benefit cap exemption benefits, appealing benefit decisions, and identifying and applying for grants.
- Helping residents with job searching, completing application forms, writing CV’s and covering letters, as well as to prepare for interviews and other recruitment related assessments.
- Provide practical assistance by helping residents where necessary to complete welfare benefit applications, deal with correspondence and apply for backdated welfare benefits and Discretionary Housing Payments.
- Forge meaningful relationships with internal departments and external agencies and refer residents to these agencies for additional support and liaising regularly with these services to gain updates and outcomes on clients, as well as address any issues.
- Follow up and record all outcomes from interactions with residents and other services and maintain accurate administrative and database records of all activity. To compile and produce monthly performance indicators.
- Work closely with colleagues to achieve objectives of the service and coordinate support, operating a referral and regular reporting process to update on progress.
- Maintain contact with residents to track the support services accessed with partners, as well as outcomes for each person such as those that are securing work or welfare benefits. Following up with clients that do not engage with partner services.
Personal Requirements:
- Relevant experience in managing caseloads, knowledge of welfare benefits, supporting residents with employment and/or financial challenges, and working with multiple stakeholders.
- Educated to A-Level Standard or equivalent.
- Effective numerical, written, and verbal communication and presentation skills, and administrative experience including record keeping on databases, drafting reports, letters and emails to a good standard.
- High level of IT skills, including maintaining databases of information.
- Ability to assess skills need and barriers to securing work or progressing in work and develop support and action plans to meet residents needs.
Working Hours: 36hrs / Monday – Friday
Pay: £27.46 per hour
Please note this role is within the scope of IR35.
