Universal Credit Work Coach - Aberdeen

Job summary

This campaign has 5 roles available in Aberdeen Jobcentre. Work Coach roles are office-based, offering a supportive team environment where you’ll collaborate closely with colleagues and make a real difference through face-to-face customer support each day.

We encourage you to consider your ability to attend the workplace regularly when applying. If you are successful and receive an offer, we will aim to agree a reasonable start date that works for you; however, candidates who are unable to take up the role within an appropriate timeframe may be withdrawn from the campaign.

Please note that these vacancies are not currently eligible for new applications for Visa Sponsorship on the Skilled Worker route, for any candidates who do not currently have permission to be in the UK as a Skilled Worker where they were sponsored before 4 April 2024, even if relying on tradeable points (including the new entrant tradeable points option) as they are not included in the published Immigration Salary List. This information is offered as guidance only, and we recommend that applicants seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role.

About the Job

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. We are the UK's biggest public service department and administer the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers.

DWP is committed to being an equal opportunities employer and we aspire to being the most inclusive employer in the United Kingdom.

The Work Coach role is rewarding, varied and complex and no two days will be the same as you will be dealing with different customers face to face and their specific support needs each day.

If you’re looking for a career that makes a clear and positive difference to people’s lives, then a DWP Executive Officer role may be an ideal for you!

About us - Department for Work and Pensions GOV.UK

Job description

As a Work Coach you hold a vital role in the Department, helping individuals and their families towards financial independence through work and enabling them to claim the support they need as they progress.

Work Coaches are customer-focused, dedicated individuals and are able to deliver exceptional service with empathy and compassion to people who need their support.

As a Work Coach, you will use sound judgement to help people through some difficult, challenging times in their lives, and your tailored coaching can make a huge difference to their ability to find, stay in, and progress in a job.

If you're looking for a job that makes a clear difference to people's lives, a Work Coach role in DWP could be just what you are looking for.

Key Accountabilities

The Work Coach role is wide-ranging and diverse. You will be working with customers, employers and colleagues through a combination of face to face, digital and telephone contact on a daily basis. Some of the main activities are set out below:

• Providing support to customers claiming Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseekers Allowance and Income Support.
• Offering quality advice to customers about job search actions, supporting them to job search effectively in a largely digital world, and matching to suitable vacancies.
• Meeting your legal duty to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and making sure your customers get the additional support and advice to help them access our services.
• Building positive relationships with customers that encourages, motivates, and builds trust.
• Developing an in-depth knowledge of local employment opportunities and the support our service partners offer.
• Making timely decisions, based on customer needs, and referring them to appropriate help and support.
• Be accountable for performance and management of your caseload.

Person specification

Key Criteria

What we are looking for:

• Effective communication skills both verbally and in writing to a wide range of diverse customers.
• The ability to understand complex information and give clear explanations to the customer.
• You will be able to coach customers to improve their movement in to work.
• You must be able to navigate a range of computer systems to action tasks as well as coach customers to be confident using digital work search tools.
• You’ll also be required to handle telephony queries and have the ability to manage difficult situations where required in a calm and professional manner.

Requirements that all applicants must meet:

• You must be able to work on site, in person, in the Jobcentre location you are posted to.
• You must be able to work with customers face to face. Telephony and digital contact will also be an essential requirement.
• You must be able to work in a fast paced, busy environment as part of a team and independently.

We have exciting, challenging and rewarding roles available across DWP.

We are looking for people who are customer focused, with the right skills, commitment and capability to deliver an exceptional public service.

If you’re looking for a career that makes a clear and positive difference to people’s lives, then being a Work Coach may be an ideal role for you! You can find out more here.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,137, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £9,310 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

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