Personal Advisor

Job description

Salary: £42,123 to £46,579 a year

Location: Various

Hours: 37 Hours a week

Closing Date: 19th October 2026

DBS Requirement: Yes - Enhanced

Contract Type: Permanent

Are you passionate about supporting young people to achieve their potential?

We are looking for a motivated and compassionate Personal Adviser to join our Employment, Skills and Adult Education Service. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable young people by helping them overcome barriers and progress into education, employment and training.

As a Personal Adviser, you will work directly with young people aged 16-18, and up to 24 where they have an EHCP, who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) or are at risk of becoming NEET. You will provide information, advice, guidance and practical support to help them achieve positive and sustainable outcomes.

The Opportunity

In the role of Personal Adviser, here's an example of what you'll be doing to make an impact:

You will manage a caseload of young people, building trusted relationships and providing personalised support to help them overcome barriers and achieve their aspirations.

Working closely with families, schools, colleges, training providers and other partner agencies, you will coordinate support, advocate on behalf of young people and help them access appropriate education, employment and training opportunities.

You will undertake assessments of need, contribute to Early Help processes where appropriate, act as Lead Professional for some young people and families and participate in multi-agency meetings to ensure coordinated support is in place.

You will also support the Council's statutory participation responsibilities, including young people's destination tracking and September Guarantee activity

About you

A passion for supporting young people and helping them overcome barriers to learning and employment. You will have experience of working directly with young people facing a range of challenges and be able to build positive and productive relationships with them and their support networks.

You will be confident providing information, advice and guidance, managing a caseload and working collaboratively with partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes.

You will have excellent communication skills, a sound understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and the ability to work independently while contributing positively to a wider team.

Essential requirements:

• Post Graduate Diploma in Careers, Education and Guidance or NVQ Level 4 qualification in Advice and Guidance/an area related to the work

• Experience of working directly with young people, particularly those who are vulnerable, unemployed or economically inactive.

• Experience of providing information, advice and guidance on education, employment and training opportunities.

• Ability to manage a caseload and support young people to achieve sustainable outcomes.

• Knowledge of safeguarding principles and working with vulnerable young people.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to work effectively with partner organisations and professionals.

• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

• Willingness and ability to meet the travel requirements of the post.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the September Guarantee and NEET agenda.

• Experience of Early Help Assessments and acting as Lead Professional.

• Experience of supporting young people with SEND.

• Child Care, Youth Work or related qualification.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a supportive team and play a key role in improving outcomes for young people across Derby. If you are passionate about making a difference and helping young people reach their potential, we would love to hear from you.

Who We Are

At Derby City Council, we're proud to deliver over 250 essential services that support our residents, communities and businesses. Guided by our vision to create an Inclusive, Green, Growing and Vibrant City, we put people at the heart of everything we do.

Our values shape how we work every day. We believe in Great People, One Team, we're Bold in embracing change, Strong in delivering for our communities, and We Care about making a positive difference.

Join us and you'll be part of an ambitious, collaborative organisation where you can develop your career while helping to shape Derby's future.

Why join Derby City Council?

At Derby City Council, you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference while building a rewarding career in an organisation that values, supports and invests in its people.

Alongside the opportunity to help shape the future of Derby, you'll benefit from a comprehensive range of employee benefits, including:

Financial Benefits

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) - a secure, defined benefit pension with life cover

• Team Derby Rewards - discounts across a wide range of retail, leisure and lifestyle brands

• Tusker Car Benefit Scheme - a salary sacrifice scheme for leasing a brand-new, fully maintained and insured vehicle

Work-Life Balance

• Generous annual leave, starting at 27 days and rising to 32 days after five years' service (plus bank holidays, depending on your contract)

• The option to purchase additional annual leave

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements for many roles

• Flexible retirement options, where eligible

• Support for colleagues with caring responsibilities

Learning and Development

• Learning and development opportunities, with regular career conversations to support your growth

• Leadership and management development programmes, mentoring and professional qualifications

• Modern workspaces designed to support collaboration, productivity and wellbeing

Health and Wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Programme, wellbeing support and a year-round wellbeing calendar

• Free annual flu vaccinations

• Cycle2Work Scheme and free cycle training

Community and Inclusion

• Up to 15 hours of volunteering leave each year

• Recognition through initiatives including the Here for Derby Awards and Long Service Awards

• The opportunity to join one of our Employee Networks, including LGBTQ+, Disabled Employees and Carers, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Employees, and Neurodiversity

At Derby City Council, we believe our people are our greatest strength. Whatever stage you're at in your career, you'll be joining an inclusive organisation where you'll be supported to develop, feel valued and make a meaningful difference to the communities we serve.

Some benefits are dependent on your role, contract or length of service.

How to apply

If you would like to apply for this vacancy via an application form, please submit an application via the Derby City Council website.

The closing date for this vacancy is specified at the top of the advert. Applications received after midnight on the closing date will not be accepted.

Interview dates: TBC

Interview location: Derby Adult Learning Service Centre

Applying using your CV

We recognise that people apply for roles in different ways and want our recruitment process to be as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you would prefer to apply using a CV rather than completing an application form, please complete the attached Declaration Form and send it, together with your CV, to [email protected]

When applying by CV, please ensure your CV clearly demonstrates how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the requirements of the role. We strongly recommend that you also include a supporting statement outlining how you meet the essential criteria set out in the person specification, as this will help us assess your suitability for the post.

Applications submitted by CV must include a completed Declaration Form to be accepted. The Declaration Form can be found at the bottom of this advert.

We also encourage you to complete the attached Equalities Form and return it to [email protected] . This is entirely optional and will not affect the outcome of your application.

Important Information

Links to the full Job Description and Person Specification are available below.

Before submitting your application, please read our guidance on completing the application form and ensure your supporting statement clearly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification.

All employees will normally be appointed to the minimum of the grade for the role.

Where a DBS requirement is indicated at the top of this advert, the successful candidate will be subject to the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check as part of our safer recruitment process.

Where a Market Rate Supplement is indicated at the top of this advert, it is paid in addition to the basic salary and is subject to regular review. The supplement may be reduced or withdrawn and will reduce in line with incremental progression and pay awards.

The Council has a legal obligation to consider suitable redeployment opportunities for employees at risk of redundancy. Consequently, this vacancy may be withdrawn before the advertised closing date if it is filled through the Council's redeployment process.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Derby City Council, we're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and can thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we serve.

As a Disability Confident Leader, disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role can choose to apply through our Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

We are also proud to hold the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award, recognising our commitment to supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families. Members of the Armed Forces community, veterans and their close family members who meet the essential criteria are also eligible for our Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

If you need any reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, including during your application, interview or onboarding, we'll work with you to provide the support you need.

If you have any questions about this vacancy or need assistance with your application, please contact the Recruitment Team on 01332 640844 (Relay UK: 18001 01332 640844) or email [email protected]

Please see here for Job Description

Please see here for Person Specification

Please see Declaration Form for CV Applications here

Please see Equalities Form for CV Applications here

Please see DBS Code of Conduct here