Budget Builder

West Oxfordshire District Council have identified a number of residents across the locality that may be living with a negative budget and struggling to meet their financial obligations.

Reporting to a Projects Manager or Supervisor, the post holder will be working with households identified by West Oxfordshire District Council to ensure they maximise their income, minimise their expenditure and learn about financial capability tools such as budgeting and energy efficiency measures that will assist them to manage their finances as effectively as possible

The Role

Households living under a negative budget refer to families or individuals whose expenses exceed their income. In other words, they are spending more money than they earn, which often leads to the accumulation of debt or the depletion of savings. This situation is unsustainable in the long term and can create significant financial stress.

The aim of this project is to support clients to produce a sustainable household budget by focussing on a number of potential solutions, including:

Increasing financial literacy: Making better decisions about managing money.

Cutting expenses: Reducing essential expenditure such as energy costs by shopping around for better tariffs and reducing non-essential expenditure.

Increasing income: Seeking additional sources of income, by checking benefit entitlements, and providing a range of other options as appropriate.

Financial planning: Creating and maintaining a detailed budget, and being able to adjust a budget based on fluctuating income and expenses. Providing skills to save for emergencies and to help avoid falling into a negative budget in the future.

Essential Person Specification

Required numeracy skills to produce a budget plan.

Ability to analyse income and expenditure figures.

Financial literacy knowledge to empower clients to be able to manage their finances better in the future.

Fully understand the issues involved in interviewing clients and demonstrate an understanding of social trends and their implications for clients and the service.

Mentoring/coaching experience.

Ability to prioritise own work, meet deadlines and manage caseload.

Utilising IT in the provision of advice and the preparation of reports and submissions.

Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of the organisation's service and its equality and diversity policies.

Willingness to undertake training in energy efficiency measures and other cost savings tools.

Willingness and ability to travel across West Oxfordshire.

For full details of the role and how to apply please visit our website

https://www.caox.org.uk/jobs

Completed applications must be received by 12pm (midday) Monday 03 November 2025