Debt & Benefit Adviser
Bedford (Office Based)
Circa £26,000 per annum (depending on skills) plus £2,000 per annum Car Allowance and additional benefits
Permanent, Full Time - 37 hours per week 

Our client is a dynamic and ambitious 18,000 unit Housing Association based in Bedford and operating throughout the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor. The organisation employs 400 people, has an annual turnover in excess of £120m and a development programme that will see it build around 3,000 new homes over the next five years making it one of the top 25 of developing associations.

They are currently seeking a Debt & Benefit Adviser. You will work within their Financial Inclusion Team to offer support and guidance to their tenants to ensure tenancy sustainment.  

You will support the Financial Inclusion Manager to implement strategies to encourage the take up of welfare benefits by their tenants and proactively promote use of their Money Advice service. You should have experience of representing Tenants at Welfare Benefit Appeals and, in a County Court setting for debt.

You will also be training other key staff in basic welfare benefits to enable them to give basic advice on Welfare Benefits. You will also be confident in liaising with external agencies to develop and maintain contacts for operational effectiveness.

The successful candidate will have worked within a similar role previously and will be knowledgeable about Welfare Benefits. You’ll have experience of dealing with people in difficult, often stressful, situations and you’ll ideally have some knowledge of debt management. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are a must as is the ability to plan and prioritise your own workload and work with minimal supervision. Experience of lone working would be advantageous and you must have a full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.

If you’re committed to providing a customer focused service, can influence and negotiate and deal with confrontation in a calm and professional manner then they’d love to hear from you.

In return they offer a competitive salary, 28 days annual holiday (plus bank holidays) increasing with service, contributory pension, life assurance, medical cover, lifestyle rewards, car allowance and a home working payment.

The closing date for this role is Midnight on Friday 17th August 2018.

Interviews will be held on Monday 20th August 2018.