Application for the post of: Money Advice Officer

PERSONAL DETAILS

Name:

Address:

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Daytime tel:

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CURRENT EMPLOYMENT

Please give details about your current/ last job

Start date: End date:

Company name:

Job title:

Salary (on leaving): Notice Period:

Description of duties & responsibilities:

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EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Start Date End Date Company Job Title Reason for Leaving

EDUCATION

Start Date End Date Place/method of study Qualification Grade

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WORK BASED LEARNING & COURSES

Date Description Place/method of study

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REASON FOR APPLICATION

Please detail your reasons for applying for this position, what qualities and experience you can bring to the post and any other relevant information to support your application. If needed please continue on a separate sheet.

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REFERENCESPlease provide names, addresses, relationships and contact details for 2 references, one of which should be your current/most recent employer. We will not contact any referee without your consent.

Name: Name:

Company: Company:

Position: Position:

Address: Address:

Postcode: Postcode:

Relationship: Relationship:

Tel No. Tel No.

HEALTH

Please give details of any absence from work due to illness in the last 3 years

Total days absent:

Details of illness:

Are you aware of any reason why you may require sick leave in the future?

Please give details:

Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence? Yes No

Please give details:

DECLARATION

I declare all the information given on this application is to my knowledge true and accurate and I understand that any false information may affect my position.

Signed _______________________________ Date: ___________________

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EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

As an equal opportunities employer we monitor our performance and ask that you assist us by completing the following questionnaire.

Disabled:

Yes No If yes please give details:__________________

______________________________________

Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence? Yes No NB This post requires an enhanced CRB check to be undertaken

If yes please give details:_______________________________________________

Do you hold a full clean UK driving licence? Yes No

Please give details of any penalties:_______________________________________

What do you consider to be your ethnic origin? Please the appropriate box.

a. White: British Irish Other

b. Mixed: White and black Caribbean White and black African

White and Asian other

c. Asian or Asian British: Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi Other

d. Black or black British: Caribbean African Other

e. Chinese or other ethnic group: Chinese Other

f. Gypsy or Romany traveller

What is your sexual orientation? Please the appropriate box.

Heterosexual/straight gay man gay woman/lesbian bisexual other prefer not to say

What is your religion? Please the appropriate box.

None prefer not to say

Christian including C of E, catholic, protestant and all Christian denominations

Buddhist Hindu Jewish Muslim Sikh Other

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What was your age on your last birthday? 16 – 24 25 – 34 35 – 44 45 – 54 55 – 59 60 – 64 65 +

Are you: Male Female

JOB TITLE; Money Advice Officer

RESPONSIBLE TO: HOUSING SERVICES DIRECTOR

Overall contribution to goals of Warrington Housing Association & Warrington Home Improvement Agency.

Directly To be responsible for the provision of welfare benefits and debt advice service for WHA tenants and WHIA customers in order to maximise income and manage debt. You will also be responsible for implementing the Associations approach to financial inclusion and fuel poverty.

Indirectly To work as part of a small team with a flexible approach. To ensure that all systems and procedures are followed and that agreed targets are achieved

Key Tasks:

1. Main Duties

To provide financial support to our customers through effective money advice and debt counselling.

To provide comprehensive welfare rights advice for tenants and whia clients.

Co-ordinate and facilitate advice through surgeries, home visits, telephone queries, events and presentations.

To be responsible for managing your own case load which will require effective case management.

Conducting benefit health checks to clients and all new tenants to make sure they are accessing the correct benefits.

Liaising with Housing Benefits teams to ensure Housing Benefit is paid promptly and timely and support and assists clients in applying for backdated and discretionary Housing Benefit.

Refer clients to more specialised agencies when appropriate and where cases of multiple debts arise, liaise with creditors and statutory agencies to try and resolve the problem.

Make clients aware of costs of running a home and help with budgeting and identify potential savings with regards to fuel etc.

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Work in partnership with other agencies to obtain grants and goods for tenants, supporting tenants with any loan applications.

Identify and support vulnerable tenants with welfare issues.

Promote services available including Home Contents Insurance

Promote affordable credit providers and awareness of illegal money lenders.

Provide regular benefits and debt advice training for staff and Board.

You will be responsible for leading campaigns designed to promote income maximisation, financial inclusion and money awareness initiatives.

Provide and run financial literacy training events for tenants.

Maintain an up to date and accurate profile of all tenants.

Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to money advice and attend appropriate training.

Promote and represent the organisation at external meetings.

Undertaking benchmarking of other Registered Providers and provide performance data for reporting purposes.

To produce regular reports as required and maintain detailed statistics.

2. General

This post will support many new/changing functions within the business and therefore a flexible, proactive and can do attitude is essential.

Warrington Housing Association believes that the employee shares with the company the responsibility for suggestions to update and improve the effectiveness of the position.

The post holder will work as part of a small team and would be expected to help as needed with all duties under the team’s responsibility.

All team members are expected to set an example and provide support and coaching for association apprentices.

The nature of the Association’s work and structure requires individuals to cover for colleagues as required.

3. Health & Safety

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To be responsible for the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others at work.

4. Risk Management

To be aware of the Association’s Risk Register, helping to identify, update, and manage any potential risks related to the daily working practices of this role.

5. Fairness and Diversity

The above activities will be carried out within the context of Warrington Housing Associations’ Fairness and Diversity Policy.

No job description can cover every issue which may arise within the post at various times, and the jobholder is expected to carry out other duties requested by the Board of WHA from time to time

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Person Specification Post: Money Advice officer

Attributes Essential Desirable

1. Knowledge and Experience

Excellent knowledge of Housing Benefits Regulations, DWP benefits and the Tax Credit system

Knowledge of Welfare Reform Proven experience of working with individuals in face to face

settings Basic knowledge of, or an interest in, issues relating to

indebtedness and financial/social exclusion Experience of working with local, statutory and voluntary

agencies.

Basic knowledge of Landlord and Tenant law including all relevant Housing Acts.

Experience of advice work Experience of social research A sound knowledge and understanding of

credit unions Experience of providing training Basic knowledge of rent accounting

procedures. Experience of county court hearings

2. Skills and Abilities Excellent interpersonal skills Good attention to detail Numerate IT literate Excellent written and verbal communication skills Able to prioritise and meet targets and deadlines Proven customer service skills Commitment to ensuring confidentiality of all matters Able to empathise with residents and their situation Motivated and enthusiastic

Presentation skills Able to promote concepts and new ways of

working to colleagues in a positive manner Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel

would be an advantage. Be able to demonstrate an ability to

understand, interpret and make decisions in matters of Housing Policy

Have an awareness of current housing issues and principles of best value

3. Qualifications 3 GCSEs or equivalent, to include English and Maths

4. Circumstances Full driving licence and access to a vehicle (for which a mileage allowance will be paid)

Some out-of-hours working may be required Criminal Records Bureau clearance at enhanced level will be

requiredApplicants must meet the above essential criteria as a minimum. Desirable criteria will be used as a minimum to further shortlist applications received if necessary.

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Summary Employment Details

1. The post is full time and likely to become permanent after satisfactory performance at the completion of a 6 month trial period.

2. Offices are in Warrington town centre at the Gateway, 89 Sankey Street. The offices provide an excellent working environment. A no smoking policy is in operation.

3 The working week is normally 35 hours, 9 to 5. Flexible working in line with the Association’s standard flexi-time policy is available according to the needs of the clients.

Flexible working time is 8.00am to 6.00pm with a core time of 10am to 4 pm with a minimum of 30 minutes for a lunch break for staff and up to one day’s flexi-leave per month, subject to work and cover requirements.

4. This post requires an enhanced CRB check to be undertaken.

5. Salary - The salary scale is currently £21,125 to £27,593 per annum.

6. Bonuses in recognition of:

- Inflationary pressures on staff during the current local government (NJC) three year pay freeze - a straightforward salary uplift bonus of 2.5% is included for years 2011/12 & 2012/13.

- And, an opportunity to trial improved performance related incentives the Association has introduced discretionary bonuses of up to 2.5% until April 2013.

- In addition to the above, for low sickness absence in any 12 month period, an annual 2.5% wellbeing bonus is available, pro rata and will be subject to deductions ie tax, NI.

Whilst currently paid at the Association’s discretion, it is likely bonuses will either become contractual within revised scales or developed further into a permanent performance related element in due course.

7. Pension and life insuranceThe Association is an admitted body to the Cheshire (local government) final salary pension scheme. Employee contributions for the quoted salary range are currently 6.5% and the Association currently contributes an additional 17.5%.

Main retirement benefits are 1/60th salary for each year of employment with option to convert part to lump sum. The government is currently reviewing public sector pension contributions and benefits and the Association is bound by rules of the scheme. In addition to pension life cover an accidental life and disability cover is in place of up to 4 times salary.

8. Annual Leave - Paid annual leave, in addition to bank and public holidays, starts at 25 days (including two fixed - Warrington Walking Day and an extra day at Christmas) and rises by a day per year’s service to a maximum of 30 days.

9. Health and Sickness pay - The Association supports initiatives aimed at improving staff health and wellbeing. In the eventuality of absence through ill health our paid leave is available as follows:

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Service at Commencement of absence

Full Salary For a period of

Half salary for a period of

Less than 3 Months 1 week 1 week3 months but less than 1 year 5 weeks 5 weeks1 year but less than 2 years 9 weeks 9 weeks2 years but less than 3 years 13 weeks 13 weeks3 years but less than 4 years 18 weeks 18 weeks4 years but less than 5 years 22 weeks 22 weeksOver 5 years 26 weeks 26 weeks

10. A standard 6 month probationary period and review applies to all association posts.

11. Further information about the service may be requested from Kath Jarvis, Housing Services Director (01925 246810).

13. Closing Date for completed applications is 8th June 2012. Interviews will be held in week commencing 18/06/2012.

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ABOUT WARRINGTON HOUSING ASSOCIATION

The Association is registered with the Tenant Services Authority and operates under non-profit making Industrial and Provident Society rules with a voluntary Board of Management.

It is locally based having a clear policy to work in areas relating to the town. All stock is currently located within the Warrington Borough boundary

There is a single, Association owned, office base at ‘the GATEWAY’ in Warrington Town centre which has been designed as a hub for the community and voluntary partnership working. In 2008 RICS awarded the building international winner of their Community Benefit category.

The Association owns and manages approximately 1,250 mainly rented homes covering a broad range of housing needs.

Approximate percentage of stock for different needs: -

Families 45%

Singles/Couples 25%

Sheltered Housing for Elderly 15%

Special Needs (Homeless/learning difficulties etc) 5%

Leasehold/Shared Ownership 5%

We typically achieve top quartile comparative performance results on key performance indicators and are sector leading in several areas, for example our customer satisfaction rating is 96%.

Financially sound with stock in generally very good condition and none failing the Decent Homes Standard. We are commencing a programme of solar thermal and solar voltaic improvements to properties.

We continue to develop and acquire new homes where appropriate. We’ve recently had one of the most successful programmes of grant assisted mortgage rescues in the country, purchasing over 30 properties to enable occupiers to rent and solve financial problems; more are in the pipeline. We have a church conversion on site to provide a 7 apartment annex to a popular scheme for older people. We await Homes and Communities agency decision on a programme of 84 properties, mainly family houses under the new affordable rent programme, all are local authority priorities.

In 2007 the Warrington Home Improvement Agency (Whia) was added to the organisation helping older and disabled people, mainly owner occupiers, to manage and improve their homes. We’ve expanded the range of services from gardening to loan schemes and see opportunities to further develop the agency to make a real impact not just on housing but on health and wellbeing, energy efficiency and other services for people in the town.

The Association employs some 40 office-based staff (including part time) and a further 6 scheme based staff (including 2 part time cleaners).

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We’re committed to the training and development of staff and were first awarded ‘Investors in People’ status in 1995 achieving enhanced silver standard on our latest 2011 review. We also make use of the Business Excellence Model to improve the quality of all aspects of our work and first achieved Investors in Excellence in 2006 and subsequently won the North of England annual excellence award for Customer results.

Making extensive use of information technology, the Association currently uses integrated housing management, maintenance, waiting list and accounting software together with the Microsoft Office suite of applications. We’ve recently rolled out the use of iPhone’s to front line staff, identifying many opportunities for improved mobile working.

WHA is committed to working with a wide range of voluntary and other organisations in the community and as part of our work and have developed and supported community facilities, we employ a community development worker and support many initiatives in addition to our £5m investment in the GATEWAY hub.

Our aim is to make Warrington and the neighbourhoods we work in a great place to live and place people firmly at the heart of our work.

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