Homelessness Prevention Officer in Hove

We are looking to hire a Homelessness Prevention Officer who will work with supported accommodation projects to prevent homelessness and sustain tenancies. You will be applying the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Reduction Act to support people to engage with the homeless application process and maintain or find a suitable, settled home.

The successful candidate will advise people on a wide range of housing issues and welfare benefits, assess support needs and work in partnership with relevant agencies to find sustainable housing solutions. Where we are unable to prevent or relieve homelessness you will be required to carry out an assessment under the homeless legislation to determine any longer-term housing duty.

A robust knowledge of the main causes for homelessness and legal and other remedies available is required and you will need to demonstrate an ability to innovate and adapt your approach to meet the needs of your clients. We are looking for an exceptional and motivated person who is resilient and adaptable to change.

The post holder will be proactive in engaging and building relationships with supported accommodation providers to identify risk of homelessness at the earliest opportunity. The role will involve engaging with clients who may face barriers to engage, including carrying out home visits and working across services in the city to get the best possible outcomes for our customers, residents and homeless applicants. A person-centred, psychologically-informed approach will be essential.

You do not need to be an expert in homelessness law although you will need to be able to apply housing law in your day to day work. You must be able to demonstrate exceptional people skills and a proven track record in obtaining successful outcomes for clients.

Importantly, you must have an understanding of the current housing situation faced by residents of Brighton & Hove, of the kind of interventions which can prevent homelessness and a real commitment to achieving good results for customers.

Brighton & Hove is a brilliant place to live and work; our services are nationally recognised and you will be working with experienced colleagues who are directly informing national initiatives through high profile work with central Government. You will need to offer excellent organisational, casework and case-management skills and an ability to positively engage with homeless applicants within the context of a housing market that is difficult to access.

Our city is known and loved for its diversity. Not only is the mixture of people, culture and skills vital to the economic and social development of the city, it’s what makes Brighton & Hove such a great place to live, work and visit. We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve so we welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds.

As a council, we want to be connected, confident, innovative and creative, diverse and inclusive, healthy and psychologically safe.

We are a workplace that supports flexibility and employee wellbeing in the way we work whilst providing the best service for our customers. Team and service working arrangements are designed to support both employee work life balance and team collaboration.