Substance Misuse Advisor- Out of hours

Substance Misuse Advisor

Location: Homebased
Salary: £26,319.18 plus additional shift allowance of £349.49 per month
Schedule: 38 hours per week working shifts of 4 on and 4 off shifts from 10pm- 8am

Ready to impact a better future?

As a Substance Misuse Advisor in our Citizens Services team, you’ll provide vital guidance and support to people seeking information about substance misuse and smoking cessation. Your work will help people make informed decisions about their health and access the right services when they need them most.

Every conversation you have creates space for positive change. By offering clear, calm and empathetic support, you’ll help break down barriers and connect service users with the right help – making a genuine, positive impact on communities and supporting a healthier future.

What you’ll do as a Substance Misuse Advisor

You’ll be entrusted to:

• Provide information and advice on substance misuse and smoking cessation via telephone helpline, web chat, email, and text.
• Promote key risk‑reduction messages as defined by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).
• Assess caller needs quickly, engaging with empathy and professionalism.
• Signpost service users to appropriate services and help them navigate any barriers to access.
• Work within agreed policies, procedures and professional boundaries while maintaining accurate records.

Does this sound like you?

You’ll be a great fit for this role if you have:

At least 6 months’ experience of actively working within a role that included the provision of information, advice, and support face to face and/or over the telephone in relation to health, mental health, alcohol, drugs and/or smoking, for example:

• Health Promotion
• Smoking Cessation Adviser
• Drug or alcohol worker
• Education/Youth work
• General health/mental health
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build rapport quickly.
• Candidates will need to have either a relevant health‑related qualification or proven strengths in key areas such as excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including a confident telephone manner and the ability to build rapport quickly.
• You’ll be able to work within a defined remit and maintain professional boundaries, show a genuine interest in substance misuse and smoking cessation, and handle sensitive conversations with empathy, professionalism and a non‑judgemental approach.
• The ability to remain calm, empathetic and non‑judgemental in sensitive or challenging situations.
• Experience of working unsociable hours is preferred.

Vetting and checks:

An Enhanced DBS check and BPSS is required for this role. This includes spent and unspent convictions, cautions, and any relevant information held by local police, in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and safeguarding requirements. You will also complete an Occupational Health Questionnaire to allow us to provide any support needed for you to succeed in the role. 

Discover all you need to keep growing

We’re one of the top 1% of international employers, so you can have confidence you’ll be part of a highly supportive culture with leaders you can count on to help you achieve your goals. From mentoring and training to our focus on internal progression, we’re proud to offer clear development opportunities – and the support and tools to help you seize them.

What we offer

• Holidays: 25 days plus bank holidays (and the option to buy up to five additional leave days each year)
• Training and development: Over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships, mentoring opportunities, and a strong focus on internal progression
• Health and wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme, Bupa Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, discounted leisure access, and 24/7 virtual GP service
• Discounts: Savings across around 1,000 retailers from essentials to leisure and travel
• Charity: Paid volunteering day, tax‑free charitable giving, and the Serco People Fund Charity
• Employee networks: Inclusive colleague networks supporting community, connection, and belonging.

Let’s impact a better future, together. Apply today.

About Serco
At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services.  We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

By joining Serco you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks – SercoInspire (Gender), SercoEmbrace (Multicultural), SercoUnlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks). Serco Employee Networks, led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging. 

Apply
Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. 

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.  For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.
 

At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000 to discuss.