Trainee Money & Debt Specialists

Trainee Money & Debt Specialist

2 full-time positions 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £27,477 per annum
Location: Taunton, Yeovil or Bridgwater, with some hybrid working available
5% employer pension contribution

Would you like to start a career where you can make a real difference?

Citizens Advice Somerset is looking for two Trainee Money & Debt Specialists to join our experienced and supportive team.

This is an exciting opportunity to build a career in the money and debt advice sector, helping people across Somerset who are struggling with money worries, debt and financial uncertainty.

You don't need to be an experienced debt adviser to apply. We will provide and fund your professional training, giving you the knowledge, skills and practical experience you need to become a qualified Money & Debt Specialist.

The training programme will take about 12 months & you will work alongside experienced debt caseworkers and learn through a combination of formal training, shadowing, practical experience and supervised casework. You'll start by observing and assisting experienced advisers before gradually taking on your own client work as your skills and confidence develop.

It's a challenging and rewarding role where the advice you provide can have a genuinely life-changing impact.

About the role

As a Trainee Money & Debt Specialist, you will develop the skills to provide high-quality, accurate and impartial advice to clients experiencing financial difficulties.

Once appropriately trained and supervised, your work will include:

• Providing money and debt advice across a wide range of issues, including priority and non-priority debts.
• Supporting clients with related issues such as welfare benefits, housing, financial matters and income maximisation.
• Helping clients access grants and other financial support where appropriate.
• Identifying urgent situations and taking appropriate action to protect clients from immediate harm or financial difficulty.
• Communicating and negotiating with creditors and other relevant organisations on behalf of clients.
• Drafting professional letters and other communications to clients, creditors and third parties.
• Preparing and presenting cases to relevant statutory bodies and courts, including applications relating to Debt Relief Orders, Breathing Space and bankruptcy.
• Maintaining accurate, detailed and timely case records in line with regulatory and organisational requirements.
• Developing positive, trusting and professional relationships with clients, colleagues, partner organisations and external agencies.
• Contributing to research and campaigns on issues affecting our clients and local communities.
• Providing information and reports to managers and, where appropriate, the Trustee Board.
• Taking part in regular mentoring, supervision and ongoing training to maintain and develop your knowledge and skills.
• Supporting colleagues and, as your experience develops, providing guidance to less experienced staff and volunteers.

Throughout your training, you'll be supported by experienced colleagues and given opportunities to put your learning into practice in a safe and supervised environment.

About you

We're looking for someone who is empathetic, organised, resilient and committed to learning. You will need to be comfortable working with people who may be experiencing significant financial and personal pressures, while maintaining a calm, professional and non-judgemental approach.

You will have:

• A commitment to completing the required training programme within the scheduled timescales, together with the ability to learn and apply new knowledge in a working environment.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and customer service skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and confidently and support clients in a respectful and sensitive manner.
• The ability to work effectively in a busy environment, manage competing priorities and meet deadlines while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Good IT skills and experience using office and cloud-based systems, including Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Strong written and administrative skills, including the ability to draft clear and professional communications for clients and creditors.
• Good numeracy and literacy skills, including Level 2 English and Maths or equivalent.
• The ability to maintain accurate and professional records and follow regulated procedures, including requirements relating to data processing and financial conduct regulation.
• The ability to work effectively as part of a team while also using your own initiative to organise and prioritise your workload.
• An understanding of the importance of confidentiality and data security, with a commitment to maintaining the highest professional standards.
• An understanding of, and commitment to, the aims, principles and policies of Citizens Advice, including the positive value of equality, diversity and inclusion.
• The ability and willingness to attend one of our main sites at least once a week, and to travel to meetings, training sessions and client appointments when required and with reasonable notice.

Why join us?

This is more than just a training position. It's an opportunity to develop specialist professional skills while doing work that makes a meaningful difference to people's lives.

You'll receive:

• A fully funded 12-month industry training programme
• Practical experience and supervised training from experienced debt caseworkers
• Regular mentoring and support throughout your development
• A starting salary of £27,477 per annum
• 5% employer pension contribution
• The opportunity for some hybrid working
• The chance to build a rewarding career in money and debt advice

How to apply

Closing date: 12 noon, 15 October
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if sufficient applications are received.

Interview dates: 21 and 22 October

The successful candidates will be based at one of our Citizens Advice Somerset offices in Taunton, Yeovil or Bridgwater, with some hybrid working available.

If you're looking for a career where you can use your skills to help people through difficult times, and you're ready to learn and develop, we'd love to hear from you.