Social Security Scotland
B1 - Client Support Advisor - West Lothian (4503)
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Scotland
Job Summary
To serve the people of Scotland, Social Security Scotland needs to ensure access to our support services within local communities across Scotland. This job is an exciting opportunity to deliver a face-to-face service to support clients across West Lothian. There will be 1 post on offer.
This post will be based within West Lothian. In all instances the successful candidate must be prepared to travel and work across neighbouring Local Authority areas to meet client demand. In this instance, this will be the Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian Local Authority areas. On occasion you may have to cover the Scottish Borders area.
As a Client Support Advisor, you will build rapport and help people understand the benefits they may be entitled to and how to access them through tailored one-to-one support.
Every day will be different, but one thing will always be the same – you will treat all clients with dignity, fairness and respect. To do this you will be an ambassador for Social Security Scotland and provide a visible presence across the local area.
Job Description
- You will have excellent communication skills to listen to clients and clearly explain the benefits they may be entitled to, helping them to complete online and paper applications.
- You will have good attention to detail to support clients through the application process and any follow up actions relating to their case.
- We need you to be motivated, with the ability to travel to carry out home and outreach visits.
- You need to be able to work independently as well as part of a team.
- You will need to be independent and confident managing your own workload and diary to make the most your day.
- You will provide accurate advice to our clients; personally escalate complex enquiries and complaints and signpost clients to additional support they may be entitled to.
- You will work in a shared environment with other agencies, so you need to be someone who can create and maintain strong relationships with local bodies to continuously improve the quality of our service.
- You will deal with clients sensitively and appropriately and uphold our values of dignity, fairness and respect.
- We will look to you to make sure services are provided on a value for money basis.
- We will need you to abide by data protection regulations and make sure personal and sensitive information is secure at all times.
- You will be expected to have awareness of the benefits Social Security Scotland deliver and to signpost to other support organisations when appropriate. Relevant training will be provided.
Person Specification
Success Profiles
We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about the framework here.
For this post, the following Success Profile elements will be assessed:
Technical / Professional Skills
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You will demonstrate the following skills within the Core ODP Skills - Operational Delivery Profession Framework.
- Operational Leadership and Management – Level Awareness
- Data and Insight – Level Awareness
Behaviours
- Communicating and Influencing - Level 2
- Making Effective Decisions - Level 2
- Changing and Improving - Level 2
You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here.
Benefits
- Annual Leave - You will receive 25 days annual leave on joining us. This will increase to 30 days after four full years of service. You will also have 11.5 public and privilege days of leave every year. We also offer Flexi-time. Any extra hours you've worked can be taken as leave when suitable.
- A Civil Service Pension - This job comes with a Civil Service pension. New joiners to the Civil Service will join a career average pension scheme as standard. Read more here.
- Healthy work life balance - We can offer the possibility of full-time, part-time, term-time, and job shares. We also encourage flexible working.
- Discounts - You can enjoy a vast range of retail, travel and lifestyle discounts through our benefit scheme.
- Personal support for you - Our Employee Assistance Programme gives you confidential, independent information and guidance 24/7.
- Volunteering special leave - Up to six days paid special leave a year for volunteering. We support our staff to help causes important to them.
- Great locations - Our bright and modern offices in the heart of Dundee and Glasgow have been designed with staff in mind. Both locations are ideal for public transport.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
Expected Timeline (subject to change)
- Sifting – week commencing 10th August 2026 and week commencing 17th August 2026.
- Interviewing – week commencing 31st August 2026.
To apply please submit an application form by clicking on the ‘Apply at Advertisers Site’ button.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
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Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
- Name: Resourcing Team
- Email: recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot
- Telephone: 08001577194
Recruitment team
Further information
https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/working-with-us/help-with-your-application
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