Trainee Adviser

Trainee Adviser job description

Background
Citizens Advice St Albans District (CASTAD) trains many volunteers but sadly, being usually unable to offer
full-time paid posts retains fewer younger people among its team. Full-time paid posts are rare. Full-time
paid training posts are even rarer. This is a chance to train and achieve the highly regarded and very
transferrable Generalist Adviser competences with a successful local Citizens Advice charity.

The post is for one year starting in May/June 2026. The role is funded as a commitment to invest in
developing adviser capacity by training.

The post would be ideal for someone embarking on a journey towards a rewarding, purposeful
career in the charitable legal advice sector. We can offer to support the post holder (s) to
complete their Qualifying Work Experience for SQE.

Role purpose

To allow us to help more people by training a full-time adviser. The post holder will be trained to provide
assessments and advice in the full range of advice areas (debt, benefits, employment housing, family,
immigration, consumer) completing the training needed to qualify as a Generalist Adviser. This role will
be involved in delivering advice at our outreach sites, and in projects such as Keep More Money and
Homelessness prevention.

Person Specification

Essential criteria
You should:

•  Have a connection to the local area
•  Have an appreciation of the principles and values of the Citizens Advice network and how they

might be implemented in practice, and be:

•  Eager to take advantage of opportunities to learn
•  Energetic, a quick study, conscientious, hard working
•  Kind and compassionate to those in need of our advice
•  Able to explain complex things simply
•  Able to build trusting relationships quickly
•  Open-minded and willing to challenge your own preconceptions and those of others
•  Methodical, systematic and have an eye for detail
•  Curious and with a problem-solving approach
•
IT literate with the ability to learn new systems

Desirable criteria

•  Experience of serving in a Citizens Advice in the past 3 years
•  Undertaking assessor training

Job Activities

Assessment / Advice giving

1.  Provide assessments to help clients to make progress towards resolving their problems by phone, in

person, by email and webchat

2.  Interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills in order to allow clients to explain

their problem(s) and empower them to set their own priorities.

3.  Provide assisted action interventions to clients to help them achieve their goals
4.  Use the Citizens Advice website to find, interpret and communicate the relevant information.
5.  Research and explore options and implications so that clients can make informed decisions.
6.  Act for the client where necessary by drafting or writing letters and telephoning.
7.  Negotiate with third parties such as statutory and non-statutory bodies as appropriate.
8.  Refer internally or to other specialist agencies as appropriate.
9.  Maintain detailed case records including recording outcomes for the purpose of continuity, information retrieval,

statistical monitoring and report preparation.

Research and campaigns

1.  Assist with research and campaigns work, providing information about clients' circumstances by

completing evidence forms.

Professional development

1.  Complete adviser in-house materials and distance learning modules and group sessions as available
2.  Keep up to date with legislation, policies and procedures and undertake appropriate training.
3.  Prepare for, attend and contribute to daily briefings, supervision sessions/team meetings/staff

meetings as appropriate.

Administration

1.  Use IT for statistical recording of information relating to research and campaigns and funding
requirements, record keeping and document production. Ensure IT data protection training is
completed on an annual basis.

2.  Ensure that all work conforms to CASTAD’s systems and procedures.
3.  Provide statistical information on the number of clients and nature of cases.

Other duties and responsibilities

1.  Contribute to the training of others by acting as a role model and being observed
2.  Act as an ambassador for the service, briefing others as needed
3.  Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.
4.  Demonstrate behaviour consistent with CASTAD’s values

  Our values

We’re effective. We take our work seriously, are professional in our approach, focused on making
a positive difference using our resources wisely and creatively.

We’re accessible. We meet much of the demand for our service and offer help in a range of ways,
face to face, online, email, webchat, making ourselves available to clients and each other.

We’re collaborative. We work together as a supportive team and with partners

We’re empowering. We encourage independence in those we help and within the team

We’re a learning organisation. We have a no blame culture and invest heavily in learning and
personal development for everyone

  Terms and conditions

Full time hours are 37.5 hours a week

The hourly rate is national living wage, which is currently £12.71/hour

Annual leave is 28 days plus Bank Holidays pro rata.

Location: This role will be office-based in the Civic Centre, St Peter’s Street, St Albans AL1 3JE, as
well as working in our local outreach sites. Therefore you will need to be able to travel to these
locations.

  What we give our staff

After a three-month probation period the post is eligible for membership of the workplace
pension scheme with matched contributions up to a maximum of 6%, and life assurance cover.