Advice Caseworker (London)
Salary: £29,605 - £33,966 per annum (plus London Weighting Allowance of £3,000 per annum)
Contract: Full-Time and Permanent
Location: London with Hybrid Working options
Closing Date: Friday 20th September at 9:00am

Coventry University Students’ Union is a charity dedicated to improving the experience of students at the Coventry University Group, operating across 7 campuses in Scarborough, London and Coventry.

As the London Advice Caseworker, you’ll be responsible for the delivery of the Advice Service across the University’s London campuses to provide professional, confidential and impartial, advice, support, representation and information to students at those campuses. This role is vital to ensure the Advice Service provision meets the needs of our students at these campuses by gaining expert knowledge of the demographics of students to make informed decisions on delivery and provide insights on the challenges facing this group of students.

Our ideal candidate will have previous experience of providing advice and guidance to clients and in carrying out casework to achieve positive outcomes for clients, whilst keeping up to date and accurate records. You will have ideally worked with clients from widening participation or international (or equivalent) backgrounds and understand the unique needs of this diverse client population. You will need to be good at working off your own initiative looking for opportunities to further develop the delivery of the Advice Service at London campuses.

Coventry University Students’ Union’s values are to be helpful, inclusive and ethical and these are reflected in our progressive and people focused rewards and benefits. We offer generous annual leave, an agile working scheme and place a high level of importance on staff support, development, inclusivity, and wellbeing.

Key duties will include:

• To provide comprehensive advice, information, support and guidance to pre-entry, current, continuing and franchise students on a wide range of issues including academic, housing, welfare benefits, financial capability and student funding advice.
• To make representation and advocate for individuals and groups of students within the University on matters including academic appeals, complaints, university disciplinary proceedings, professional suitability panels, academic misconduct meetings and panel hearings, and other formal and informal hearings and meetings.
• To help raise the profile of the Advice Service and Your Students’ Union by participating in proactive service activity and other Students’ Union events as required.
• Manage sensitive and confidential information and maintain accurate, up‐to‐date and confidential records and statistics of casework in line with service standards and guidelines.
• Co-ordinate the production of and maintain up-to-date Advice Service publications including (but not limited to), Advice webpages, campaigns, leaflets and other publications in conjunction with the Marketing and Communications Department.

Working Hours and Location:

This post is a permanent role and the full-time contract is 37.5 hours per week. As an organisation, we have an agile working programme which supports staff working from home, however regular working each week is required at our London sites (circa 3 days per week in the office as a minimum) and flexibility to meet business need is required. Coventry University London Campus will be the base location for this post however travel is expected across multiple sites (minimum of one day each week at CU London Dagenham site with frequent visits to the CU London Greenwich site).

Salary Details:

The salary is £29,605 - £33,966. It is usual to start at the bottom of the grade and will increase incrementally on an annual basis however for a candidate with highly relevant previous experience an offer may be made within the grade range. The role also attracts a £3,000 per annum London Weighting Allowance.

Application Process:

To view the job description and person specification and to apply for the role, please click here and you will be taken to the advert on our recruitment portal.

We encourage you to read our shortlisting criteria (on the job description and person specification). The applications that most closely match our shortlisting criteria will be invited for interview.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application or interview process, or have any question regarding the role, please contact hr.su@coventry.ac.uk.

Applications closing date: Friday 20th September 2024 at 9:00am.

Interviews are intended to take place on Tuesday 1 October 2024 - if selected for interview you will receive further information at least 1 week prior to this date.

Focus on Diversity and Inclusion

We are an equal opportunities employer and actively committed to promoting equality and diversity, and expect all staff, students, and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are especially keen to encourage expressions of interest from people currently under-represented within the organisation, these include but are not limited to those from the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and those from a Global Majority background.

We are a disability confident employer and candidates with a disability will be guaranteed an interview, providing they meet in full all of the essential requirements of the post.

Staff Benefits:

Our benefits offered to staff include:

• Occupational Pension Scheme, employer contributions matched up to 6%
• Generous annual leave; this role attracts 31 days holiday plus bank holidays (2 additional days after 2 years’ service and a further 3 additional days after 5 years’ service) per annum
• Free 24/7 access to our Employee Assistance Programme offering confidential advice and support
• Mental Health First Aiders, colleagues who have received training to support others
• Life Insurance 3 x salary
• Discounted Gym membership (in Coventry)
• Eye care and Flu vouchers
• Staff reward and recognition schemes
• Agile working scheme
• Volunteer days, up to 2 paid per year