Helpline Advisor
- Employer
- Versus Arthritis
- Location
- London (Central)
- Salary
- £27,000
- Closing date
- 17 Feb 2019
View more
- Function
- Operations & Service Delivery
- Sector
- Health & Medical
- Hours
- Full Time
- Contract Type
- Permanent
Job Details
Location: London
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week
Shifts: 8hr shift patterns between 9am – 8pm
Salary: £27,000 per annum
Benefits: read more about what we offer
Contract type: Permanent
Closing date: by midnight on Sunday 17 February 2019
Download the job description and person specification from our website
Summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a Helpline Advisor with significant experience of supporting people through a helpline environment to join our Service’s team. If you have a strong commitment to high standards of service delivery and customer care then we’d like to hear from you!
About the role
As a Helpline Advisor you will provide up-to-date, accurate and impartial information and support to those who contact us. You will need to respond sensitively to those who call, email, write and contact us via webchat and/or social media, who may be people with arthritis, their friends, carers, employers or healthcare professionals.
You will be supported through an on-going programme of coaching, updates and personal development, and with access to healthcare professional input. You will deliver the highest quality service, ensuring that we are responsive to our customer needs and strive to ensure that everyone who contacts us has had a positive experience of Versus Arthritis.
Working within a framework of customer-focused policies and processes, you will be part of a team that is committed to continuous improvement and will regularly contribute to the development of our service to meet evolving customer needs and expectations.
To provide greater opportunity for people to contact the helpline, the service is open 9am-8pm, Monday-Friday. A series of shift patterns will be in operation to cover the extended opening period and advisors are expected to work on a weekly rota of rotating shift patterns.
Key requirements
Our ideal candidate will have:
- At least 1-year experience in a counselling or advice-giving role and telephone helpline experience, in either a voluntary or paid capacity, preferably in a health-related or similar environment
- Experience of using contact center agent software and/or customer relationship management (CRM) databases
- Competent in MS Office skills (in particular Outlook, Word and Excel)
- Basic knowledge and experience of data protection and safeguarding procedures as well as the ability to maintain confidentiality sensitively and appropriately
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills: able to communicate complex and sensitive issues with ease
- Using strong listening and communication skills with understanding and empathy to help you inform, challenge and influence effectively
- Strong commitment to high standards of service delivery and customer care
- Proven ability to make effective decisions in a fast-paced environment
How to apply
To apply you MUST submit:
1. a concise, up-to-date CV
2. along with a completed supporting statement document demonstrating how you meet the key requirements set out in the job description and person specification
Email your completed application by midnight on Sunday 17 February via the link on our website
Interviews
Interviews expected: Thursday 28 February or Friday 1 March at Saffron House, London.
About us
Arthritis causes pain, fatigue and isolation for 17.8 million people in the UK every single day. It can impact on the ability to work, our relationships and take away our independence. We don’t accept this.
We are Versus Arthritis. We are volunteers, healthcare professionals, researchers and friends, all doing everything we can to push back against arthritis. We’re reaching out to everybody with the information and support they need, funding vital research and changing the way society sees arthritis. Together we’ll keep running, researching, influencing, volunteering, advising, chatting, baking, listening. We won’t stop until no-one has to tolerate living with the pain, fatigue and isolation of arthritis.
Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us defy arthritis.
Read more about what we do, working for us and what we offer on our website.
Promoting Equality in the workplace
Versus Arthritis is a Registered Charity No: 207711 and in Scotland No. SC041156
Company
In 2017, Arthritis Care and Arthritis Research UK joined forces so that we could achieve more for people with arthritis. In September 2018, we became Versus Arthritis.
This is an exciting and special time in our story. As Versus Arthritis, we'll take the best from both our legacy organisations to create a movement standing with and for people with arthritis.
Here are a few key events that led us here.
1930s–1950s
In 1936, Arthritis Research UK began life as the Empire Rheumatism Council, set up by Dr Will Copeman and other like-minded doctors who were committed to stopping the pain of arthritis.
In 1947, Arthur Mainwaring-Bowen set up an organisation for people with arthritis and rheumatism which was registered as the British Rheumatic Association (BRA) in 1949. This organisation became later known as Arthritis Care.
In the 50s, Arthritis Research UK began to train doctors and medical students and educate the public about the impact of arthritis. They also produced their first information booklets on rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Arthritis Care raised £1,135 in its first appeal for funds and as a result opened the first of many houses to accommodate people who needed care.
1960s–1980s
Research funded by Arthritis Research UK began to show that arthritis is neither simply a wear-and-tear condition nor an inevitable part of ageing.
Arthritis Care invested in more accommodation for people with arthritis, opening six warden-attended flats: the New Mayfair, Carlisle House and Burnlea Hotel. In 1985, Terry Wogan hosted the reception of the first Arthritis Care week.
In 1989, Arthritis Care opened its helpline and first shop was launched.
1990s–2000s
In the 1990s, research led by professors Sir Marc Feldmann and Sir Ravinder (Tiny) Maini at Arthritis Research UK’s Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology was responsible for the biggest breakthrough yet in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. A key molecule that causes inflammation and joint damage – known as tumour necrosis factor or TNF – was uncovered.
This led to the development of a new class of drugs known as biological therapies, which have transformed treatment and lives of people with rheumatoid arthritis and other types of inflammatory arthritis over the past 20 years.
During this time, Arthritis Care developed over 500 branches across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. They launched a three-year programme of self-management courses, the UK's first parent support group conference and the UK's first conference for young people with arthritis.
The Duke of Westminster also awarded Arthritis Care volunteers for outstanding services for people with arthritis and launched the Going for Gold appeal, aiming to raise £5 million over three years for 10 initiatives improving quality of life.
Later on, the Arthritis Care roadshow visited 43 sites across the UK with 13,000 visitors and 1,000 volunteers. The Osteoarthritis Nation report was also launched. This study revealed that four out of five people with osteoarthritis live in constant pain.
Arthritis Care also launched their online community. This peer-to-peer online support service now has thousands of people with arthritis speaking and listening to each other and sharing their experiences about living with arthritis.
In November 2017, Arthritis Research UK and Arthritis Care joined forces and merged as one organisation.
Now
We're Versus Arthritis. We’ve come together, taking the best of both organisations and our rich histories of working with and for people with arthritis to do even more.
We’re 10 million people living with arthritis. We’re fundraisers, supporters, bakers, health professionals, volunteers, campaigners and researchers. Together, we’re demanding that the pain and isolation of arthritis is no longer tolerated. We’re pushing to defy arthritis. We are Versus Arthritis.
Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us defy arthritis.
- Website
- http://www.versusarthritis.org/
- Telephone
- 03007900400
- Location
-
Copeman House
St. Mary’s Court
St. Mary’s Gate
Chesterfield
Derbyshire
S41 7TD
GB
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