Housing Project Support Worker in Bradford

Are you passionate about supporting people to rebuild their lives and achieve greater independence? Abigail Housing is seeking a dedicated and motivated Housing Project Support Worker to join our team.

Location: Leeds and Bradford

Hours: 30 hours per week, working Tuesday to Friday

Salary: £27,917.55 per annum (pro rata). Actual salary for working 30 hours per week is £22,635.85 per annum.

As a Housing Project Support Worker, you will provide practical and person-centered support to individuals living in Abigail Housing accommodation. The successful applicant will be expected to work across our offices in Leeds and Bradford, as well as at the properties we manage throughout both cities. As the majority of our accommodation is located in Leeds, most of your time will be spent supporting our clients living at our Leeds properties. This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals by helping them access services, develop independent living skills, maintain tenancies, and work towards positive move-on outcomes.

The worker will be able to claim travel costs for additional costs incurred on approved business away from their normal place of work. Staff are on-call over weekends on a rota basis. The postholder will receive a fixed payment per day for being On Call, plus TOIL for time worked.

Responsible to: Abigail Board of Directors

Reports to: Operations Manager

Background to the post: Abigail Housing provides accommodation and support to people made homeless at the end of the asylum process, including refugees who have recently been granted leave to remain and Appeals Rights Exhausted (ARE) asylum seekers.

Primary objectives of the post: Once inducted into the role, you will work closely with colleagues and senior staff to provide housing management support to all residents living at Abigail Housing (AH), including assisting with maintaining and running the properties which the charity leases and owns. To also promote the work of the charity to ensure its continuation.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities:

• Property Management: Oversee health and safety of all Abigail Housing properties in consultation with other colleagues and the Operations Manager. Ensure the safety and welfare of residents, particularly regarding fire safety and cleanliness. Assist residents with intensive housing management to address all housing-related needs during their stay. Maintain all properties and casework notes and records. Undertake house inspections and liaise with residents to arrange access. Take regular meter readings. Communicate with stakeholders in a timely manner and keep clear records. Work closely with residents and colleagues to uphold cleanliness standards and resolve issues. Report and follow up on identified maintenance issues. Ensure timely resolution of maintenance issues. Arrange and monitor safety certification for properties. Plan and assess properties to ensure they are adequately furnished and decorated. Maintain casework notes, property logs, and inventories. Ensure timely removal and replacement of equipment. Liaise with contractors and landlords regarding repairs. Carry out minor repairs and maintenance. Manage secure storage of property keys. Support team members in meeting housing standards. Conduct fire testing and recording according to legislation. Facilitate house meetings with residents and keep records of communications. Prepare vacated rooms for new residents. Allocate vacant rooms in line with policies and arrange initial meetings with prospective residents. Support collection of Housing Benefit payments and rent payments. Regularly check in with colleagues to address resident issues. Liaise with colleagues regarding breaches of licence/tenancy conditions. Support residents in managing communal living tensions. Update and maintain property inventories. Respond to other presenting needs of residents as required. Participate in Housing Management subgroup meetings.
• Resident Support: Provide Housing Management related support while being flexible to assist with resident-related support issues, especially during absences. Work closely with colleagues to ensure proactive information sharing.
• Administration: Take responsibility for record keeping related to housing management, including property case notes and risk assessments. Care for office equipment and space. Record statistical information for monitoring and reporting. File invoices for repairs and purchases appropriately.
• Development Work: Represent the charity at fundraising events and attend multi-agency meetings as required.
• Supervision, Accountability and Training: Follow lone working procedures and consult with colleagues as needed. Participate in regular catch-up meetings and supervision with the line manager. Undertake any reasonable duties linked to the overall aims of the charity as directed.

The role requires flexibility as Abigail Housing operates with a small staff team. The post-holder will be expected to undertake housing management duties during planned and unplanned absences. This job description is not exhaustive.

Decision making: The post holder will liaise with other AH staff but will spend some time each day working alone and be expected to use their own initiative while adhering to current AH policy and guidelines.

Assets, materials: The post holder will be responsible for the safe keeping of all materials, equipment, and cash/credit card belonging to Abigail Housing. They will adhere to all AH policies and procedures and abide by the Employee code of Conduct and the principles of the Abigail Housing Behaviour Framework.

Equal Opportunities Statement: AH is actively opposed to all forms of discrimination on the grounds of age, gender, ethnic origin, nationality, political belief, religion, marital status, domestic circumstance, immigration status, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, trade union activity, health education or formal education.