LEEDS CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU
26,403 - 33,699 per year
Leeds
Part-time
28th November 2025
Job Pack Gateway Assessor/Trainee Thank you for your interest in working at Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre. In this job pack you will find information about: ● Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre ● The job description/person specification and the team the role is within ● Benefits of working for Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre ● Our approach to equality and diversity ● The application process Timescale for applications: ● Closing date: ● Interviews: Friday 28th November 2025 at 9am From 8th December 2025 onwards Applications received after this time and date will not be considered. Please also note that CVs are not accepted as part of the application process. Due to high levels of interest in our roles, we are unable to respond individually to applicants who are not invited to interview. If you do not hear from us by 8th December 2025 you should assume you are not being invited to interview on this occasion. Applications should be sent to: jobs@citizensadviceleeds.org.uk Reviewed: 11.11.2025 Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre is a local charity working for a fairer society where people are free from the effects of poverty and social injustice. We help individuals, families and communities by offering free advice and representation and challenging systemic injustice. We have deep roots in the local community, dating back to 1939 when we first opened our doors, and have been providing free advice to Leeds residents ever since. Our status as a Law Centre is more recent, having joined the Law Centres Network in 2024, but is built on our long experience in working for social justice, locally and nationally. Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre is the largest provider of free and independent advice in the city, helping 35,000 people a year through telephone, online and face-to-face services delivered at over 12 locations citywide. We have around 75 employees and 30 volunteers at any time, the majority of whom are advisers delivering services that include: ● Generalist advice covering Benefits, Debt, Employment, Housing, Immigration and other social welfare law matters. ● Casework/legal advice in Benefits, Debt, Housing and Immigration. ● Outreach advice sessions for people experiencing mental health issues and for families with young children. Leeds CALC meets high quality standards in advice delivery and organisation management, meeting the membership standards of Citizens Advice and the Law Centres Network, as well as the requirements of the Advice Quality Standard, Money and Pensions Service and the Financial Conduct Authority. Our Gateway Assessment Team is the first point of contact for all our advice services, by telephone, online and in person. Exploring and understanding clients’ issues are key to the gateway assessment process, to ensure that people are provided with the right information, in the right way. Sometimes people can be given the help they need in that first assessment, sometimes they will need to be booked into an appointment, and others will need to be referred to other organisations. Our clients’ enquiries are varied and you’ll be dealing with a wide range of issues every day. Further details about the role can be found overleaf. O Reviewed: 11.11.2025 The role Job title Gateway Assessor Location Leeds/Hybrid Salary Trainee Scales points 7-12 (£26,403 - £28,598) pa Qualified Scales points 12-22 (£28,598 - £33,699) pa (Trainees move to qualified salary after successful completion of training & probation period) Hours/Term Hours up to 35 hours per week - please state preferred hours in application. Reports to Team Leader This role involves working as part of our busy gateway assessment team, who respond to clients contacting us through a range of channels - face to face drop in, our telephone advice line, and by webchat and email. The Gateway Assessor acts as the first point of contact for our service, using listening and questioning skills to understand and explore clients’ issues, and providing information, signposting and/or making referrals and where appropriate appointments with advice providers. Strong oral and written communication skills are essential, as is the ability to listen, engage and empathise with potentially vulnerable clients. You should be organised and resilient, with the ability to work independently on a number of tasks to meet deadlines. You will be a good team player, delivering high quality advice to clients, and contributing to the team rota, targets, and KPIs to provide an excellent service. Reviewed: 11.11.2025 Job description & person specification Duties and responsibilities 1. Service delivery 1.1. Carry out gateway assessment interviews and advice in accordance with Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre policies and procedures. 1.2. Ensure that interviews are undertaken in accordance with Citizens Advice membership standards and Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre policies and procedures. 1.3. Record statistical and case information in accordance with Citizens Advice Leeds & Law Centre procedures. 1.4. Signpost or refer clients to other services and organisations as appropriate. 1.5. Ensure the service is provided in accordance with contractual requirements and meets the agreed targets. 1.6. Work cooperatively with other (paid and volunteer) staff at Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre, to develop good relationships and raise awareness of the advice service. 1.7. Identify Research and Campaigns issues. Assist with Research and Campaigns work by providing information about clients' circumstances through the appropriate channel. 1.8. Identify if there is any question of discrimination. Be aware of the organisational procedures for dealing with actual and potential discrimination issues. 1.9. Use IT for recording interviews, document production, statistical recording and other information required for reports on the service. 2. Professional Development 2.1. Develop and maintain Citizens Advice competences for the roles of Gateway Assessor. 2.2. Keep up to date with legislation, policies and procedures relating to gateway assessment work and attend appropriate training. 2.3. Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with your supervisor. 2.4. Prepare for and attend supervision sessions. 3. Other duties and responsibilities 3.1. Contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of the service. 3.2. Promote the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice Service. 3.3. Abide by and assist in the implementation of organisational policies and procedures including Health and Safety, IT, information assurance and equalities and diversity policies. 3.4. Present a professional appearance, help maintain an orderly working environment and act at all times to uphold the good reputation of Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre. 3.5. Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service. Reviewed: 11.11.2025 Person specification - Gateway Assessor/Trainee Essential criteria Qualified Trainee 1 At least 6 months’ experience (in the last 2 years ) of undertaking gateway assessment interviews or advice on a regular basis. 2 Thorough knowledge of advice subjects including benefits, housing and debt at a gateway assessment level. 3 Experience of engaging with clients/customers through face-to-face, telephone and digital channels. 4 Ability to identify clients’ problems and seek to resolve them, including experience of interpreting complex information and being able to convey it to others in a way that is understandable 5 Excellent IT skills, including experience of using cloud based systems to carry out daily duties 6 Excellent decision making, organisational and problem solving skills 7 Good literacy and numeracy skills relevant to the role. 8 Ability to remain resilient under pressure, including when dealing with emotional issues, and work on a number of tasks, meeting deadlines 9 Positive approach to working in a team and contributing to wider organisation goals. 10 Proven ability and willingness to meet appropriate targets, including organizational objectives and funder targets. ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 11 Ability to work flexibly to meet service targets and to participate ✔ in a rota to cover delivery (8am-6pm). 12 Ability and willingness to travel for business purposes including ✔ service delivery, training and other events as required. 13 Proactive approach to personal development and the updating of skills and knowledge. 14 Professional work ethic: honest, conscientious, self-motivated and reliable. ✔ ✔ Reviewed: 11.11.2025 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 15 Demonstrable commitment to Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre’ values of fairness, equality and social justice. ✔ ✔ Desirable criteria Qualified Trainee 16 Experience of providing generalist advice in one or more of the ✔ ✔ main enquiry areas. 17 Citizens Advice Certificate in Generalist Advice Work or QCF Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Legal Advice Provision. ✔ Reviewed: 11.11.2025 Benefits of working for Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre offers a competitive remuneration package with additional benefits that support a positive work-life balance: ● Full-time hours are 35 per week with hybrid and flexible working policies ● Defined contribution pension scheme ● Employee assistance programme with access to 24/7 telephone support ● We are a Disability Confident Employer and a Mindful Employer ● Modern, high quality offices located in the city centre, with excellent transport links Our commitment to equality and diversity Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive culture for our employees, volunteers, service users and other stakeholders. We recognise the positive value of diversity, promoting equality and fairness, and challenging discrimination. We value the benefits of having a diverse workforce and will take steps to recruit from the widest pool of qualified candidates practicable, ensuring that employment opportunities are open and accessible to all on the basis of their individual qualities and personal merit. Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre is a Disability Confident Employer and a Mindful Employer and we are committed to showing a positive and enabling attitude to employees and job applicants with disabilities or mental health issues and our employee policies and benefits support that commitment. The application process ● You will find details about our vacancies and how to apply on our website www.citizensadviceleeds.org.uk on the Working for us page. On this page you will find: ○ Job descriptions for current vacancies ○ Guidance on how to apply ○ Application form ○ Diversity monitoring form ● When you have filled in the application form please email it to us at jobs@citizensadviceleeds.org.uk ● You should also complete the anonymous diversity monitoring form on the Working for us page of our website Reviewed: 11.11.2025 ● If you are shortlisted for a role we will contact you to invite you to an interview. Interviews are carried out by a panel of 2-3 people and are usually face-to-face. Interviews may be carried out online if necessary. ● We may also ask you to undertake an exercise as part of the assessment process. This could include providing answers to case studies for advice roles, making a presentation for a management role, or other appropriate activity. ● Following the interview process you will be contacted to inform you if we are making an employment offer or not. This verbal offer will be followed by a written confirmation subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and completion of ID and other checks as required for the role. ● Verbal feedback will be offered to candidates who are unsuccessful at the interview but we do not provide written feedback. Application form Complete the application form and return it by post or email no later than the closing date referred to in the advert. If you return your application via email there is no requirement to send a hard copy in the post. CVs will not be accepted as a substitute for the application form, unless specifically stated in the advert. The application form plays a key part in our recruitment and selection process. We use the information you provide about your skills, experience, career and education history to decide whether or not to invite you for an interview. It is important that you complete the application form as fully and accurately as possible, ensuring that you give specific examples which demonstrate how you meet the criteria for the role for which you are applying. Choose examples of past experience that clearly demonstrate what we are looking for, and be precise about what you did, how you did it and the outcome or result of your actions. Provide recent work examples wherever possible but examples from other aspects of your life such as voluntary work, school or college experiences, can also be given. Disability Confident Employer As an organisation that values equality, fairness and diversity, Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre encourages applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We are a Disability Confident Employer and signatories to the Mindful Employer Charter. We commit to invite to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum (essential) criteria for the role. To opt into this scheme, please tick the relevant box on the application form. The essential criteria for the role are shown in the person specification. Please let us know if you have any access or adjustment needs as part of the recruitment process. If you are invited to an interview we will ask you about any access needs or adjustments to the interview/assessment process that you may need. Please be assured we will be Reviewed: 11.11.2025 supportive in discussing reasonable adjustments with you at any stage of the recruitment process, although we cannot guarantee to be able to meet all requests. Shortlisting outcomes Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview. Some positions may require additional assessments (practical task/test or assessment centre) and information on this will be provided if you are invited to interview. Entitlement to work in the UK A job offer will be subject to confirmation that you are permitted to work in the UK in accordance with the provisions of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996. If you are invited to an interview you will be asked to provide evidence of your entitlement to work in the UK at that time. Diversity Monitoring Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre encourages and welcomes applications from suitably skilled candidates from all backgrounds. Monitoring recruitment and selection procedures is one way of helping us to ensure that there is no unfair discrimination in the way that we recruit people. To do this we need to know about the diversity profile of people who apply for posts at Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre. This information is given in confidence for monitoring purposes only and is not seen by anyone responsible for making recruitment decisions. However, if you would prefer not to answer any of the questions we ask, please leave them blank. References All job offers are subject to the receipt of two satisfactory references. One should be from your current or most recent employer (or your course tutor if you have just left education). The other should be someone who knows you in a work related, voluntary or academic capacity. Both referees should be able to comment on your suitability for the role. References will only be taken up for successful candidates following interview. Criminal convictions Anyone who applies to work within Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre will be asked to disclose details of unspent convictions during the recruitment process. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working for Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre but we are not able to employ anyone with a conviction for a sexual offence against a child or vulnerable adult regardless of when the offence took place. All other convictions will be considered on an individual basis. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosures are only requested where proportionate and relevant to the post concerned. If the post for which you are applying requires a DBS disclosure, this will be noted in the application pack. Reviewed: 11.11.2025