Job Description
Job Title:
Caseworker level 1, 2, and 3
Location
RMC operates four branches located in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall, and Dudley.
The successful candidate will be based at the Birmingham site and will be required to travel to all branches as needed.
This is an in-person, on-site role with no hybrid or remote work options available
Reporting To:
Immigration Department Manager
Salary and benefits:
IAA Level 1: £25,000–£27,000 (dependent on experience)
IAA Level 2: £28,500–£30,000 (dependent on experience)
IAA Level 3: £32,000–£34,000 (dependent on experience)
Additional Benefits:
· Company-matched pension scheme
· Employee assistance program
· Health and wellness support
· Mental health resources
· Comprehensive training and opportunities for career advancement
Hours:
35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Contract:
12-month fixed term with a strong possibility of extension
Probation period:
6 Months
Annual Leave:
21 days + 1 concessionary day and 8 Bank Holidays
About the role
This is an exciting opportunity for the right person to join the Refugee Migrant Centre as a Caseworker, authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA), formerly known as OISC. RMC is a well-established, award-winning regional charity, widely recognised for its impactful work with refugees and migrants.
For over 23 years, RMC has assisted thousands of refugees and migrants from 162 countries, helping to break down barriers to integration and enabling clients to become equal citizens. We provide a holistic range of services, from specialist legal advice to education and employment programs.
The successful candidate will join RMC’s Immigration department and play a key role in delivering free immigration advice and representation. This is an exciting time to join the team as RMC is expanding its infrastructure following significant growth in staff, activities, and turnover—rising from £776k to £2.8 million in the past five years.
RMC is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) and is accredited to provide free immigration advice up to Level 3, covering cases from initial advice through to the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal.
Our immigration services focus on assisting migrants (including undocumented migrants), refugees, and asylum-seekers in navigating the UK’s complex immigration legal system. We help clients secure the right to remain in the UK for themselves and their families, with a particular emphasis on human rights claims, family and private life applications, family reunion, settlement, citizenship, and applications under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Purpose of the Role:
Main duties and responsibilities
All Caseworkers (Levels 1,2 and 3) will be required to carry out the tasks shown below:
Casework and client care:
· To provide one-to-one specialist advice in immigration and asylum area of law
· To provide thorough, professional, high quality and timely casework and advice
· To ensure accurate recording keeping and ensure all necessary and associated administrative tasks are completed
· To ensure case deadlines and key dates are recorded, monitored and actioned in a timely manner
· To conduct all casework and advice in compliance with all IAA regulatory requirements and the IAA code of standards
· To maintain confidentiality in all dealings with clients
Training and development:
· To keep up to date with changes in the law
· To attend training and share learning and good practice with other advisors
· To keep a record of your attendance on training courses
· To provide internal and/or external immigration training when required by management
Teamwork:
· To share casework knowledge and experience within the team
· To mentor, support and/or supervise colleagues on a lower level of IAA regulation
Projects and Engagement:
· To take responsibility for the day to day delivery of specific projects if requested by management
· To deliver presentations and represent RMC at meetings/events when required by management
· To maintain effective working relationships with partners and stakeholders
· To demonstrate a degree of flexibility and undertake tasks not specifically referred to above
Person Specification
Knowledge, Abilities and Skills- essential
· Accredited at IAA Level 1, 2 or 3
· Experience in delivering advice and representation in the field of UK immigration and asylum
· Experience in working with clients with vulnerabilities and/or migrants, asylum-seekers, refugees
· Knowledge of most immigration areas, with a good understanding of at least one area such as the EUSS, asylum, human rights or family-based applications
· Experience of delivering complex advice work dealing with asylum seekers, refugees, vulnerable migrants, ‘outside of rules applications’ and representation at tribunal (for IAA L3 advisors only)
· Commitment to working towards Level 2 accreditation (for IAA L1 advisors only)
· Ability to explain complex information to clients from different backgrounds
· A proven high standard of communication skills, including written, oral, presentational and inter-personal skills
· Ability to work independently
· Ability to manage and grow a caseload
· Ability to prioritise and to manage tight deadlines
· Teamwork and Flexibility
· Commitment to equality and diversity
Desirable
· Accredited to IAAS Senior Caseworker
· Experience working in the Legal Aid sector
· Experience working in or with the not-for-profit sector
· Fluent in a community language
· Experience of working in a multicultural environment and sensitivity towards other cultures.
· Excellent listening skills and ability to empathise as well as establish boundaries to avoid emotional over involvement
· Educated to degree level or equivalent
Terms and conditions of employment
The following conditions of service will apply:
Salary
IAA Level 1: £25,000–£27,000 (dependent on experience)
IAA Level 2: £28,500–£30,000 (dependent on experience)
IAA Level 3: £32,000–£34,000 (dependent on experience)
Location
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall or Dudley
Pension
RMC will contribute 3% of gross basic salary
Holidays
21 days per year plus public holidays pro rata for part-time post. Holiday entitlement increases to 24 days after 2 years and 29 days after 5 years
Hours of Work
35 hours per week (excluding lunch breaks). Some evening and weekend work may be required for which time off in lieu should be claimed
Probation
This post will have a probationary period of 6 months
Notice
One month’s notice of termination of employment on either side.
Disability
We are committed to making every reasonable adjustment to the workplace or working arrangements so as to accommodate people with disabilities.
Enhanced DBS:
Employment in this post will be subject to a satisfactory police clearance being obtained. Because of the nature of the work for which you are applying, this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (exception) Order 1975 and you are, therefore, not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provision of the Act.
Travel expenses
If travel around the Black Country is undertaken in your own vehicle for work purposes this can be reclaimed at the rate of 45 pence per mile.
Training
Access to external paid training and regular internal training provided by Senior Caseworkers
Commitment to supporting you to develop and upskill in the field of immigration and asylum
Flexibility
In order to deliver the stated aims of this post, a degree of flexibility is needed and the post holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. Such duties will fall within the scope of the job within the appropriate pay grade. The job description will therefore be subject to periodic review with the post holder to ensure it accurately reflects the duties that are being performed.
What we hope you'll do next
We are keen to hear from all candidates whose skills and experience fulfil the criteria set out above. Please complete the application form, indicating where you first saw the job advertisement and demonstrating your professional fit with the role.
Equal Opportunities
We're an equal opportunity employer, which means we'll consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic. We recruit and develop our people based on merit and their passion for creating better outcomes, and we're committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Closing Date:
Friday 28th February, 2025.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date.
Please note that RMC is not a sponsoring organisation. If your visa requires an extension within the next 12 months with the support of employer sponsorship, the Refugee and Migration Centre is unable to provide assistance with this.