Income Collection Specialist

Gateway Housing has been supporting communities to thrive since 1926. We are an ambitious London based housing association with over 3,000 homes in the heart of London's East End. We provide social rented homes, shared ownership, and sheltered housing. We develop new homes too and are part way through an exciting programme to deliver another 250 homes by 2025. We also run our own in-house maintenance service, Gateway Homeworks. Our vision is that people will want to live in a Gateway home and people will want to work at Gateway.

You will be joining the organisation at an exciting time and be a key member of a dynamic team that wants to deliver great landlord services and strengthen our links to the local community.

Our values

Our values add up to P.A.C.E. Passionate, Accountable, Connected, Excellence. As a community housing association based in the East End for nearly 100 years, we’re proud of the work we do to address the housing crisis through building and managing great homes.

The role

We are looking for an Income Collection Specialist to manage and enforce the collection of income, rent arrears, and debts for Gateway. You will utilise your knowledge of income management practices, debt recovery procedures, and legal frameworks to ensure effective income collection and minimise financial risks. This role requires strong negotiation skills, attention to detail, and the ability to handle complex financial situations.

Accountabilities

• Implement effective strategies and processes to collect rent, service charges, and other sources of income.
• Monitor rent accounts, issue invoices, and maintain accurate records of payments and arrears.
• Manage the recovery of outstanding debts through appropriate enforcement procedures.
• Follow legal frameworks and policies to ensure compliance with relevant legislation and regulations.
• Initiate legal actions, such as court proceedings and possession orders, when necessary to recover arrears and outstanding debts.
• Liaise with legal teams, bailiffs, and external enforcement agencies to facilitate the enforcement process.
• Engage in constructive negotiations with tenants to resolve disputes, arrears, and outstanding debts.
• Mediating between tenants and relevant stakeholders to reach mutually beneficial agreements and prevent legal actions.
• Provide professional and empathetic customer service to tenants throughout the income collection and enforcement process.
• Respond to inquiries, provide information and guidance, and resolve concerns and complaints in a timely and effective manner.

Please refer to the attached job profile for more details.

Key skills, knowledge and experience:

• Strong knowledge of enforcement and collection of income including court action.
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to handle challenging situations with tact and diplomacy.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to communicate effectively with tenants, legal professionals, and stakeholders.
• Problem-solving abilities and the capability to handle tenant issues and conflicts with professionalism and tact.
• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Creative thinking and ability to bring innovative ideas to the table.

Salary and benefits

Our benefits package includes:

• Annual Leave: starting at 28 days, plus Bank Holidays.
• Competitive salary.
• Subsidised Health and Wellbeing Membership.
• Simply Health - help towards the costs of dentist, optician, and private medical appointments.
• Employee Assistance Programme - including free legal, financial and counselling advice.
• Pension - up to 10% employer contribution.

If you have the confidence and enthusiasm to work in a challenging but supportive working environment, we would like to hear from you.

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

CLOSING DATE: MONDAY 9TH JUNE 2025

INTERVIEWS: TBC

Please note that on some occasions where we have received sufficient applications, we will close the vacancy earlier than the closing date advertised.

GATEWAY is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.