35 hours per week, South West precise location negotiable
Starting Salary £30K
Due to increasing demand from our beneficiaries, we are looking to hire a Tribunals Advocate and Pension Advisor working to the Director of Welfare and initially alongside the incumbent. Once inducted, you will be capable of supporting veterans effectively through the tribunal process using your comprehensive knowledge of the Armed Forces Pension and Compensation Schemes.
The successful candidate will work autonomously, providing a service to the veteran and serving Royal Marine community in the following functional areas:
Primary responsibilities
- Advise regarding entitlement on allowances, awards and pensions under the War Disablement Pension (WDP), Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and Service Invaliding Pension (SIP) schemes.
- Caseload management.
- Advise on assessment issues and entitlement to reviews.
- Advise on entitlement to supplementary allowances such as War Pension Mobility Supplement and Allowance for Lower Standard of Occupation.
- Advise on ‘right of appeal’ and ‘grounds for appeal’ in pension and compensation issues.
- Research, find, obtain and submit further evidence in support of appeals and tribunals and liaise with medical professionals to reinforce claims and appeals.
- Contact and interview witnesses, obtain witness statements where necessary and present supporting evidence at tribunals.
- Oversee and advise on communication between the beneficiary and the Veterans Agency.
- Provide advocacy in court or at tribunal when appeals are heard.
- Act as the Appointed Person for those beneficiaries who are unable due to illness or infirmity to deal with the Agency themselves.
- Maintain current knowledge of all legislation relating to WDP and AFCS.
- Maintain a dialogue with HM Courts and Tribunal Service and act as RMA representative on the Tribunal User Group forum.
Secondary responsibilities
- Develop and maintain a partnership with those Law Firms that are competent in litigation involving MOD cases and Pro Bono work and keep an overview on members who are pursuing civil claims.
- Promote awareness of entitlement in all pension schemes to the membership.
- Provide internal training to support network staff and others as required.
Person Specification
Essential
- Excellent working knowledge of the Armed Forces and wider MOD resettlement services.
- Capable of working with complexity and working autonomously under challenging time frames.
- Evidenced advocacy in support of Service Personnel or veterans.
- Proven working IT experience to include Microsoft Office, CRM systems and general Case Management Systems.
- Proven experience of working in multi-disciplinary team environment.
- Able to work to timelines and schedules.
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
- Flexibility and adaptability surrounding working schedules – eg attendance at Court or occasional evening commitments.
- Management of expectation of claimants.
- High degree of emotional intelligence and perceptivity.
- Ability to quickly assimilate complex information and adapt accordingly.
- Personal gravitas that commands respect of beneficiaries and tribunals.
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of courts or tribunal procedures as an advocate or similar.
- Knowledge of the Armed Forces Covenant.
- Military Service experience within the last 10 years.
- Have worked in or can demonstrate good understanding of the Armed Forces charitable sector.
If you feel that you meet the above criteria, please apply with a covering letter and CV to transition@rma-trmc.org.
