Money Advice Manager

To manage a team of Money Advisors to providing specialist Money Advice services to our tenants and Leaseholders to include Welfare Benefit Advice to maximise Income as well as Debt Management Advice for debts to be prioritised and tenancies maintained, in order for them to be able to maintain their tenancies satisfactorily and to complement the support offered by Housing Officers and Tenancy Support Advisers.

To work closely with other peers across Portsmouth Homes to ensure that tenants are effectively supported, that tenants are represented and their voice is heard when planning any significant service delivery change or policy, that feedback received and outcomes from complaints are used to improve services and identify training needs and that tenants are able to access appropriate Money Advice to enhance their general quality of life.


Skills:

1. You must have an excellent understanding of Welfare Benefits and Debt Advice in a Social Housing environment

2. You should have substantial experience of working within a Social Housing setting.

3. You must hold a Certificate in Money Advice Practice and Debt Relief Order Intermediary Status (or be prepared to obtain this).

4. You should be able to maintain and build effective relationships with internal stakeholders to ensure our tenants can sustain their tenancies effectively with the appropriate level of financial support, welfare benefit and debt advice needed.

5. You should be confident in leading, managing and coaching staff to ensure they deliver Money Advice services effectively and efficiently to support compliance with Social Housing Consumer standards and Financial Regulations.

6. You should have experience of regular engagement with both internal and external stakeholders within the remit of Money Advice, including but not limited to:

• Department for Works and Pensions
• Housing and Council Tax Benefit departments
• Housing Support Fund administrators
• HIVE Portsmouth
• Citizens Advice
• Other financial organisations which can help support tenants with underlying causes affecting welfare benefit entitlement and debt management.

7. You should have the ability and confidence to identify legal support and remedies to resolve more complex Welfare Benefit and Debt issues to support of our tenants and Money Advisors.

8. You should be able to engage and support engagement with external agencies such as Courts, Solicitors, other L/As, and the voluntary sector to ensure our tenants receive access to services and support as needed, including back dated benefit claims, appeals processes and challenging changes to the Welfare Benefit systems on behalf of our tenants.

9. You must show commitment to maintaining your Continual Professional Development (CPD), ensuring that accreditation and qualification is maintained, and promote your teams ongoing accreditation and CPD.

10. You should be confident in working with and where necessary, appropriately challenging other directorates or agencies at multi-agency meetings to ensure tenants are receiving the appropriate Money Advice, and Money Advisors
are supported to undertake their role effectively.

11. You should be able to support Money Advisors when managing complex cases involving multiple significant issues, extreme financial hardship and limited access to funds.

12. You must have the confidence to represent Portsmouth Homes and or Tenants/Leaseholders in court for Appeal Claims which may involve giving evidence and being questioned which can be stressful and require a level of
emotional resilience and in depth knowledge of Welfare Benefit regulation/law

13. You need to be able to analyse feedback and measures to change service delivery, and present date and information constructively driving change where needed ensuring that this is embedded within services where needed and possible in line with legislation, case law and best practice

14. You should have an understanding of GDPR rules and guidance relating to data management and processing.