Benefit and Money Advisor

The Benefit and Money Advisor will work as part of a dedicated team of Benefit and Money and Income Collection Officers. The Benefit and Money Advisors provide a comprehensive welfare benefits and money/financial inclusion advice service to residents with the aim of maximising their income and minimising rent arrears, in particular to be responsible for the engagement of existing and new residents and staff, providing information and advice on the Welfare Reform changes as they relate to Housing and other Benefits, ensuring a proactive approach to supporting residents affected by the changes.

Comprehensive and up to date knowledge of welfare benefits and the statutory framework in which they operate.
Comprehensive knowledge of the welfare reform changes as they affect tenant benefit claimants.
Detailed understanding of local, regional and national financial inclusion and voluntary and community networks desirable.
Proven experience of providing money advise such as budgeting
Ability to work alone and to carry out home visits.
Excellent interviewing, advocacy and negotiating skills
Ability to work efficiently under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and meet tight deadlines.
GCSE English and Maths Grade C or above (Grades 4 - 9) or equivalent.
Ability to communicate complex information to a wide variety of audiences in writing or verbally
Successfully facilitating groups or providing training or presentations
A flexible approach to work demands and caseloads
The ability to build effective relationships with Officers and the wider Housing team.
Good IT skills including use of Microsoft Office package
Relevant experience of housing, debt and tenancy law or experience of working in a similar related field desirable.
A relevant Housing, Welfare Benefits or Financial Inclusion qualification/accreditation would be desirable.

What Can We Offer?

We can provide a friendly and supportive environment for you to excel in. We also offer several employee benefits, such as, Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.

Dover District Council has an exciting agenda to deliver first class public services, putting our residents at the heart of everything we do. From building new, affordable homes to exciting regeneration schemes. A career with Dover District Council offers you the opportunity to excel.

As an employer, Dover District Council is proud to provide a supportive, friendly, diverse and flexible working environment in which our employees can thrive. We have a team of enthusiastic employees, delivery services they are passionate about.

The Role & Responsibilities:

Dover District Council are committed to delivering an excellent customer focused, housing management service. To help us achieve this, we are looking to recruit a dynamic, skilled and high performing individual who shares our commitment to delivering excellence across the housing sector. Housing matters. You can help make the difference.

An Opt-in Local government pension scheme with the opportunity for staff to make advanced, voluntary contributions (AVCs) to top up their pension.
A generous annual leave provision.
A discount scheme including reduced membership rates at the local leisure centre.
On-site parking.
Cycle2Work scheme.
Generous Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme.

Due to the nature of this role the successful applicant will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check as well as a Baseline Personal Security Standard (BPSS) as part of their pre-employment clearances.

This role will require a current full driving license effective in the UK and use of a motor vehicle for business use.