HES Social Assistant

About the job

Job Context

As the current head of the apiah Social Office is retiring, the association wishes to fill the position of social assistant, who will ensure the continuity, quality, and development of the services offered to beneficiaries.

The apiah Social Office primarily supports staff working or having worked in member companies of the association, as well as, depending on the situation, individuals or external organisations within the scope of the apiah Social Works Foundation. Its activity is based on an approach of support, guidance, advice, and prevention, particularly regarding financial, administrative, and social difficulties faced by beneficiaries.

General Mission

The post holder provides social, administrative, and budgetary support to beneficiaries of the apiah Social Office. They help prevent worsening precarious situations, stabilise financial difficulties, support debt relief efforts, and reduce the impact of social or administrative problems on the professional lives of those concerned.

They carry out their mission with listening, rigour, confidentiality, and without judgement, ensuring to propose concrete, realistic, and tailored solutions for each situation. They also act as the main contact person for beneficiaries, member companies, authorities, public offices, creditors, foundations, and relevant social or institutional partners.

Main Activities

• Welcome, listen to, and guide beneficiaries who approach the Social Office, assessing their personal, family, administrative, financial, and professional situation.
• Conduct individual consultations, in person, by phone, or by any other appropriate means, within a confidential, supportive, and structured framework.
• Analyse over-indebtedness situations, prepare budgets, identify payment priorities, and propose suitable recovery measures.
• Support beneficiaries in managing their current financial obligations, including rent, health insurance premiums, medical expenses, charge statements, training fees, childcare costs, tax debts, or other commitments.
• Negotiate with creditors, debt enforcement offices, authorities, and relevant partners to seek payment arrangements, waivers, deferrals, or debt relief solutions.
• Prepare, monitor, and document budget management, debt relief, financial aid, or administrative support files.
• Prepare, check, and follow up on invoicing related to services, mandates, or expenses under the Social Office, in coordination with the secretariat and accounting personnel.
• Manage, when justified, the complete or partial budgets entrusted to the Social Office, respecting internal rules, decisions made, and traceability obligations.
• Support individuals subject to wage garnishments, wage assignments, or other debt enforcement procedures, coordinating with employers, competent offices, and beneficiaries.
• Assist beneficiaries in understanding, organising, and processing administrative, legal, social, fiscal, or financial documents.
• Prepare and submit applications for financial aid to charitable associations, foundations, or other organisations likely to provide occasional support.
• Act as a regional liaison or coordinator for scholarship or training aid applications, especially when the Social Office acts as an intermediary within recognised schemes.
• Follow up on external or specific mandates, particularly cases entrusted by authorities or partner organisations, when these fall within the Social Office’s scope of activity.
• Collaborate with member companies wishing to refer an employee to the Social Office, while strictly ensuring the confidentiality of the individuals supported.
• Keep up to date files, statistics, monitoring tables, and indicators necessary for managing the Social Office’s activity.
• Prepare materials for activity reports, management reports, and presentations to the apiah or the apiah Social Works Foundation bodies.
• Maintain and develop a collaborative network with social services, debt enforcement offices, adult protection authorities, social insurances, foundations, charitable associations, and other partners in the arc-horloger region.
• Participate in the continuous improvement of the Social Office’s practices, particularly regarding processes, documentation, beneficiary follow-up, and communication with partners.

Required Professional Skills

• HES social assistant training or an equivalent qualification.
• Proven experience in social, budgetary, or administrative support for people in difficulty.
• Excellent knowledge of over-indebtedness mechanisms, debt enforcement, seizures, minimum subsistence levels, family budgets, and debt relief procedures.
• Knowledge of social insurances, aid schemes, public and private institutions, as well as the social network specific to the arc-horloger regions.
• Ability to analyse complex situations, identify priorities, and propose realistic solutions.
• Negotiation skills with creditors, offices, authorities, insurances, foundations, or other partners.
• Excellent writing skills, especially for preparing letters, reports, aid requests, follow-up notes, or summaries.
• Proficiency in common office software, monitoring tables, and collaborative tools.
• Ability to document situations clearly, structurally, and in compliance with monitoring requirements.
• Understanding of issues related to the world of work, absenteeism, employees’ financial difficulties, and their possible impact on professional activity.
• Sensitivity to the employer association context in which the apiah Social Office operates.

Language Skills

• Fluent oral and written French.
• Good ability to simplify and explain sometimes complex documents, procedures, or decisions clearly.
• Knowledge of German is an asset, especially for understanding administrative documents, exchanges with certain partners, or situations involving German-speaking beneficiaries.

Expected Personal Qualities

• Active listening, empathy, and a professional, non-judgemental attitude.
• Absolute discretion and strict respect for confidentiality.
• Rigour, reliability, and a strong sense of responsibility.
• Ability to establish a climate of trust with vulnerable individuals.
• Capacity to set clear boundaries, empower beneficiaries, and maintain appropriate professional distance.
• Emotional resilience and ability to manage sensitive or complex situations.
• Organisational skills, autonomy, and ability to prioritise urgent matters.
• Analytical mindset, pragmatism, and solution orientation.
• Ability to collaborate within a small team while independently managing their own cases.
• Ease in relating to a variety of interlocutors: beneficiaries, employers, public offices, authorities, foundations, associations, creditors, and institutional partners.

Position within the Organisation

The position is currently attached to the apiah Social Office, under the aegis of the apiah Social Works Foundation and linked to the association’s employer secretariat.

The post holder works in coordination with the Social Office staff, apiah, and, depending on the files, with the bodies of the Social Works Foundation. They maintain regular contact with member companies, beneficiaries, authorities, public offices, foundations, charitable associations, and social or institutional partners.

Start Date

The start date is planned for 1 January 2027, as a replacement for the current head of the Social Office. Depending on organisational needs, a transition period for handing over files and gradually taking on responsibilities may be arranged before or at the start of the position.