Advice Services Manager

Role Purpose

The Advice Services Manager plays a pivotal leadership role in ensuring the high-quality delivery of information and advice services across Citizens Advice Lewisham. The postholder will drive performance, quality and continuous improvement, ensuring that agreed targets and outcomes are achieved while maintaining the highest standards of client service, compliance and impact.

Key Responsibilities

You will lead, manage and inspire a dedicated team of staff and volunteers to deliver an accessible, consistent and client-centred advice service. Working closely with the Senior Management Team, you will contribute to strategic planning, service development, and organisational sustainability, ensuring Citizens Advice Lewisham continues to respond effectively to emerging needs and funding priorities.

Planning Performance and Service Development:

The Advice Service Manager will lead the monitoring and assessment of quality standards in line with Citizens Advice national requirements and best practice. They will actively contribute to the long-term sustainability of Citizens Advice Lewisham and provide strategic insight to the SMT on performance, operational risks, and emerging trends, supporting effective horizon scanning and forward planning. The role will also involve producing and presenting high-quality performance reports that clearly demonstrate service impact, value for money and operational effectiveness.

Service Delivery and Quality Assurance:

• The Advice Service Manager will provide both strategic and operational leadership for the advice service and delegated projects, ensuring high standards of professionalism, consistency and compliance.

• They will manage and support the team, oversee technical support to advisers, and ensure that all projects meet funder and budgetary requirements.

• The role will involve maintaining a positive and inclusive working environment, leading performance management through regular supervision and appraisal, planning, prioritising workloads. Strong teamwork and clear communication will be required to support service delivery.

Research and Campaigns:

• The Advice Services Manager will lead delivery of the Research and Campaigns functions, ensuring that insight from client casework is captured, analysed, and used to inform service development , reporting and influencing social change.

• Any other relevant administrative and support duties required to ensure the smooth running of the bureau.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Commitment to Citizens Advice Lewisham’s aims and principles.

• Strong organizational and multitasking abilities.

• Strong understanding of strategic and analytical thinking.

• Management experience or qualification

• Ability to plan and organise own work to meet deadlines under pressure.

• Demonstrate effective and efficient ways of working.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.

• Ability to horizon scan and problem solve, using initiative, working independently and as part of a team, demonstrating flexibility and a collaborative outlook.

• Proactive, approachable, and professional attitude, with a commitment to continuous improvement

Desirable

• Technical knowledge of Debt, Immigration and Welfare Benefits.

Glossary

SMT-Senior Management Team

HOA- Head of Advice

LSA-Leadership Self Assessment audit by national Citizens Advice

COL-Cost of living pay rises.