At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead housing support for veterans, ensuring high-quality, person-centred assistance.
- Company: Join SSAFA’s Glasgow’s Helping Heroes, a trusted charity for the Armed Forces community.
- Benefits: Flexible working, community impact, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic role with citywide travel and outreach work.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of veterans facing homelessness.
- Qualifications: CIH Level 2 or 3 qualification and experience in housing advice required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
The Senior Housing Advisor at SSAFA’s Glasgow’s Helping Heroes (GHH) leads the delivery of high‑quality, person‑centred housing and homelessness support for members of the Armed Forces community at risk of homelessness. The postholder provides professional oversight of housing advice, casework and tenancy sustainment, setting clear standards for inclusive practice and addressing barriers to housing.
The role involves supporting triage, allocating and monitoring caseloads, and guiding staff on complex and high‑risk cases. Alongside holding a caseload, the postholder focuses on quality assurance, escalation, problem‑solving and service development. The postholder will oversee the use of rent deposit, first‑month rent and emergency accommodation funding, ensuring fair and transparent decision‑making, and contributes to tenancy sustainment outcomes, service planning and reporting.
This role combines leadership with operational oversight, supporting staff development, safeguarding and data quality while playing a key role in preventing homelessness and supporting veterans to secure and sustain safe housing. This is a community‑based role involving citywide travel, outreach work and home visits, requiring flexibility to respond to urgent or changing needs. As a pet‑friendly service, GHH regularly supports beneficiaries who may have assistance or support animals.
GHH, based at the Pearce Institute in Govan and delivered in partnership with SSAFA and Glasgow City Council, provides trusted support to serving personnel, veterans, and their families. Our trauma‑informed, holistic approach offers wraparound assistance that addresses housing needs alongside wider wellbeing challenges, helping beneficiaries build resilience and sustain long‑term housing solutions. The service operates a gateway model, giving the Armed Forces community a single point of contact for housing, financial, employability and wider support. You’ll be part of a highly collaborative network, working closely with local and national partners such as Citizens Advice Scotland, Veterans Housing Scotland, Erskine, Scottish Veterans Residences, Defence Medical Welfare Services, Homeless Casework Teams and Homeless Network Scotland. The role also involves attending stakeholder events that may occasionally fall outside of standard office hours.
You’ll be a proactive, organised and compassionate professional, with the resilience and judgement needed to thrive in a demanding, community‑focused role. You’ll have a clear commitment to improving outcomes for members of the Armed Forces community and a strong sense of integrity as priorities and demands change. You’ll be confident managing your own workload while supporting and overseeing the work of others, creating a safe, supportive and accountable working environment.
With a clear understanding of the pressures involved in working with people in crisis, you’ll be able to adapt your approach to risk, urgency and complexity, confidently managing high‑risk situations and supporting sound decision‑making. You’ll maintain high standards in safeguarding, data quality and professional boundaries at all times. You’ll manage a varied caseload and deliver person‑centred support, working closely with local authorities, landlords and partner agencies. Strong communication, problem‑solving and organisational skills are essential. A CIH Level 2 or 3 qualification is essential, alongside experience of delivering housing advice, homelessness prevention and/or tenancy sustainment support.
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, is a trusted source of support for the Armed Forces community in their time of need. In 2024, our dedicated teams of volunteers and employees supported more than 54,000 people through a wide range of services. This includes veterans, serving personnel (regulars and reserves), and their families, wherever and whenever they need us. SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. We are here for that person and their family, offering practical, emotional, and financial support tailored to their unique circumstances.
SSAFA exists to support a diverse range of beneficiaries within the armed forces community, and we believe diversity within our teams is key to ensuring we can deliver our services effectively. We thrive on differences and believe it is critical to our success as a worldwide charity. SSAFA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We therefore encourage applications from all genders, races, religions, ages and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our business. SSAFA is committed to using the Disclosure & Barring Service to ensure we, as an employer, safeguard those we serve.
Senior Housing and Homelessness Advisor - Glasgow's Helping Heroes employer: Homeless Link
SSAFA is an exceptional employer, dedicated to supporting the Armed Forces community through a compassionate and inclusive work culture. With a focus on professional development and collaboration, employees benefit from meaningful work that directly impacts the lives of veterans and their families. Located in Glasgow, the role offers unique opportunities for outreach and community engagement, all within a supportive environment that values diversity and promotes resilience.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Housing and Homelessness Advisor - Glasgow's Helping Heroes
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Homeless Link.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Homeless Link!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Homeless Link, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Homeless Link or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Housing and Homelessness Advisor - Glasgow's Helping Heroes
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Homeless Link:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Homeless Link! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Homeless Link
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
