Housing Team Leader – Temporary Accommodation in Somerset

Role Purpose: To ensure the Housing Officers – Temporary Accommodation are effectively prioritising and managing case work and responding to housing related enquiries and actions. To ensure that all contact with our customers are recorded on the Open Housing System and appropriate advice and support provided to Housing Officers in addressing tenant issues, giving advice and personally taking on and managing more complex case work and complaints.

Work closely with the Case Manager Lead to ensure that policies and procedures are written and kept up to date and fit for purpose, ensuring learning and development of the team. You will deliver a comprehensive tenancy service, acting as a key point of contact for tenants throughout the tenancy lifecycle. You will manage a portfolio of temporary homes, provide timely and accurate advice, identify support needs and work with customers and partner agencies to help sustain successful tenancies. You will provide advanced housing management support.

You will help maintain safe, well-managed properties by monitoring tenancy compliance, completing inspections, responding to low-level nuisance and anti-social behaviour, and ensuring concerns are recorded and progressed in line with relevant procedures, housing legislation and health and safety requirements. You will work in conjunction with the Homeless Service to minimise time spent living in temporary accommodation and support tenancy readiness for prompt move-on into permanent accommodation.

We believe that people should spend the shortest time possible in temporary accommodation to minimise the disruption and stress it can cause. Prolonged stays can negatively impact mental health, wellbeing and family stability especially for children who may face interruption to their education and routines. Temporary accommodation can also limit opportunities for employment due to uncertainty about location of where they will become settled. High rent levels in temporary accommodation can also make it difficult to move from benefits into work.

You will:

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 56 properties, providing a responsive and customer-focused housing management service.
• Ensure team plans and schedules are in place for the delivery of the service area.
• Provide high level advice and information in relation to temporary accommodation housing management, having a good oversight of housing law, current legislation and new initiatives that are coming through.
• Understand temporary accommodation policies and procedures, looking to improve, learn and update where necessary.
• Ensure relationships are maintained with all our multi-agency partners.
• Act as a key point of contact for tenants within this service area, giving advice and information on tenancy and estate management, housing law, relevant legislation, policies and procedures.
• Coordinate a jointly delivered review of the initial risk assessment and personal housing plan with the Homeless Service, working together to identify the most suitable accommodation and location, and jointly liaising with an officer from the Homelessness Service on tenancy sustainment, handovers and ongoing joint-working.
• Support tenants with claiming housing costs ie Housing Benefit as well as support claiming Universal Credit.
• Support tenants with setting up utilities, council tax and other required payments.
• Regular tenancy sustainment contact and reviews.
• Respond consistently to low-level nuisance and anti-social behaviour, working closely with ASB Case Managers, internal colleagues and partner agencies.
• Liaise with Homelessness Service in preparation for move-on, tenant readiness and ending their tenancy with us.
• Attend weekly meetings with the Homeless Service.
• Monthly and quarterly performance reporting and returns as required as part of the SLA.
• Monitor compliance with tenancy obligations and address breaches or concerns at an early stage, recognising when formal or legal action may be required.
• Carry out communal area inspections, identifying and reporting health and safety, fire safety, environmental and maintenance concerns and ensuring appropriate action is taken.
• Carry out end-of-tenancy inspections and help ensure properties are returned in an appropriate condition with outstanding issues identified and progressed.

What you will bring:

• A customer-focused and supportive approach, with the confidence to work with people in a wide range of circumstances, including vulnerable customers.
• Sound judgement and the ability to assess risk, resolve issues early and recognise when concerns require escalation, specialist support or formal action.
• Clear and confident communication skills, with the ability to provide consistent messages face to face, by telephone and in writing.
• Strong organisation, attention to detail and the ability to balance competing demands, prioritise work and meet deadlines.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to build constructive relationships with tenants, colleagues, community representatives and partner agencies.
• Discretion and professionalism when handling confidential and sensitive information.
• A flexible, proactive approach, with the ability to use initiative, work independently and contribute effectively as part of a team.
• A commitment to accurate record keeping, continuous professional development, service improvement and delivering value for money.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Good understanding of social housing, with a strong emphasis on housing management, tenancies and estates.
• At least two years housing management experience in a similar setting with a registered provider.
• Experience of dealing with the general public, including vulnerable customers, and delivering frontline customer services.
• Experience of working in an administrative role and maintaining accurate records and statistical information.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters professionally with a wide range of people.
• Excellent customer care, interpersonal and communication skills, including face-to-face, telephone and written communication.
• Accuracy, attention to detail, and strong organisational and administrative skills.
• Good keyboard and word-processing skills, with competence in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook and experience of case management systems.
• Minimum of five GCSEs at grades A to C, including English and Maths, or equivalent.
• Evidence of continuing professional development through training, qualifications or relevant experience.

Desirable:

• Awareness of data protection requirements.
• Awareness of health and safety requirements in a social housing setting.
• Awareness of welfare benefits and welfare reform.
• Experience of triaging enquiries and signposting customers to appropriate services.
• Numeracy skills and the ability to interpret and record relevant information accurately.
• Ability to prioritise and manage your own workload, meet deadlines, use initiative and work with limited supervision.
• CIH Level 3 or 4, or evidence that you are working towards this qualification.
• NVQ Level 4 or equivalent, or significant relevant experience within housing, a local authority or a registered provider.

Anything else required for the role:

The role involves working across estates and local communities, with a mix of office-based, remote and home working in line with service requirements. You will be expected to travel within your designated area to visit tenants, inspect homes, blocks, communal areas and estates, and attend relevant meetings. You will participate in the housing duty advice service and provide additional cover or support across the service area when required. You must follow safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, information governance and organisational policies and procedures at all times.