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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Help reduce homelessness and support residents in securing permanent accommodation.
- Company: Swale Borough Council, a progressive local authority in Kent.
- Benefits: Flexible working, generous holidays, and employee support programmes.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Motivated individual with good attention to detail and communication skills.
- Other info: Join a supportive team with excellent career growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 42000 £ per year.
Overview
Are you looking for a career in housing and in helping to reduce homelessness and make a difference to residents? Swale Borough Council have an exciting opportunity for a full-time Accommodation Assistant to cover maternity leave on a fixed term basis. You will be helping to deliver a proactive, high-quality housing service in accordance with housing legislation with a view to relieve homelessness and helping households to secure more permanent accommodation.
This is a busy and challenging role, but we work as a supportive team who together make a difference. The role is full time working 34 hours per week on a fixed term contract for 12 months, to cover a period of maternity leave.
Responsibilities
- Monitor and record all compliance and safety information required for the Temporary Accommodation (TA) homes on the Council\’s housing database systems.
- Deal with enquiries from TA providers and customers to ensure issues such as repairs and complaints are dealt with effectively.
- Arrange emergency temporary accommodation for homeless households, ensuring suitability and cost effectiveness of each placement.
- Maximise housing benefit for those in TA placements and ensure that claims are kept up to date.
- Be a self-starter who can work on own initiative and organise workload with a positive and flexible attitude.
- Demonstrate good communication skills and the ability to confidently communicate with a wide range of people.
- Work proactively with customers and partners and contribute to our housing service objectives.
Qualifications and Attributes
- Motivated and innovative individual with good attention to detail.
- Ability to work proactively with customers and partners.
- Disability Confident employer information: An interviewer may be offered to any applicant with a disability who meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. See employer policy for details.
About Swale Borough Council
Swale Borough Council is a progressive and ambitious Local Authority, located less than an hour from Central London in an attractive and diverse part of Kent involving urban, rural, and coastal areas. The Council supports flexible hybrid working and recognises staff wellbeing and work life balance.
Our Offer
- 34 hour full-time working week with the office closing at 1:30pm on Friday
- Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities
- 7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances for most roles
- Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave
- Additional 3 days leave to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New Year
- Free parking
- Flexible working opportunities to accommodate home/work life balance including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part time
- Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing
- Employee Assistance Programme with confidential support and access to counsellors
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with life cover and financial protection for your family
- Life Assurance – three times annual salary (for LGPS members)
- Season Ticket Loan for rail/bus travel to and from work
- Lease car salary sacrifice scheme including insurance, servicing and road tax
- Annual flu vaccine
- Cycle to work scheme
- Staff benefits discounts on leisure, dining, holidays and shopping
- Learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
- Professional fee payment if required for the role
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Accommodation Assistant employer: Swale Borough Council
Contact Detail:
Swale Borough Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Accommodation Assistant
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the housing sector, attend local events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Swale Borough Council and understanding their values and mission. Tailor your answers to show how your skills align with their goals, especially around reducing homelessness and supporting residents.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your communication skills! Since the role involves dealing with a wide range of people, being able to articulate your thoughts clearly and confidently is key. Consider mock interviews with friends or family to boost your confidence.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our supportive team at Swale Borough Council.
We think you need these skills to ace Accommodation Assistant
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your skills and experiences align with the role of Accommodation Assistant. We want to see how you can contribute to reducing homelessness and supporting residents!
Showcase Your Communication Skills: Since you'll be dealing with a variety of people, it's crucial to demonstrate your communication skills in your application. Use examples that show how you've effectively communicated in past roles or situations.
Highlight Your Proactivity: We love self-starters! Make sure to include instances where you've taken initiative in previous jobs or projects. This will show us that you're ready to tackle the challenges of this busy role.
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Swale Borough Council
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you understand the key responsibilities of the Accommodation Assistant role. Familiarise yourself with housing legislation and the specific challenges faced by temporary accommodation providers. This will help you answer questions confidently and show that you're genuinely interested in making a difference.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
Since this role involves dealing with a wide range of people, practice how you'll communicate effectively during the interview. Think of examples where you've successfully resolved issues or worked collaboratively with others. This will demonstrate your ability to handle enquiries and complaints professionally.
✨Be Proactive and Flexible
The job requires a self-starter attitude, so be ready to discuss times when you've taken initiative in previous roles. Highlight your organisational skills and how you manage your workload, especially in busy environments. This will show that you can adapt and thrive in a challenging role.
✨Emphasise Your Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is crucial for monitoring compliance and safety information. Prepare to share examples of how you've ensured accuracy in your work before. This could involve managing databases or handling sensitive information, which will reassure the interviewers of your capability in this area.