Accommodation Services Officer

Job overview

Join the Accommodation Services team at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), supporting patients, families and staff.

This is a varied, busy role where no two days are the same. You will coordinate accommodation requests and allocations across patient and family accommodation, staff accommodation, temporary accommodation, staff hotel and on-call facilities, making decisions based on eligibility, urgency, availability and individual circumstances.

You will be a key point of contact for patients, families, staff and clinical teams, managing enquiries and resolving issues with professionalism, sensitivity and compassion.

The role includes tenancy and lettings administration, reception cover, complaints, occupancy and capacity management, financial administration and liaison with external hotels and accommodation providers.

You will also analyse accommodation data and trends, monitor occupancy, demand, cancellations and no-shows, support KPI reporting and contribute to audits, policies, procedures and service improvements.

We are looking for someone organised, confident and adaptable, with excellent customer service, communication and IT skills. You will need to prioritise competing demands, work independently and as part of a team, and remain calm in sensitive or challenging situations.

If you enjoy a fast-paced role where your work directly supports patients, families and colleagues, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

• Independently coordinate and manage accommodation requests for patients, families, staff, new recruits, visitors and authorised users, reviewing information provided and determining the appropriate action within agreed policies and procedures
• Assess applications against eligibility criteria and accommodation policies, exercising judgement to prioritise competing requests according to urgency, individual circumstances, operational need and available capacity
• Maintain accurate accommodation records and reservation systems
• Review and progress accommodation applications and nominations, identifying missing conflicting information and resolving routine eligibility or allocation queries
• Welcome residents, patients, families and visitors in a professional and compassionate manner
• Manage and prioritise telephone, email and face-to-face enquiries, assessing urgency and complexity and resolving issues independently within the scope of the role
• Act as the first point of contact for accommodation related complaints, concerns and service issues
• Investigate and resolve routine complaints and service concerns by gathering information, reviewing records, establishing relevant facts, identifying appropriate remedies and communicating outcomes in a timely and professional manner
• Monitor accommodation standards and report maintenance, quality and health and safety issues
• Liaise with Facilities, Housekeeping, Security and Maintenance teams to ensure accommodation is safe and fit for purpose

Working for our organisation

We are committed to recruiting the best person for the job through a fair, open and consistent process that is free from bias and discrimination.

We are working towards becoming an anti-racist organisation. This means creating a workplace where every colleague feels seen, heard and valued, and where racism in any form has no place. Our anti-racism commitment is backed by action through our Anti-Racism Statement and action plan, developed in collaboration with our REACH staff network.

We actively challenge discrimination, dismantle barriers and embed equity across all aspects of our workforce, including recruitment, progression and development. All applicants will receive equal consideration regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, health condition or employment history.

We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and LGBTQ+ community members. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, a member of the Business Disability Forum, and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

Our staff networks, including REACH, PRIDE, ENABLED and Women’s Networks, are active and executive supported. These employee-led networks play a vital role in shaping an inclusive culture at GOSH and are open to all colleagues.

Together, we are building a culture where inclusion is not optional - it is essential.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.

Person specification

GOSH Culture and Values

Essential criteria

• Our Always values
• Experience of working as part of a diverse team. Experience of contributing to an inclusive workplace culture

Academic/Professional qualification/Training

Essential criteria

• Computer literate in Word, Excel and Access computer packages

Desirable criteria

• Degree in Housing or Hotel Management or equivalent experience or qualification

Experience/Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Allocation of key worker accommodation whether in a Housing or NHS setting
• Knowledge of EPIC (Electronic Patient Information Database)
• Demonstrable experience of working in a customer facing environment responding to enquiries and individual concerns
• Experience in the investigation of user complaints and reviewing enquiries in a timely and efficient manner.
• Demonstrable experience in data entry

Desirable criteria

• Working with external organisations to source accommodation for patients, their families and staff.
• Demonstrable experience in granting and terminating assured short-hold tenancies
• Demonstrable experience of working in a hospitality or hotel industry, accommodation, or housing environment

Skills/Abilities

Essential criteria

• Ability to prioritise, use own initiative and multitask effectively.
• Good negotiation and diplomatic skills
• Ability to work autonomously or as part of a team
• Ability to develop a good rapport with all Trust staff
• IT literate/Word/Excel/Windows
• Ability to effectively present clearly and effectively with the ability to engage your audience.
• Effective report writing to ensure information presented is accurate, clear and concise including the submission of Datix reports.
• Good time management skills
• Ability to follow processes accurately with attention to detail