The Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights) is a community legal centre that specialises in helping consumers understand and enforce their financial rights, especially low income and otherwise marginalised or vulnerable consumers. We provide free and independent financial counselling, legal advice and representation to individuals about a broad range of financial issues. Financial Rights operates the National Debt Helpline, which helps NSW consumers experiencing financial difficulties. We also operate the Insurance Law Service which provides advice nationally to consumers about insurance claims and debts to insurance companies; and the Mob Strong Debt Help service which assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples with credit, debt and insurance matters. Financial Rights took close to 25,000 calls for advice or assistance during the 2017/2018 financial year.

Financial Rights employs close to 30 staff including financial counsellors, solicitors and policy and communications officers to help consumers understand and enforce their rights in relation to financial services. This involves using a range of tools and approaches, including direct financial counselling and advice, legal advice and assistance, litigation, research, policy work and advocacy through the media. Current focus areas include debt management firms, insurance claims handling, insurance product suitability, pay day lending and consumer leases, credit reporting, the consumer data right and financial services codes of practice.

Following a review of our service and additional funding to assist Financial Rights to grow its service delivery, we are looking for a Director of Advice to lead Financial Rights’ high volume legal and financial counselling advice practice. Financial Rights takes in excess of 95 calls per day delivering legal and financial counselling advice, information and referral.

We are looking for a skilled leader who can manage this service to provide excellent service access, quality and effectiveness, with a view to also monitoring and addressing systemic issues for people in financial hardship. You will:

• Have experience and ability in management of a telephone based service, including staff management;
• Have experience in the use of telephone software including troubleshooting, analytics and report generation to monitor and improve service delivery;
• Have eligibility to hold a principal legal practicing certificate in the state of New South Wales, as well as at least 5 years post-admission legal practice experience;
• Have legal knowledge in relation to credit, debt, banking, or insurance (highly desirable);
• Have a keen sense of how to identify systemic issues and assist Financial Rights to achieve improved consumer outcomes and access to justice for people experiencing financial hardship;
• Be able to effectively lead the team of passionate staff to give quality, practical advice under pressure from high call volumes;
• Have high ethical standards, be adaptable, flexible and self-motivated;
• And, most importantly, you will be motivated by the opportunity to make a difference, consistent with Financial Rights mission.

Financial Rights can provide an attractive remuneration package relative to the community sector.