Housing Lead

As a Customer Housing Lead (CHL), you’ll drive an exceptional end-to-end customer journey, serving as the first point of escalation and ensuring customer satisfaction. Representing Octavia in the community, you’ll manage escalated queries across rents, ASB, repairs, and lettings, working closely with internal and external stakeholders to secure the best outcomes. This fast-paced, customer-facing role requires strong housing and property management expertise, problem-solving skills, and autonomy. You’ll support customers across all tenures, from move-in to tenancy completion, conducting property visits and connecting them with necessary services. With structured training and a clear development pathway, you’ll have the freedom to manage your caseload and deliver a first-class customer experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Through regular contact, develop and capture an in-depth knowledge of our customers, the communities in which they live and act as an internal and external advocate of resident priorities.
• To develop and maintain positive relationships, and work in close partnership, with internal and external stakeholders to respond to resident priorities.
• Manage and provide advice on a range of tenancy related issues including succession, mutual exchanges, assignments, transfers, enforcement of tenancy obligations and working closely with other teams in ensuring access for gas and emergency repairs and transfers.
• Lead in responding to low-level neighbour nuisance issues which can be resolved through a simple intervention.
• Assist where specialist ASB investigation Officers are experiencing high demand in the management of low level ASB and Neighbour Nuisance cases.
• Identifies and assists vulnerable tenants both directly and indirectly in close partnership with Octavia’s care and support services and/or external agencies.
• Act as the main point of escalation for complex customer queries (Rents, ASB, Repairs, tenancy support and Lettings).
• Enable customers to promote and participate in resident involvement activities in liaison with the Resident Involvement department ensuring that the teams are active and involved in arranging regular customer meetings and community events including at evenings and weekends.
• Assist and carry out estate inspections with our Estate Services team.
• Where the specialist team has limited capacity, assists with the investigation and management of tenancy fraud cases.
• Works closely with the Income Team to prepare residents for welfare reform including financial capability risk assessments, basic household budgeting advice, initial guidance on accessing benefits and services on-line, and assisting in the recovery of low-level arrears via home visits and cold calling.
• Manages complaints effectively by seeking to resolve at first point of contact, drafting first stage complaints, and identifying lessons learnt and required service improvements.
• Works closely with Voids and aftercare teams to ensure residents are satisfied when moving into new properties, acting as both an internal client and resident advocate as well as supporting practical arrangements on the handover of schemes.
• Undertakes a lead role on behalf of the team (for example leading on a policy area or provide practical briefing and guidance).
• Achieve defined customer measures and performance metrics in several areas, including all customer contact, self-service, low level ASB, Parking, Tenancy Fraud, Repairs, Getting to Know You Visits, vulnerable customers, rent arrears, one touch resolution, correspondence, and post new tenancy checks.

We are looking for individuals who will encompass our values and support one another in achieving their potential. For this position, we have listed the requirements we believe are essential for this role:

Experience

• Demonstrated experience of working in a fast-paced customer service environment.
• Proficient in the use of contact centre software and systems.
• Experience of handling high volumes of multi-channel contact and case management.
• Exceptional focus on delivering high levels of customer service with the ability to communicate effectively.
• Demonstrated experience of dealing with a wide range of issues in a responsive, reliable and respectful way.
• Experience of complaints and resolution.
• Experience of keeping up to date with regulatory changes and service developments.

Knowledge

• Sound knowledge of other relevant legislation (Housing Acts, ASB, Crime and Policing Act, Racial, Disability and Sex Discrimination and tenancy enforcement).
• Sound knowledge of best practice in Neighbourhood Management, lettings, void control, budgets, and tenant involvement.
• Understanding of best practice in & management of nuisance, harassment & anti-social behaviour.
• Understanding of landlord and tenant relationships and responsibilities.
• Knowledge of assessing individual needs in relation to vulnerability and referrals.
• Great organisation and time management skills, prioritising and ensuring targets are met.
• Results orientated – knowledge of and able to consistently deliver against KPIs within an evolving landscape.
• An interest in the Housing Sector and the responsibilities of social landlords.
• Excellent negotiation skills.

The salary for this role is £40,828 per annum with up to 10% pension contribution. We also offer a fantastic additional benefits:

• Flexible-working.
• Life Assurance.
• Employee Wellbeing App/ Mental Health Support.
• Online GP Service.
• Cycle to work.
• Opportunities for self-development with over 60 courses available to self-enrol.
• Opportunities to volunteer in our Charity Retail Stores or on our Befriending Programme.

Together, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices of our employees. Everyone is welcome. Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.