Job Description and Person Specification Team Manager Sheffield Citizens Advice and Law Centre, operating as Citizens Advice Sheffield provides a range of advice and advocacy services to Sheffield’s communities and contributes to regional and national services. We provide our services by phone, through digital routes and in person. We are part of the national Citizens Advice and Law Centres networks. Our advice services provide help and advice across a wide range of issues and more in depth help in respect of welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment, immigration and discrimination. We offer bespoke services for communities who face particular barriers including those with mental health problems, the Deaf community, people in hospital, and refugees and asylum seekers. We undertake specialist casework, including debt services and legal aid work in housing and immigration. We have well established partnerships with a wide range of public sector and community organisations to ensure advice is as accessible as possible to those who most need it. Our independent advocacy services are primarily delivered through Sheffield Advocacy hub under contract to Sheffield City Council. We also deliver a number of smaller contracts such as generic mental health advocacy. We aim for excellence. Our ambition is to be among the best advice and advocacy services in the country, and one of the leading voluntary and community organisations in Sheffield. We campaign for change to social policy to improve the well-being of the people and communities we support. Purpose of job Our team managers are responsible for supervising the provision of our services to clients. Team managers manage, supervise and support our paid staff and volunteers to support and empower clients to address their needs, and to provide tailored casework when this is needed. Team managers are part of the management team, responsible for shaping and implementing service strategy, to ensure high quality service delivery and performance in accordance with contractual and other requirements, and to develop and implement service policy and practice. Team managers provide advice, guidance and support to other staff, and support the provision of training and professional development in their fields of expertise. Team managers lead and contribute to specific projects as agreed with their service manager. Team managers themselves provide advice, advocacy and other services, including casework, including complex cases. Team managers seek to support and empower clients to address their needs. Team managers provide advice and advocacy that is accessible by all clients, taking full account of clients’ communication and other needs. Team managers provide services through multiple channels and in a wide range of settings, including our own offices, those of partner agencies and clients’ homes. Team managers play a key role in campaigning and social policy work. Team managers may play a lead role in the provision of independent advocacy or advice in one or more areas of law; this may include welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment, immigration, discrimination, health and social care and other areas of public and social welfare law. Team managers are required to undertake all their duties in accordance with Citizens Advice Sheffield’s policies and procedures, utilising national and local sources of information and guidance. Main duties and responsibilities Service provision Team managers are required to: ● Ensure the delivery of services in accordance with our service delivery strategy and operational plans, including telephone, digital and pre-booked appointment services ● Meet the needs of all clients, wherever possible empowering clients to improve their confidence and capability, and supporting them to develop and implement action plans to meet their needs ● supervise advice and/or advocacy sessions and casework, in accordance with relevant quality standards ● contribute to ensuring that performance standards and targets are met ● ensure that comprehensive client and service records are maintained, using information technology and other systems ● contribute to ensuring compliance with funders’ and contractual requirements ● support the identification and reporting of evidence to support social policy campaigns, and may lead and contribute to such campaigns Team managers may also provide advice and/or advocacy, and carry a caseload, including complex casework, court and tribunal representation, and are required to do so in accordance with all relevant quality standards. Staff supervision, support and development Team managers are required to: ● Contribute to creating and supporting a positive culture in which all paid staff and volunteers are supported and valued ● Contribute to engaging paid staff and volunteers in good team work, planning and delivering services, and in campaigning ● Supervise paid staff and volunteers in accordance with our policies and procedures ● Provide advice, guidance and support to and supervise paid staff and volunteers in relation to any aspect of service delivery ● Support volunteer recruitment, training, development and retention ● Support the design and delivery of training Campaigning and social policy development Team managers may also: ● Support research and other activity to identify priorities for campaigns and social policy development, and the evidence to support such campaigns ● Support the design and implementation of campaigns locally ● Assist with our contribution to regional and national campaigns, and with acting upon these campaigns locally Service strategy, planning and development Team managers support and advise the leadership team to develop and implement service delivery strategies and plans Professional learning and development Team managers are all required to undertake learning and development including: ● Keeping up to date with legislation ● Keeping up to date with policies and procedures ● Attending internal and external training ● Obtaining and maintaining accreditation for specialist practice Person specification Knowledge Comprehensive knowledge of: ● national and local legislation, policies, strategies , systems and processes for advice and/or advocacy services ● one or more of welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment, immigration, discrimination, public law, pensions, mental health and care, and other service specialisms ● advice and/or advocacy giving processes and systems ● the communities supported by Sheffield Citizens Advice ● supervision and management methods Skills High quality skills: ● to support and manage paid staff and volunteers ● to communicate well with clients, colleagues and other agencies ● to contribute to service delivery strategies and plans ● to support the implementation of plans, including service development and change ● to develop advice, advocacy and service policies, procedures and practice ● to positively resolve operational service challenges ● to support team and staff development, and resolve human resources issues ● to support the engagement of clients in service planning and development ● to support work in partnership with other agencies Aptitude Commitment to: the goals and values of Citizens Advice Sheffield ● ● working flexibly and to adapting to changing needs and priorities ● delivering service quality and performance standards and targets ● supporting service improvement and development ● team working ● working in partnership with other agencies ● personal learning and professional development ● equality opportunities and to valuing diversity Qualifications, training and accreditation Successful completion (or willingness to complete) mandatory training requirements. Participation in and commitment to participating in management and supervision development programmes. Accreditation as required for specialist areas of advice and/or advocacy practice. For the role of housing team manager, this would include CILEx with practice rights in advocacy and litigation and to meet LAA supervisor standard.