Adviser - RCN02723
Call Centre | RCN Cardiff Gate Office | £36,705
Contract type: Permanent
Adviser (Trade Union and Professional Body)
RCN Cardiff Gate Office. Hybrid working offered post induction
6 roles available:
Permanent & FTC, from 21 – 35 hours per week
Salary range per annum £36,705 - £41,466* (pro-rata)
Imagine being faced with a world of exciting possibilities that could ultimately enable you to support our members and help shape the health policies of the future. As the UK’s largest trade union and professional body for nursing, we support over half a million members with unwavering loyalty and total commitment. We represent and develop them, support their practice and lobby on their behalf to make a positive difference to their working lives.
We're accredited with Investors in People Silver Standard. Our people are our greatest asset, and we want people who can contribute to our purpose in line with our values.
Do you have a head for problem solving? Are you great with people? Quick to learn and love a challenge? If so, you sound like the type of person who would make a great Adviser.
Advisers receive comprehensive training, the role is demanding and would particularly suit those from a contact centre, trade union, HR, legal, advisory, care or nursing background – this experience would give you a head start but is not essential. Advisers resolve around two-thirds of contacts themselves, arranging further support where members need local or specialist RCN services. Calls are not scripted, which gives advisers autonomy to help our members.
As an Adviser you’d be making a real difference to RCN members. Every day of the year, our contact centre provides telephone and written (email and livechat) support on a wide range of work-related topics. We empower our members by ensuring they understand their rights and responsibilities in the workplace.
You can see the breadth of our advice at http://www.rcn.org.uk/get-help
You will be required to work in the Cardiff Gate office for approximately six weeks to undertake your induction training. Following this you will work in the office for a minimum of two days a week. This is to allow us to fully support you in your journey as an Adviser.
The Adviser role involves evening (until 8:30pm) and weekend work, but because we know that work life balance is important, the rota is published at least four weeks ahead. Currently Advisers work up to one weekend in four on a predictable rotation.
We are a very friendly team, highly supportive of one another, and we make a huge difference to the lives of our members. To find out more about us please visit: https://careers.rcn.org.uk/Find-your-place/Contact-centre and see our write up at Wales Online: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/special-features/royal-college-nursing-trade-union-30750034
To join us you’ll need:
• A proven record of excellent customer service skills
• To excel at verbal and written communication
• Strong problem solving and reasoning skills
• Be technologically proficient
• Be a quick learner, this is a dynamic environment so you’ll need to be able to keep up
• Be emotionally resilient, as well as having the ability to empathise, you will be helping those in professional and personal difficulty.This is not a signposting role
• Be committed to self-directed learning You don't necessarily need a clinical background or university education to be a successful candidate. Instead, we require people who have insight and relevant life skills and experiences.
Those applying should ideally have knowledge of employment law, workplace relations and professional issues facing RCN members as well as the ability to build rapport quickly. The issues that Advisers deal with can often be distressing, so candidates who can maintain personal resilience and demonstrate professionalism in challenging circumstances will be more successful.
Our pay is highly competitive with annual leave up to 43 days including bank holidays.
We offer an impressive range of benefits, a broad range of development opportunities and an award-winning health and wellbeing programme. Balancing work and life commitments is important to us as a diverse organisation, and we understand everyone has different needs.
Advisers are based at Cardiff Gate since in person interaction within the team is important for development and wellbeing, however hybrid working is available following induction.
We are a very friendly team; we will welcome and support you.
Our selection process
If you would like to find out more about the role, please join one of our meet and greet sessions! These will take place at 5pm on 5 August (face to face), 20 August and 1 September (virtual) – to sign up to a session, please email emma.salmoni@rcn.org.uk with your preferred name and date you would like to attend.
To apply, you must be able to start in the role on 20 October 2025.
Please click the ‘apply now’ button to submit a CV and answer the supporting questions online demonstrating how you meet the criteria for this role. You may not be shortlisted if you don’t. Please ensure your CV is in a simple format with minimal tables and sections. Any identifying information in your application will automatically be anonymised for shortlisting purposes.
Please see more information on our recruitment journey here: http://www.careers.rcn.org.uk/Vacancies/Recruitment-journey
Please state in your supporting statement what your preference of hours would be. All applications will be based on merit.
We want your experience applying for a job with us to be the best it can be. We may offer interviews and assessments held by Microsoft Teams video call. If you foresee any problems with accessing a computer, webcam, or internet connection for this, please do let us know in your supporting statement.
Equal opportunities for everyone
Equity, diversity and inclusion are a priority for us and we aim to foster an inclusive environment so our people can bring their authentic selves to work. This is integral to our mission to enable you to support our members and ensure their voice is heard by all UK governments to get the best outcomes for them and their patients.
As a proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme we actively encourage applications from people with disabilities.
Contact details
For more information or for an informal discussion about the role please contact Sian Morris, Advice Contact Centre Manager on sian.morris@rcn.org.uk
For more information on the Recruitment & Selection process, please contact recruit@rcn.org.uk.
Opening Date: 23 July 2025
Closing Date: 11.59pm on 27 August 2025.
If we receive many applications after a week of advertising, this vacancy may close earlier.
Selection dates:
Assessment centre and interviews will take place in August and September. You will be invited to select a time within this timeframe.
Assessments: 8 August 2025
Interview: 14 August 2025
Assessments: 22 August 2025
Interview: 28 August 2025
Assessments: 4 September 2025
Interview: 8 September 2025
Interview date:
Contracted hours: 21-35 hours available