Job Information Pack

General Information

Equal Opportunities

Guidance Notes for Candidates

Background Information - CHIEF EXECUTIVES OFFICE

Role information and person specification - OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR AND SUPPORT OFFIC 13513m1217n ER (REF: 04/041)

Salary terms and conditions

Summary Annual Report (2002/2003)

Application and monitoring form

CLOSING DATE: 04 OCTOBER 2004

INTERVIEW DATE: 19/20 OCTOBER 2004

General Information

The Citizens Advice Bureaux service is a network of independent, local charities that helps people resolve their financial, employment, consumer, legal and other problems. The CAB service aims:

• to ensure that individuals do not suffer through lack of knowledge of their rights and responsibilities or of the services available to them, or through an inability to express their needs effectively;

and equally

• to exercise a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services, both locally and nationally.

It does this through providing information and advice to all people who need it and influencing government, companies and organisations whose decisions affect people's lives. The advice services provided by the CAB Service are free, independent, confidential and impartial and available to everyone regardless of race, sex, disability, sexuality or nationality. Nearly six million new CAB client problems are dealt with every year, some of which can take many months or even years to resolve.

The great majority of the 25,000 people in the CAB Service are volunteers, working at around 2000 service outlets across England and Wales.

£116m total funding was provided for bureaux in 2002/03 by local authorities, the community legal service, charitable trusts, the private sector, community and other sources. The Friends of CABx Trust raises and distributes funds as grants to bureaux in need.

Role of Citizens Advice

All bureaux belong to Citizens Advice, which sets standards for advice and equal opportunities and supports bureaux with an information system, training and other services.

At 31 March 2003 Citizens Advice had 495 members. Citizens Advice co-ordinates social policy, media, publicity and parliamentary work. Citizens Advice is an independent national charity operating from a central office in London, a national office in Wales and a network of field offices in England and Wales. Citizens Advice's total income in 2002/03 was £35m. Bureaux in Northern Ireland form the Northern Ireland Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, which has separate funding and staffing. Scotland is served by a sister organisation, Citizens advice Scotland.

Citizens Advice's Values

To fulfil our role we at Citizens Advice will:

Focus on customers

• Involve customers in designing and developing services
• Take our customers problems seriously and help to resolve them
• Keep our promises, be realistic about what we can deliver by when and keep people informed when things change

Achieve results

• Take responsibility for achieving results
• Ensure our work advances the organisation's strategies
• Monitor our work and share the results

Continuously improve

• Actively look for ways to improve
• Create opportunities for learning
• Encourage creativity and innovation
• Learn from our experience and celebrate success

Promote equality and fairness

• Value and promote equality and diversity
• Challenge inequality and discrimination
• Act with honesty and integrity
• Apply fair, transparent policies and procedures

Value each other

• Show respect for people and treat them with courtesy
• Support, encourage, empower and motivate each other
• Give and receive praise and constructive feedback
• Encourage people to have a work-life balance

Work together

• Operate in teams within and across functions to improve our effectiveness
• Talk openly with colleagues about improving their contribution, rather than be critical of them to others
• Share knowledge and information
• Learn about the work of others and respect their priorities

Organisation of Citizens Advice

The Patron of Citizens Advice is HRH The Princess Royal. The Chair of the Trustee Board of Citizens Advice is Sir Graham Hart. The Trustee Board governs and sets policy for implementation through the Chief Executive, David Harker and a board of Executive Directors. The member bureaux elect Trustees.

Citizens Advice employs over 400 staff, the majority of whom work in regional offices in England and Wales. Approximately 150 staff are employed at the Central Office in London's Kings Cross.

Executive Board

This comprises the Chief Executive together with seven Executive Directors of HR, Finance, CABnet, Communications, Policy, Advice and the Network.

	Trustee Board

Chief Executive's Office

The Chief Executive's Office (CEO) exists to support the Chair, Trustee Board and Chief Executive in the effective governance and management of Citizens Advice.

Policy Division

This division is responsible for:

• using evidence from CAB clients to achieve changes in social policy and practice;

• ensuring that Citizens Advice has appropriate policies and strategies to realise its objectives;

• identifying and using opportunities to develop the service, including partnerships with other agencies;

• ensuring stakeholder relations across Government are coherently and effectively managed.

Communications Division

This division is responsible for:

fundraising from all sources for both bureaux and Citizens Advice;

providing a fundraising consultancy service to bureaux;

external communication, including "brand management", media relations and the marketing of services like adviceguide;

communication with bureaux and supporting communication with Citizens Advice staff;

income generating activities, including selling the information system.

Advice Division

This division is responsible for:

the development and delivery of all services that support advice giving including training, information and specialist support. The division will bring ownership of advice issues together, enabling closer working between all those involved in supporting advice;

quality and standards. including the management of the Audit Department and support to the Membership & Standards Committee. This includes membership standards and policy issues which could be thought of as coming under the term professional standards (e.g. confidentiality);

developing our public information work.

Network Division

This division is responsible for:

• guiding and supporting bureaux in key areas of development and where they face particular challenges;

• supporting, defending and extending the bureau network across England & Wales;

• promoting and representing the CAB service at a local, regional, and, within Wales, at a national level;

• facilitating networking between bureaux.

Human Resources Division

Human resources provides a comprehensive and professional consultancy and advice service to Citizens Advice management and staff at its Central Office in London, and in the seven field offices in England and three locations in Wales. This covers the whole range of human resource activities and includes human resource strategy and business planning, workforce planning, recruitment and selection, industrial relations, human resource administration, staff training and development, health and safety and the development of good human resource practice in general.

Finance Division

Finance Division covers a range of financial functions, providing services to Citizens Advice as an organisation. This includes purchase ledger, payroll, cash receipts, financial and management accounts. The Director of Finance is also Company Secretary and adviser to the Association on constitutional matters.

CABnet Division

The CABnet Division manages the system development and implementation of IT systems providing an integrated IT service to Citizens Advice and bureaux. Services provided include:

developing IT applications for bureaux and CitA, this includes EIS, CABlink (the Service Extranet ), Resource Directory, CASE and the MIS application for reporting;

maintaining, supporting and developing Citizens Advice's IT infrastructure;

providing support to bureaux and CitA in planning and implementing IT and promoting equality of access to IT.

Overall the Division aims to promote the effective use of IT to improve the quality of service to CAB clients, to expand and enhance our social policy work and to improve access to the CAB Service.

Equal Opportunities

Our Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy

At Citizens Advice we recognise that there is discrimination against groups and individuals in society and that as a consequence they are disadvantaged both in finding suitable employment and in securing promotion because of race, sex, disability, HIV/AIDS, sexuality, religion/beliefs or age. We value the diversity in our society and recognise that as an employer we can further our strategic aims by being committed to taking positive steps to remedy this discrimination in society. Our values include a commitment to challenge discrimination. We require all our employees to comply with our equal opportunities policy and to co-operate in measures introduced to promote and implement the policy. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

We will ensure that applicants and employees do not receive less favourable treatment on grounds of race, sex, disability, HIV/AIDS, sexuality, religious beliefs or age. In order to monitor the effectiveness of our equal opportunities in employment policy, we monitor the ethnic origin and gender of job applicants together with information on disability. (We have decided after consultation not to conduct quantitative monitoring of sexuality) The information provided will be treated as confidential unless it is used as part of positive action towards the employment of disabled people.

Policy on Employing People with Disabilities

We particularly welcome applications from candidates with disabilities as they are currently underrepresented in our workforce. Any need to make reasonable adaptations to our buildings, facilities or workplace practices should a person with a disability be successful will have no bearing on the decision to interview or appoint. We would normally discuss the adjustments required with the successful candidate once an offer has been made.

Application forms and job information packs will be made available in different formats and media (e.g. tape, Braille, large print etc) if requested.

Self-Organised Groups

There are four self-organised equal opportunities groups funded by Citizens Advice that are open to the relevant staff at Citizens Advice and the CAB Service. These are the National Disabled Workers' Group, the Black Workers' group, the National Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Workers' group and the National Women's Group.

Guidance Notes For Applicants

Please read the guidance notes and information carefully before completing your application form.

The Application Form

We are seeking candidates who meet the requirements set out in the role profile and person specification. Please ensure you relate your application to the person specification requirements. Consider your current and previous employments -paid or unpaid, experience gained at home, in the community or through voluntary, leisure or educational activities. Tell us everything we need to know relevant to the job you are applying for. When listing your jobs ensure dates are correct and in date order, explaining any gaps in your employment history.

Please complete the recruitment monitoring form. This information will be kept confidential and only used for monitoring purposes.

The application form plays a key part in our selection process. We will examine the ways in which you have demonstrated in the application form how you meet the job requirements. We will not make assumptions about your achievements and abilities; you must therefore be clear on the form exactly how you feel they match our requirements. Please note that CV's may supplement but no replace a completed application form.

Application forms can be returned by post, fax to 020 7837 0338 or via email to [email protected]. If returning a form via fax or email please ensure that you also send us a second, signed form. Applications received after the closing date may not be considered. Regretfully we cannot acknowledge receipt of your application form unless you enclose a stamped addressed envelope or postcard.

Shortlisting and Interviews

We will inform all applicants of the outcome of their application. Shortlisted applicants will normally be invited to a panel interview. However, from time to time we may use other selection methods to assess whether candidates meet the person specification requirements. If you are shortlisted you will be given details of the selection methods we will be using.

If you are invited to attend the selection process and have a disability requiring special arrangements to be made, please let us know and we will be pleased to help. If you have a disability requiring reasonable adjustments to be made in order for you to perform the job effectively please be reassured that you may share these with us at any stage of the process knowing that we will be supportive in discussing these with you. Citizens Advice Central Office is accessible to wheelchair users but we are not yet able to give that assurance for all our field offices.

If you are unable to attend a particular interview date there is no guarantee that we will offer you an alternative date although we will do so if we can.

References and Medical

All job offers will be subject to receipt of references, which are satisfactory to us and medical clearance. We will seek to obtain references for shortlisted candidates prior to interview. Please indicate clearly on your application form whether or not we may do so in your case. Please provide a confidential email address for your referees if possible.

We will ask you to complete a confidential medical questionnaire and you may be asked to undergo a medical examination.

Entitlement to Work in the United Kingdom

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. You will be advised of the acceptable documents if an offer of employment is made.

Feedback and Complaints

We are constantly seeking to improve what we do and in accordance with our values we welcome feedback on our recruitment process. If you have a complaint or other feedback for us please contact the Director of Human Resources on 020 7833 7065 or via email: [email protected]

CITIZENS ADVICE

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Chief Executive's Office

The Chief Executive's Office supports the Chair, the Chief Executive, the Trustee and Executive Boards in the effective governance and leadership of Citizens Advice. The private office advises the Chief Executive on policy issues generally, and leads the service on equality and diversity. The private office is often called to represent the Chief Executive internally and externally, and carry out police assessments and other projects as required.

The role of the Chief Executive's Office

Support for the Chair, Trustee Board and Chief Executive

The CEO team provides a full range of personal and administrative support to the Chair, Trustee Board and Chief Executive, including servicing meetings and liaison with visitors at every level.

Policy analysis and implementation

The CEO team maintains an overview of strategic internal and external development, and alerts the Chief Executive to trends and changes that may have an impact on the service, and helps to develop and communicate appropriate responses.

Equalities and diversity

The CEO team co-ordinates equality and diversity work throughout the service by formulating policy and strategy on equalities and promoting best practice, both as a service provider and in deploying paid and voluntary workers.

CITIZENS ADVICE

ROLE PROFILE

CITIZENS ADVICE

PERSON SPECIFICATION

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR AND SUPPORT OFFICER

Knowledge and experience of office systems including correspondence management, filing and archiving, and organisation and retrieval of reference materials.

Excellent planning and organisational skills including working accurately to fixed deadlines on a range of tasks.

Knowledge of working accurately with figures and experience of financial monitoring.

Good, accurate, word-processing and layout skills (50 wpm minimum) and good knowledge of Microsoft software packages.

Ability to communicate effectively on the telephone, face to face and in writing.

Ability to conduct basic research and contribute to writing briefings

Ability to draft own correspondence and prepare draft correspondence for CEO team.

Ability to work in a team.

Ability to demonstrate problem-solving skills and work on own initiative.

An understanding of and commitment to equal opportunities.

An understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of the CAB service.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

HOURS OF WORK 36 ¼ hours per week

Normal working hours are 9 - 5.15 Monday to Friday. However, these hours may vary from week to week to meet the needs of the job.

SALARY -

Salary Range £18,630 - £20,700 per annum inclusive

This salary is made up of a number of components as illustrated below:

* Only applies to ages 18-64 inclusive and if joining the Citizens Advice Pension Scheme

An appointment will be made to a salary within the range for the post depending upon skills and experience.

ANNUAL/TOTAL LEAVE

Annual leave is 26 days pro rata per annum from 1st January to 31st December, plus 4 fixed days (normally over Christmas and New Year). Additionally, there is Long Service Leave of 1-5 days after 3-7 years service.

PENSION SCHEME

Contributory Pension Scheme, with 8.9% non-pensionable supplement from employee and an employer contribution, currently 8.5%.

Pension is based on final salary.

PROBATION POLICY

New appointments are subject to a six months probationary period. Performance is reviewed after three months and again after six months. At the end of the probationary period the outcome of the assessment may be confirmation of post; notice of dismissal; or at Citizens Advice's discretion, an extension of the probationary period by a further three months.

SMOKING

The organisation's Central Office, Myddelton House, operates a strict no smoking policy.  This policy extends to most other offices, although at present there are a few remaining smoking rooms at a limited number of locations

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Citizens Advice has a co-ordinated staff training and development strategy. This will mean that training for your current job, and future career developments relevant to Citizens Advice will be provided and you will be encouraged to take an active role.

SEASON TICKET LOAN

Interest free season ticket loans available on request.

REMOVAL AND RELOCATION EXPENSES

Individuals appointed to permanent posts (ie. excluding fixed term contracts) in Citizens Advice are eligible for reimbursement of removal and relocation expenses to cover costs of moving, rented accommodation, travel etc. subject to the criteria detailed in the policy.

POLITICAL IMPARTIALITY

An important part of the principle of impartiality is that Citizens Advice staff are seen to be upholding the principle of party political impartiality. To avoid possible misunderstanding or possible conflicts of interest guidelines have been established on staff taking part in party political activities. More information on this and a copy of the guidelines is available from the HR Division, telephone 020 7833 7021. If you currently hold, or are intending to stand for local or national party political office, we will expect you to tell us about this if shortlisted for interview.

Citizens Advice is an operating name of The National Association of the Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Company limited by guarantee Registered number: 1436945 England

Registered office: Myddelton House, 115 - 123 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9LZ. Charity registration number: 279057