Senior Energy Advisor (Benefits Advice) (Contract)

Job Title: Senior Energy Advisor (Benefits Advice)

Location: Bristol

Salary: £25,953 per annum

Job Type: Fixed-term until December 2025, Full-time (37.5 hours per week)

Closing Date: Midday on Wednesday 27 March 2024

The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) is a Bristol-based national charity that supports people and organisations across the UK to tackle the climate emergency and end the suffering caused by cold homes. We do this by sharing our knowledge, practical experience and policy insights.

The Role:

We're looking for someone with experience of giving advice and a knowledge of UK benefits who can provide strong customer service, personal resilience, and boundaries. You may be required to work outside of the office giving face-to-face advice and presentations to groups, and making home visits.

You will also work on our telephone advice projects, taking calls or making outbound calls, as well as supporting certain individual clients over a period of time.

There is a strong administrative element to the role so accuracy and excellent attention to detail are essential.

Main Purpose:

• Deliver in-depth support to householders/clients' benefits-related advice, by phone and email
• Provide guidance on benefits to our energy advice line team members
• Complete administrative tasks to the delivery of projects
• To maintain accurate and detailed records of all interactions with clients

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Provide specialist means-tested and disability-related benefits advice and support to client of working and non-working age
• Identify unclaimed benefits entitlements on behalf of clients and offer guidance on how to make an application
• Listen attentively to callers and respond to their needs in an empathetic way
• Able to assess appropriate advice and support needed by clients
• Refer householders/clients to other organisations as appropriate for further assistance.
• Provide in-depth support to clients over a period of time if there are a number of issues to be resolved
• Help vulnerable clients make applications for grants and switch energy tariffs where appropriate
• Support clients with their applications for certain benefits, including Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit
• Provide support to energy advisors on the Advice Line and advice projects, including helping them to identify when clients may be entitled to unclaimed benefits
• Be familiar and remain up to date with benefit support and advice line protocol, processes and procedures
• Record client details accurately using CSE systems
• Always maintain householder/client confidentiality in accordance with relevant policies and procedures

Please note, the above is an overview of the skills required for this role. To see the full list of essential and desirable skills please see the attached job description.

Person Specification:

Education:

• Minimum English and maths or equivalent

Knowledge:

• Experience within customer service/led environment. Working knowledge of mean tested and disability-related benefits for working and nonworking age people.

Skills and Abilities:

• Respectful, sensitive, and engaging manner
• Ability to present complex information in an accessible and appropriate manner
• Confident in extracting sensitive information
• Excellent communications skills - ability to listen carefully
• Cope with difficult and sometimes stressful conversations
• Able to work in a team and give clear direction
• Maintain admin systems accurately
• Work independently and use own initiative
• Highly organized at managing time and workload

Technical Skills:

• Skilled is use of MS Office applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook

CSE offer a range of benefits including:

• Salary sacrifice childcare vouchers
• Subsidised bike purchase and Tech Scheme
• 25 days paid holiday (plus statutory holidays)
• We will pay fees and expenses on relevant training courses

To apply, please complete the application form available to download from our website. Your application should demonstrate how you meet the criteria outlined in the job description.

The closing date for applications is midday Wednesday 27 March 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place Monday 8 April 2024, though this may change depending on the quantity of applications.

If you have not heard from CSE by Tuesday 2 April, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful.

Please click on the APPLY button to send your CV and Cover Letter for this role.

Candidates with the relevant experience or job titles of: Helpline Advisor, Helpline presenter Customer Service Advisor, Customer outreach, Customer Service Representative, Customer Support, Consumer Aid, Consumer Support Advisor, Consumer Services Officer, Client Services Support, Client Support Agent and Consumer Services Administrator will also be considered for this role.