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- Tasks: Make a positive impact by managing hostel services and ensuring resident satisfaction.
- Company: Join the vibrant London Borough of Waltham Forest, a diverse and ambitious community.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, inclusive workplace, and opportunities for personal growth.
- Other info: Flexible working options available to help balance work and personal commitments.
- Why this job: Be part of a team that transforms lives and supports your community every day.
- Qualifications: Experience in housing management and excellent customer care skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 40182 - 42060 £ per year.
Organisation: London Borough of Waltham Forest
Salary: SO2 £40,182 - £42,060
Contract Type: Permanent
Working hours per week: 36
Application Deadline: 19/05/2026
Proposed Interview Date(s): TBC
Reference: 2120
About Us: Bursting with culture, energy, and opportunity, the London Borough of Waltham Forest is a fantastic and exciting place to work. We are a highly ambitious borough. Driven by culture and the innate creativity of our residents, we have developed new and innovative ways to build our communities. Our Council is relentlessly resident-focused, insight-led, digitally driven and commercially minded; a Council focused on meeting the needs of our existing and future residents.
London Borough of Waltham Forest is one of the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard employers. This accreditation is proof of our commitment to creating a healthy, fair and inclusive workplace. This includes fair pay and conditions, workplace well-being, skills and progression and diversity and recruitment.
The Council’s preference is for online application. However, if you have a disability and are unable to complete an online application, please email recruitment@walthamforest.gov.uk so we can arrange an alternative application method.
About the role: We have a fantastic opportunity for a Senior Hostels Officer to join our Temporary Accommodation Contracts team. This role offers a genuine chance to make a positive difference to people’s lives every day. We are looking for someone who is committed to delivering a responsive, efficient, and high-quality hostels service to our residents. This will include ensuring hostels are kept clean, appropriately serviced, and returned to a lettable condition as quickly as possible. You will need excellent customer care skills and a strong focus on achieving the best possible outcomes for residents. As this is a busy, customer-facing service, you must be highly organised, proactive, and able to manage competing priorities effectively. The role of Senior Hostels Officer is varied, with no two days the same, so the ability to think on your feet and adapt to changing situations is essential.
Key Responsibilities:
- To ensure that vacant rooms are reserviced and returned to a lettable condition as soon as possible.
- To manage the hostel and Regen voids relet process ensuring that relevant computer systems are updated timely.
- To ensure that the hostel rooms and surrounding environment are clean and free of hazards, spillages, graffiti, abandoned items and other detritus through prompt and hygienic disposal.
- To instigate actions in the case of breaches of license conditions, working with housing management in the case of Regen Voids, communicate with residents about required standards of behaviour, and enforce license conditions and restrictions regarding storage of belongings, allowing access, visitors, etc.; to maintain required signage and dispose promptly of all unauthorised and out-of-date items.
- To deal effectively with enquiries from residents and matters escalated by the Building Maintenance Officers.
- To liaise effectively with contractors, utility companies, fire service officers and others to ensure access is granted to all properties as appropriate and standard checks are carried out and recorded.
- To ensure that the service maintains adequate supplies of cleaning materials, infestation products and all other supplies needed to maintain the buildings in an acceptable condition.
- To ensure that items of post are distributed to residents as required; to move furniture and other items between units where needed; to ensure standby rooms are available daily to the service and are in a fit condition to be re-occupied.
- Promote excellent customer care.
- Maintain accurate records and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Contribute to policy, practice, and team development.
- To carry out residency checks and take appropriate action in relation to abandonments, unauthorised use, and any issues raised by residents.
Qualifications and Requirements:
- Experience of producing reports and statistics.
- Experience of using Housing Management systems including Northgate (NEC) and Jigsaw system to update and record information.
- Good understanding of the homelessness legislation, case law including welfare benefits.
- Ability to guide and support the Building Maintenance Officers.
- Ability to interpret policies and develop working procedures.
- Ability to work across multiple sites ensuring cleaning and maintenance standards are maintained in every building.
- Ability to prioritise so that urgent tasks are completed ahead of routine tasks.
- Ability to communicate effectively with hostel residents and contractors to ensure the smooth running of all hostel buildings.
- Commitment to high standards of cleanliness and hygiene to ensure that hostel residents live in a safe and clean environment.
Terms and conditions:
- Satisfactory employment references and CIFAS identity checks.
- Satisfactory declaration of interest.
- Satisfactory DBS check.
- Suitable driver’s license.
- As a public authority, we must ensure that members of staff in public-facing roles are able to speak fluent English.
How to Apply: Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications online by pressing the ‘Apply’ button below. This includes a supporting statement that outlines how your skills and experience make you a good candidate for this vacancy. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both service delivery and employment of its staff. The Council is proud of its rich mix of communities and as the largest employer in the area, it works hard to respond to the changing needs of its population. We use our statutory duties on race, gender and disability equality and best practice in respect of age, faith and sexual orientation to ensure equality of opportunity in the workplace.
Contact Information: If you have any questions about this vacancy or the application process, please contact Chidi Egbom, Temporary Accommodation Contracts Manager at Chidi.egbom@walthamforest.gov.uk.
**INTERNAL APPLICATIONS ONLY** Senior Hostels Officer in Walthamstow employer: Borough of Waltham Forest
Contact Detail:
Borough of Waltham Forest Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land **INTERNAL APPLICATIONS ONLY** Senior Hostels Officer in Walthamstow
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the organisation! Research the London Borough of Waltham Forest and its values. This will help you tailor your responses during interviews and show that you're genuinely interested in making a positive impact.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your customer care skills! Since this role is all about delivering high-quality service, think of examples from your past experiences where you've gone above and beyond for residents or customers. Be ready to share these stories!
✨Tip Number 3
Stay organised! With a busy, customer-facing role like this, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to manage competing priorities. Prepare to discuss how you handle multiple tasks and ensure everything runs smoothly.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re tech-savvy and comfortable with digital processes, which is a big plus for a digitally driven council like us.
We think you need these skills to ace **INTERNAL APPLICATIONS ONLY** Senior Hostels Officer in Walthamstow
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the role shine through! We want to see how your experience aligns with our mission to provide excellent service to residents. Share specific examples that highlight your commitment to making a positive impact.
Tailor Your Supporting Statement: Make sure your supporting statement is tailored to the Senior Hostels Officer role. Highlight relevant skills and experiences that match the job description. We love seeing how you can contribute to our team, so be specific about what you bring to the table!
Keep It Clear and Concise: While we appreciate detail, clarity is key! Keep your application clear and to the point. Use bullet points where necessary to make it easy for us to read and understand your qualifications and experiences.
Apply Early!: Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. We might close the vacancy early if we get enough applications, so get yours in as soon as possible through our website. We’re excited to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Borough of Waltham Forest
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the key responsibilities of a Senior Hostels Officer. Understand the importance of cleanliness, customer care, and how to manage competing priorities. Being able to discuss specific examples from your experience will show that you're ready to hit the ground running.
✨Show Your Commitment
The London Borough of Waltham Forest values a resident-focused approach. Be prepared to share how you've made a positive impact in previous roles, especially in customer service or community engagement. This will demonstrate your alignment with their mission and values.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills and ability to adapt. Think of situations where you had to deal with difficult residents or manage urgent tasks. Practising these scenarios will help you articulate your thought process during the interview.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
At the end of the interview, have a few thoughtful questions ready. Inquire about the team dynamics, challenges they face, or how success is measured in this role. This shows your genuine interest in the position and helps you gauge if it's the right fit for you.