Since 1984 Granton Information Centre (GIC) have worked hard to improve the lives of individuals and families by providing free & impartial advice, advocacy and representation on matters relating to welfare rights, debt and housing. If you are passionate about alleviating poverty and supporting people and communities in Edinburgh, we want to hear from you!

Main Tasks

• Provide advice, assistance and when necessary representation with welfare benefit entitlement claims and money, debt and general housing issues, via centre based, telephone, outreach and home visit appointments.
• Represent claimants at appeal tribunals.
• Record and maintain accurate client case records using our Advice Pro recording system.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of changes and developments in welfare, housing and debt legislation and liaise with colleagues on any issues that need to be communicated wider.

The Citizens Advice network across Scotland helped almost 190,000 people in 2024-25, unlocking £142 million for people to use in their local communities. The advice we provide is life-changing and often live-saving. Moreover, we use this unique and unparalleled insight and evidence to advocate for people and secure change.

Our brand is the most trusted of any advice network in Scotland and we want someone to build on this achievement, create compelling campaigns that not only support our network of advisers but also make politicians and decision-makers sit up and pay attention to the changes we need.

This role is a rare opportunity to develop and deliver campaigns to our targeted audiences to make a real difference to the lives of people across all corners of Scotland.

The ideal candidate will be attuned to emerging trends within the third sector and campaigning space and be dedicated to delivering meaningful and impactful communications.

We’re looking for someone that will protect and enhance our brand and be alert to both risk and opportunity. We will need you to be an expert in terms of cultivating the relationships and platforms we need to tell those stories effectively and persuasively.

Employee benefits

Citizens Advice Scotland offers excellent terms and conditions. We want our people to have a great work life balance and we have designed our working practices and benefits to support this. Here are some of things our employees benefit from: a 35-hour full time working week, 40 days annual leave, genuine flexibility in working hours with a flexi-time system, and hybrid working opportunities for every role. For more details of some of the other benefits on offer to our employees, please see the section on employee benefits in the job pack.

Citizens Advice Scotland is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies and flexible working arrangements to support all our staff. We are also committed to equality of opportunity for all and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

CAS provides options for hybrid working to allow employees to balance their time attending the office with time working from home. The number of days you will be able to work from home each week will be dependent on your job role and can be discussed as part of the recruitment process.

This Citizens Advice Network in Scotland is committed to continuous improvement in all aspects of our operations to ensure our services remain relevant and are delivered in a responsible and sustainable way.

This role will be vital in ensuring the sustainability of our services both now and into the future. The role will support CAS and the Network to maintain our leadership position, understanding and responding to societal change and stakeholder priorities that reflect that change, adapting policies and approaches in a variety of areas. The role will bring together and develop the skills, tools, knowledge and expertise within CAS and the Network. The priority will be our Network’s decarbonisation journey to net zero, and the scope will encompass varied developmental areas.

Employee benefits

Citizens Advice Scotland offers excellent terms and conditions. We want our people to have a great work life balance and we have designed our working practices and benefits to support this. Here are some of things our employees benefit from: a 35-hour full time working week, 40 days annual leave, genuine flexibility in working hours with a flexi-time system, and hybrid working opportunities for every role. For more details of some of the other benefits on offer to our employees, please see the section on employee benefits in the job pack.

Citizens Advice Scotland is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies and flexible working arrangements to support all our staff. We are also committed to equality of opportunity for all and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

CAS provides options for hybrid working to allow employees to balance their time attending the office with time working from home. The number of days you will be able to work from home each week will be dependent on your job role and can be discussed as part of the recruitment process.

The purpose of this role is to tackle health inequalities through the reduction of poverty, maximisation of income and reduction of household expenditure by increasing uptake of welfare benefits and improving access to employment, housing and debt advice. Welfare advice services provide free, confidential, independent and impartial welfare rights advice service for patients, carers and staff at the East Lothian Community Hospital

Key responsibilities include:

• Provide responsive, on-site, person-centred advice and support, and additional options to clients of home visits, telephone and online appointments where appropriate.

• Work to promote and embed the service across the East Lothian Community hospital site by attending team meetings and providing training, promotional materials and ward visits where necessary.

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with hospital staff.

• Represent and negotiate (where needed) for clients.

• Provide a minimum of 25 client appointments per month.

• Maintain expertise in relevant legislation eg welfare rights, debt and bankruptcy.

• Work in partnership with other advice agencies in Lothian and beyond where appropriate.

• Refer (where specialist advice is needed) and signpost clients to other organisations where necessary.

• Provide support for workforce development to enhance the knowledge and increase the competence of hospital staff.

• Work with Lothian Heath Board staff wellbeing leads to promote financial wellbeing among hospital staff.

• Maintain accurate records of all advice and casework on CASTLE, the Scottish CAB service electronic case recording system.

• Keep records of benefit income raised, client profiles, details of referrals and other statistics for both the CAB service and project reporting.

• Contribute to the Bureau’s social policy work ensuring that issues affecting outreach areas are taken up locally, regionally and nationally.