Property Pool Plus Manager in Birkenhead

To lead, manage and develop the Property Pool Plus Choice Based Lettings Service for Wirral Council, which is operated in conjunction with four other Merseyside Local Authority areas.

Key Tasks:

• Effectively manage a Team of Housing Professionals to ensure that an up to date and accurate housing register is maintained, to ensure that the Councils priority to meet Housing Need is met and that best use is made of available Social Housing including specialist accommodation such as adapted and Extra Care housing.
• Monitor performance and quality standards and ensure that Property Pool Plus Wirral scheme complies with policy and procedures and the standards required in the local service level management agreement and in the sub-regional partnership agreement.
• Work with sub-regional partners to monitor and develop the sub-regional CBL service.
• Research, review, develop, consult on and implement policy and procedures for choice based lettings and Council nominations to help the Council to achieve its objectives in relation to meeting housing need, including the production of management reports to identify changes and trends.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge in relation to relevant Government initiatives, guidance, changes in legislation and good practice.
• Play an integral role in Property Pool Plus Wirral Steering Group in terms of planning agenda, preparing reports, identifying and suggesting topics for discussion, inviting guest speakers and speaking on behalf of Property Pool Plus Team and providing feedback from and to Sub-regional meetings.
• Work with other Council departments and external voluntary and statutory bodies to identify housing need and ensure that it is met through the allocations policy. This will include representing the Department at Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) meetings, Child Safeguarding Panels and Care Leaver Panel.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Extensive practical and theoretical understanding of rehousing services, choice based lettings services, allocations/appeals processes, Government policies and legislation impacting on statutory allocations functions.
• Strong analytical skills, problem solving capability and ability to interpret information and data to make informed decisions.
• Ability to negotiate with partners and have the confidence to present information and findings clearly to both lead and influence others behaviour through effective relationship building.
• Ability to lead and direct service planning and delivery and performance manage, monitor and take corrective action if necessary.
• Ability to articulate through excellent communication skills including verbal and written skills on written reports and responses for MPs, Members, advocates and a range of stakeholders.
• Ability to compile and analyse statistical data to inform service delivery.
• Ability to plan and organise a range of complex activities and priorities within a focused area of service and motivate others.

Experience:

• Experience of delivering high quality customer services in a busy environment.
• Substantial management experience and a high level of competency in managing staff to deal with all aspects of management, including delegation, setting performance targets, assessing training and development needs, motivating staff, absence, managing change, conflict and aggression.
• Experience of managing and controlling revenue budgets, programme management, risk management and delivering outputs within constraining budgets.
• Experience of building and leading on effective partnerships with internal and external agencies across housing and social care sectors.
• Experience of undertaking computer system updates, undertaking service user acceptance testing and negotiating with IT system providers.
• Experience of delivering formal training to a variety of audiences.