Senior Housing Caseworker

Cyfraith Gymunedol y Gogledd / North Wales Community Law; Llandudno Junction; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job description

About the role

Thanks to the generosity of our funders, we are seeking to grow our legal team. The new postholder will provide specialist housing casework and advice under the supervision of our Legal Services Director. Based in our offices in Llandudno Junction, the role will involve regular travel to community-based outreach clinics in North Wales, particularly Gwynedd and Ynys Mon.

We are particularly keen to hear from paralegals with experience of relevant Welsh housing legislation and qualified solicitors with experience of legally aided civil litigation. Within the salary range, we anticipate a paralegal to be appointed within the lower half of the salary range (£27k-£31k), and a qualified solicitor to be appointed within the higher half (£31k to £35k).

Other benefits include 35 days annual leave (including bank holidays), company pension and a commitment to investing in your professional development. Wellbeing is a core value of North Wales Community Law, and we recognise that we all thrive when our needs are met. All staff have access to discounts, free financial and legal advice, and health and wellbeing support through our comprehensive employee assistance programme.

Duties

• To provide casework assistance to our legal team, and give appropriate advice and support to clients, managing your own caseload and making applications for public funding as required.
• To liaise with landlords’ and other parties’ representatives, solicitors, other agencies and groups as required.
• To ensure that all casework, advice, and assistance complies with the requirements of the organisation’s processes, accreditations and, where publicly funded, complies with the requirements of the Legal Aid Agency.
• To collate evidence and work in partnership with other advice providers locally and regionally to influence the development of policy and legislation in relation to housing and domestic abuse.
• To undertake outreach work, including liaising with local communities, delivering talks and presentations to groups, and visiting community settings as appropriate. Work from various locations as reasonably required.
• To inform and participate in our public legal education work, to promote North Wales Community Law and a rights-respecting culture in north Wales.
• To actively engage with local community groups and organisations, bringing together our experience, skills and knowledge with that of others, sharing learning wherever possible.
• To prepare reports on your own work for the information of the Trustee Board, funders and other stakeholders, as required.
• To actively contribute to internal meetings, including cascading learning.
• To attend appropriate training courses and maintain readership of relevant publications to maintain and develop professional expertise.
• To support your own and team’s wellbeing and encourage a positive working environment.
• To travel to other locations for the purposes of giving advice, advocacy or for training.
• To carry out a share of administrative tasks including those detailed in the organisation’s Quality Manual.
• To carry out such other duties as may be required.

About North Wales Community Law

Our vision is that everyone in North Wales has access to the services and expertise they need to uphold their rights, fight inequality and challenge injustice.

North Wales Community Law is an independent, not-for-profit legal charity committed to alleviating poverty, promoting equality, and helping everyone create a fair and just society. We do this by providing free, community-based legal advice on issues affecting the day-to-day lives of people living in North Wales, using the law as a tool for social change, and sharing knowledge and skills across the legal and charity sectors.

Since opening our doors in 2023 we’ve provided expert legal advice to people in need who would otherwise have no access to justice. We’ve formed innovative collaborations with grassroots organisations supporting individuals, and with national charities challenging public bodies.

We have established a national profile across Wales and the UK, championing the legal rights of people in North Wales who are marginalised through poverty, discrimination, or disadvantage. A recently awarded legal aid contract for housing and Welsh Government funding put us in a strong position to challenge injustice and inequality for the communities we serve.