Job title: SENIOR IMMIGRATION ADVISER (Scotland and Wales)

Reporting to: Immigration Advice Manager

Duration: 35 hours/5 days a week (full time)

Location: Responsible for work in Scotland and Wales, working from home or
embedded in local services.

Salary: £33,250 p.a., initially an 18 month contract with expectation of extension.

Application closing date: Midnight, Monday 15th May

About Settled

Settled is a charity founded in 2019 to ensure that EEA and Swiss citizens who previously made a home in the UK could retain and exercise their rights here following the UK’s exit from the EU. Our work includes helping EU citizens and their families to secure their immigration status under the EU Settlement Scheme and supporting them to exercise their rights to live, work, access services, join family and travel freely in and out of the UK. We have a particular focus on the needs of vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, Roma communities, and victims of trafficking.

In early 2022 our work expanded to include a new pre- and post- arrival advice service for people coming to the UK from Ukraine. Settled provides information, advice and support services throughout the UK via multilingual telephone helplines and online forums, and in person. It is registered to give immigration advice at OISC Level 3. A small staff team co-ordinates a multidisciplinary network of 100+ volunteers of different nationalities and languages.

Main purpose of the job

To increase availability of free, high quality, expert and locally accessible immigration advice.

Provide complex immigration advice in Scotland and Wales to meet the requirements of 2 immigration advice projects funded by the Scottish Government (covering 3.5 days a week) and the Welsh Government (covering 1.5 days a week).

Increase Settled’s ability to respond to complex cases in-house so that EU citizens can secure their rights to remain and can exercise their associated rights. Provide direct advice and casework, and work closely with Settled’s staff and volunteer team to enhance delivery of their information, advice and support services.

Responsibilities

Providing advice services

1. Advise/represent approx. 300 complex cases each year personally handling your own caseload and delivering a service through Settled staff and volunteers, as well as accepting referrals from external organisations, prioritising the most vulnerable cases. Advice will be online, by telephone and zoom, and where appropriate face-to-face.

Topics are likely to include:

• Late applications to the EU Settlement Scheme by those who missed the deadline where the case is complex.
• Complex cases transitioning from Settled to Pre-Settled Status and seeking solutions for those who fail to make this transition.
• Challenging refusals under the EU Settlement Scheme where there are grounds to do so e.g. requesting administrative reviews and appeals.
• Complex requests for family members to join EU citizens in the UK.
• Seeking solutions where EU citizens have problems proving their immigration status online, and/or problems accessing rights e.g. to benefits, housing, healthcare and travel in and out of the UK.

Legal supervision and second-tier advice will be available from JustRight Scotland for the equivalent of one day per month.

Delivering services with the Settled staff and volunteer team

1. Work closely with Settled’s Service Co-ordinators who manage a network of volunteers accredited at OISC Level 1 (EUSS) and above volunteers. These volunteers will identify, reach and refer appropriate clients and provide language support and other wrap-around support so that the Senior Immigration Adviser’s time is used efficiently.
2. Carefully delegate less expert work to suitable volunteers. Manage and supervise the work carried out on your behalf including when delivered in different languages and provide support and guidance. Ensure that volunteers understand when to seek expert advice.
3. Be an expert resource for staff and volunteers, for example providing induction training, bi-monthly workshops and responding to ad hoc queries so that they can confidently deliver advice services to a high standard and develop their own knowledge and skills.
4. Work with Settled’s Communications Manager to ensure provision of appropriate materials to reach and inform EU citizens and Ukrainian citizens about their rights and that these are translated as required.
5. Support the Communications Manager to source willing, informed and relevant case studies that can share their experiences with a wider audience.

Regional development

1. Ensure that Settled uses connections in Scotland and Wales to engage grassroots, expert and statutory organisations to reach isolated individuals and establish in-coming and out-going referral pathways. Contribute knowledge and skills to enhance local provision.
2. Build relationships with local specialist immigration providers for mutual support and to maximise impact.

Standard tasks for all posts

1. Develop and maintain suitable record-keeping for your area of responsibility covering activities delivered, outcomes achieved and feedback. Analyse results, produce reports for internal monitoring and for funders and plan for greater impact.
2. Ensure that you have sufficient technology to carry out your responsibilities, collaborating with Settled’s IT support contractor as needed.
3. Manage expenditure for your area of responsibility in accordance with Settled’s financial management policies and ensure reasonable care is taken of Settled equipment.
4. Follow good practice guidelines on volunteer management and retention, including risk management. Foster a culture of respect and teamwork between volunteers and staff.
5. Maintain good relations with other related organisations and professional networks. Be an ambassador for Settled, helping to communicate its achievements and vision to a wider audience. Share learning from Settled’s services, taking appropriate account of confidentiality and respect for clients.
6. Be alert to new funding opportunities that can sustain Settled’s work and report these to other members of the team.
7. Work supportively within a busy staff team, participate in internal meetings and planning processes and contribute to organisational development. Attend Settled’s annual general meeting. Undertake ad hoc tasks compatible with the role in order to ensure the smooth running of the service and the organisation.

To Apply

Please see the Job Description here, and email info@settled.org.uk with a CV and a covering letter which addresses how you meet the person specification.

We are bringing our rolling recruitment period to an end on Monday 15th May (midnight), so candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, and by that date at the latest.

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