Contract and Partnership Officer in Croydon, Surrey

MUST HAVE FULL UK DRIVING LICENCE AND OWN CAR - YOU WILL NEED TO BE OUT AND ABOUT TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AT LEAST 4x PER WEEK - BETWEEN OFFICE/SCHEMES. CAN WORK FROM HOME 1x PER WEEK.

Our vision is to create communities where everyone has a safe home in a place where they are proud to live. We are big and we are local. Residents are at the heart of all we do and we use our size to influence positive change in the areas where we operate. It’s also about living our values which are at the HEART of what we do. All colleagues are expected to demonstrate a commitment to our values through their behaviours, actions and words on a daily basis. As a valued member of the Southern Housing Team, you will embrace our Values to inspire others as well as yourself.

Provide an effective intensive housing management service for residents with identified support needs, working with external support providers, commissioners and other partners within relevant legislation, regulation and Service Level Agreements (SLA).

• Carry out void management including pre-void inspections, obtaining referrals, assessing applicant suitability, completing risk assessments as necessary, tenancy fraud checks, affordability assessments, viewings, sign-ups, completing CORE and updating the tenancy management systems.
• Across supported housing schemes, manage and investigate tenancy breaches using informal and formal interventions. Start court action for ASB, debt, crime or nuisance issues and authorise notice to quit or notice to seek possession, liaise with our solicitors, prepare the court papers, attend court hearings, draft the eviction report and complete the eviction process.
• Complete property inspections across our supported housing schemes every fortnight or more frequently, to quality assure property condition and undertake call point testing, legionella testing, fire drills and health and safety inspections as required.
• Work with support providers and relevant agencies to manage complex cases including safeguarding, capacity issues and support concerns focusing on tenancy sustainment.
• Hold joint liaison meetings quarterly with representatives of the support providers/commissioners and other partners to review the various aspects of the Service Level Agreement and service performance.
• Escalate any concerns with support provisions to senior management and if appropriate follow the safeguarding protocol.
• Ensure we meet compliance obligations by facilitating access in relation to repairs, gas servicing, electrical, portable appliance testing (PAT) making available the appropriate documents to residents and support providers.
• Complete FRA actions within a set timeframe.
• Assist SH property colleagues in helping them with their planned works (stock investment, servicing contracts i.e. electrical, gas, water, cyclical works, aids and adaptations, asbestos, etc).
• Respond to complaints and resident feedback and ensure services support continuous improvement and positive resident experience.

Essential: Demonstrable knowledge of working in supported housing/housing related support environment. A proven track record of working in a customer facing service where customer satisfaction was at the heart of the operation. Previous experience of managing relationships with partner agents, including negotiation of management agreements and monitoring of performance. Knowledge of legislation around health and safety and property management. Experience in managing and supporting projects.

Skills: Being able to keep up-to-date with new technologies which can improve services or deliver value for money. Ability to communicate effectively and concisely, displaying good interpersonal skills in multiple modes (phone, face to face, emails and in writing) using customer friendly language.