B1 - Client Support Advisor - Edinburgh - Social Security Scotland

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 the Edinburgh city area.

This post will be based within the Edinburgh city Local Authority area. 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 West Lothian, Midlothian and East Lothian Local Authority areas. On occasion you may have to cover the Scottish Borders area also.

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.

Responsibilities

• 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.
  

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:

You will demonstrate the following skills within the Core ODP Skills - Operational Delivery Profession:

1. Operational Leadership and Management – Level Awareness
2. 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.

How to Apply
Apply online, providing a CV and a Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the Success Profiles above. Both the CV and the Supporting Statement provided will be assessed against the criteria for the role.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples 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, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV and Supporting Statement on the first behaviour - Communicating and Influencing (Level 2).

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation.

We aim to provide feedback on request. However, if we receive a large number of applications it may not be possible for us to provide specific feedback on your application. We will provide feedback on request to candidates who attend an interview/assessment.

Expected Timeline (subject to change)
Sift – week commencing 26th October 2026
Interview – week commencing 9th November 2026

Reserve List
In the event that there are more successful candidates than posts available, a reserve list will be kept for up to 12 months.

About Us
Social Security Scotland is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. Our benefits help people from all walks of life in Scotland. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles. We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative of the clients we serve. Find more about us here.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Working Pattern
Our standard full-time hours are 35 hours per week. We embrace a hybrid working style and offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role.

The Client Support Advisor role will involve travel across the assigned location in which you are based, working from multiple locations in the local community. Client Support Advisors will primarily be supporting clients in their own home or via outreach visits at Local Delivery Partnership offices or other agreed community locations. Some appointments may also be conducted remotely via telephone or video call. There may also be occasions where travel to our main Social Security Offices in Agnes Husband House, Dundee and 220 High Street, Glasgow is required.

Equality Statement
Social Security Scotland are committed to equality and inclusion, and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Social Security Scotland are a Disability Confident Employer. We will consider and implement any reasonable adjustments you may require throughout the recruitment process and during the course of your employment, should you be successful in securing a post. If you feel you may require assistance with any part of our recruitment process, please contact us at [email protected].

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further Information
This role is only available to those currently employed by Social Security Scotland, Scottish Government Main, Common Citizenship organisations and Other Government Departments who have also:

- passed probation
- been recruited via Fair and Open means

Please note, if successful, you will need to undertake a PVG check.

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

This role requires extensive travel across the Local Authority area(s) therefore a driving licence is desired to ensure that client appointments can be effectively scheduled and resourced. Whilst it is not mandatory to hold a valid driving licence, access to regular and efficient public transport must be readily available to fulfil our commitment to support clients across the local community and Client Support Advisors would be expected to use the most efficient option available. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

The successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 3 years unless successful in gaining promotion to a higher Band or Grade.

If you experience any difficulties accessing our website or completing the online application form, please contact the Resourcing Team via [email protected]

Apply before: 23:55 on Thursday 22nd October 2026

Contact Name: Carol Tugman
Contact E-Mail: [email protected]