Frontline Support Worker

Big Issue is looking for a Support Worker that will work with us in achieving your mission to dismantle poverty by creating opportunity, through self-help, social trading and business solutions. You will have a direct involvement in positively impacting the lives of our vendors. You'll be joining a committed and supportive team and an organisation that cares about your personal growth and wellbeing. Not only that, we also offer an ever-growing list of benefits too.

The Big Issue magazine launched in 1991 in response to the growing number of rough sleepers on the streets of London by offering people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income through selling a magazine to the public. Thirty years on, we've helped over 92,000 vendors earn £115 million but our vendors still face the myriad of problems associated with poverty and inequality.

The Role

You'll accompany vendors on their entire Big Issue journey - from completing their initial induction and selling the magazine through to assisting with financial and digital inclusion and much more.

In addition we are currently working hard to build new partnerships and networks in our local area to find opportunities for our existing vendors with more opportunities

and increase our presence in the community to promote TBI as a route out of poverty. So if you feel passionately about working collaboratively to enact real change then you will have lots of scope within this role.

Other duties include:

• Inducting new vendors, understanding their individual needs and goals
• Holding regular check-ins with assigned vendors to discuss sales, welfare and gauging if they require referral for further support
• Working with vendors, both in the office and on outreach, to foster a professional relationship and support their sales aspirations
• Selling magazines to vendors, managing pitch allocation, ensuring we have sufficient stock and taking care of banking and sales reporting

Skills & Experience

Some of the skills and experience we look for include:

• Experience of working with vulnerable adults in a frontline or social care setting
• Excellent ability to communicate at all levels and with authenticity both verbally & and in writing
• Confidence in dealing with difficult situations or conversations
• People-focused and ability to adjust your approach depending on the situation
• Confidence in lone working when needed
• Respect for the importance of confidentiality and discretion
• Knowledge of the homelessness sector is desirable but not essential

Salary and Benefits offered

• Salary of £30,948 per annum
• Incremental holiday entitlement starting at 25 days per year plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part time staff) plus paid leave to care for a sick child or grandchild and a sick or elderly relation
• Company Sick Pay
• Enhanced contribution to our workplace pension
• Enhanced maternity pay
• Training and development opportunities including an open learning library and management training schemes
• Health benefits include life cover, a health cash plan scheme which provides access to counselling and a range of therapies
• Please note that we reserve the right to review and amend our staff benefits and they do not form part of any contract of employment

Workplace details

This role could be based at our Big Issue office in London, but you will be mostly be working out and about within the community

Closing date - 10 June 2023

Big Issue Group is striving towards Equal Opportunities. We particularly welcome applications from those who are underrepresented in our sector, such as women in senior roles, and people with disabilities and from Black and Minority Ethnic communities.

Since 1991, The Big Issue has fought poverty by creating opportunities and supporting people to take control of their lives. Over time our organisation has grown and now The Big Issue Group consists of The Big Issue Company Ltd and Big Issue Invest Ltd (our social investment arm).

For enquiries, please contact our recruitment team at talent@bigissue.com