We are looking for an enthusiastic, dynamic and motivated person to join our team. The Session Supervisor has day to day operational responsibility for the delivery of a high-quality generalist advice service within Airdrie Citizens Advice Bureau. The Session Supervisor is responsible that the quality of advice delivered is in line with the Scottish National Standards and Citizens Advice Scotland’s Membership standards.

This post also supports the learning and development of a high-quality service by providing formal training to volunteers and staff as and when required.

The successful applicant will be encouraged and supported in their personal development by the Senior Management Team.

Employee benefits

Airdrie Citizens Advice Bureau offers excellent terms and conditions and is an inclusive employer considering flexible working arrangements where appropriate. For more details of some of the other benefits on offer to our employees, please contact us for more information.

Core Duties

• Provide supervision and support for advice workers, particularly in relation to advice enquiries, CASTLE data entry and enquiry entry.
• Support advisers to produce accurate, legible and complete client records.
• Contribute to building and supervising an effective team, understanding the importance of continual improvement of the service.
• Undertake advice work as and when required.
• Implement effective Triage Service
• Support and maintain uniform advice standards and contribute to their development. Ensure that advice work undertaken complies with CAS Quality Audit standards, Scottish National Standards.
• Actively implement the Aims and Principles of the CAB service, together with its other policies.

Essential Criteria

• Delivery of advice and information services to clients.
• Ability to work without supervision
• Basic training skills
• Ability to deal with staff, volunteers and the public in a calm, caring and competent manner
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex information
• Ability to prioritise own work and that of others, meet deadlines and manage workload in a pressured environment
• Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively

Desirable Criteria

• At least 2 years’ experience of supporting others in advice provision
• A working knowledge of CASTLE for the purpose of recording client cases
• Commitment to ongoing training
• Working within the voluntary sector
• Experience of supporting vulnerable clients

To provide clients with holistic advice covering debt, income maximisation, energy. This will include preparation of financial statements, explanation of debt options and assistance to access these options. The role will require the ability to interact with clients over the telephone, face to face and using digital channels to provide advice.

Ongoing training will be provided however you should be someone who can demonstrate experience of working with clients who are experiencing multiple and complex issues and who can provide advice sensitively and with confidence to clients.

In addition to managing a caseload you may also be required to work on a duty rota for dealing with initial money advice contacts and for covering outreach services as required, as well as providing 2nd-tier support to other advisers within the Bureau.

You should have an understanding of the effects of financial difficulties and financial hardship on our clients. You should be an excellent team player with a desire to progress with training to meet the standards required.

About the job

The purpose of this post is to co-ordinate and supervise the efficient day to day operational running of the general (non-specialist, Level 1) advice services including triage and general volunteer advisers.

The post holder will ensure that all advice client contacts and enquiries are allocated and progressed appropriately and will case check the work of the team to ensure Citizens Advice Membership Standards, Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers and CAS Quality of Advice requirements.

A key part of this role will involve examining current systems, with a view to addressing any gaps in consistency of approach and practice across the advice team.

The post holder will be pro-active and responsive in what can be a fast paced and busy role and will ensure all staff are able to maintain the knowledge, skills, expertise and resources necessary to meet client demand for advice to the standards required.

The post holder will help to record and monitor trends in client contact and to identify where appropriate, social policy issues in order to help deliver on our twin aim of exercising a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services, both locally and nationally, and representing the organisation in relevant forums to achieve that aim.

As part of the leadership team, the post-holder will help develop and deliver against the organisation’s business strategy, with a view to maintaining the highest standard of compliance and where required, increasing the capacity and/or efficiency to meet current and future demand.

Help us support communities in East Lothian with quality advice.

Who we are

East Lothian Advice Consortium Ltd (ELAC) is a company limited by guarantee without share capital which has contracted with East Lothian Council (ELC) for the provision of advice services in East Lothian. These advice services are delivered by way of sub-contracts between ELAC and Haddington Citizens Advice Bureau (HCAB) and Musselburgh Citizens Advice Bureau (MCAB). They are both independent charities that provide free, impartial, and confidential information and advice services in East Lothian. We offer support on issues ranging from debt, benefits, and welfare rights to consumer rights, finances, and budgeting support.

Our services are available to everyone in our local communities. We aim to make them as accessible as possible by promoting equality and diversity and by challenging discrimination.

Who are we looking for?

We currently have a small but strong Board of Directors with diverse professional expertise. We are seeking a new Chair who can lead ELAC through a period of new contract delivery and support the Bureaux with quarterly meetings with ELC, ensuring we provide the most relevant and accessible advice services possible in terms of the contract.

The role offers the opportunity to a make a central and strategic contribution to supporting the people of East Lothian with a range of pressing advice issues. Our work at HCAB and MCAB also makes a fundamental contribution to the campaigns and advocacy work of Citizens Advice Scotland on behalf of the full network of CABs.

To support these outcomes, we plan for a minimum 3-month induction period during which the successful candidate will shadow the current Chair and get to know our organisation in detail as a Director. Once fully in post as Chair from August 2025, you will be further supported by our experienced members.

We welcome applications from candidates with experience of organisational leadership who feel passionate about our work, regardless of professional background. We are looking for candidates with a sound understanding of (third sector) governance, financial acumen, and experience contributing to or leading boards.

The Chair will:

• be independent of any of the Providers
• provide leadership and ensure the ELAC Board monitors and delivers the Advice Services Contract on behalf of East Lothian Council.
• effectively chair ELAC meetings with the power of a casting vote where allowed by the Articles of the Company.
• act as the key representative and liaison for ELAC and ensure an effective relationship is maintained between the ELAC Board, the Providers and the Council.
• work with ELAC and the Delivery Management Team to organise quarterly ELAC meetings, an AGM and any additional meetings, training or strategic planning events as required by ELAC.
• represent the ELAC Board at meetings or events as required/available.
• participate and/or lead in dispute resolution where issues or disputes arise between any of the parties

Time committment

The expected commitment for the Chair is approximately 30 hours per quarter, incorporating flexibility to work around a full-time working schedule. Board and ELC meetings are each held 4 times a year, normally two weeks apart.

Meetings are held online.