Service Manager

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract for 1 year

Salary: £35,928.31 Per Annum (Pro Rata) + £4,000 London Allowance (£37,176.40 is achieved after 18 months successful performance in the role)

Working Hours: 18.75 hours per week

Working Pattern: To be negotiated, preferably 3 days one week, followed by 2 days the following week

Location: Acre Lane hostel, Brixton

If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter.

At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the essential criteria on the job description.

Please note that whilst we will accept applications on the basis of any form of valid legal permission to work in the UK, we will be surrendering the Riverside Sponsorship licence, so for the avoidance of doubt, we are unable to apply for any further sponsorships whether on behalf of existing colleagues or candidates.

The difference you will make as a Service Manager

You will be working from one of our supported services providing motivational leadership to empower and engage your team to deliver an outstanding service that puts customers first with responsibility for the safe operational management of care and support services.

About you

• Experience of managing a team within a supported housing environment with a vulnerable and diverse group of customers
• Experience of working in challenging environments with the ability to plan, prioritise, organise tasks to achieve results
• Ability to listen and communicate clearly, encourage feedback and reflection, empower, motivate and gain improvements
• Have conflict resolution skills and be confident and consistent when making decisions
• Experience of reviewing, monitoring and evaluating outcomes in the delivery of support services
• Competent IT skills, including using databases, producing reports and other communications, and analysing key outcomes data to understand and drive service improvements

Why Riverside?

At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives. We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.

Working with us, you’ll enjoy:

• Competitive pay & generous pension
• 28 days holidays plus bank holidays (pro rata)
• Flexible working options available
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside

We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues. Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview. This role also falls under our Ethnic Diversity guaranteed interview scheme. If you are Ethnically Diverse and demonstrate you meet the minimum criteria for the role you will be guaranteed an interview. Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to be considered.

Role Profile

• Leading and engaging a team
• Line manage a team and create a safe environment where colleagues can talk openly and honestly
• Work together to set expectations and performance targets
• Hold regular ‘one-to-one’ sessions to reflect on achievements, performance and support individual personal wellbeing
• Undertake six monthly performance reviews to support and guide colleagues to fulfil their potential
• Facilitate regular team meetings to update and empower your team to share ideas and best practice
• Embrace reflective practice techniques so the team can learn from their experiences
• Recognising, praising and acknowledging achievements of colleagues and team
• Build effective partnerships with regional and other colleagues across Riverside, participating in wider initiatives

Leading a service

• Manage the service as per contractual requirements, reviewing contract performance annually, to deliver excellent outcomes for customers
• Meet Riverside performance targets
• Participate in the setting and management of service budgets. Monitor spend by accessing the finance system and report budget variances to the budget holder
• Resource, plan and deliver a colleague rota that covers all shifts effectively
• Recruit great people for your team, sourcing and engaging relief or agency workers as and when required
• Devise, plan and deliver a comprehensive induction and continuous development plans for all colleagues
• Be responsible for cash handling, ordering goods, administration of monthly timesheets, raise and approve invoices through accurate record keeping
• Produce reports and other written documentation as required to support contract delivery
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation and other regulatory obligations, assessing risk, putting in control measures and reporting risks
• Work with customers and colleagues to deliver the objectives within Riverside’s corporate plan
• Actively build positive relationships with all key stakeholders by attending forums, tasks groups and networking events to promote and position Riverside as the preferred provider in the area

Housing and income management

• Manage and report responsive repairs and liaising with contractors
• Monitor that welfare checks of customers rooms are being carried out
• Working in partnership with asset and compliance colleagues to ensure our properties are safely managed
• Manage empty properties, ensuring that they are referred to asset colleagues for void work and follow void procedure to ensure rooms are ready to let
• Lead on hearing appeals, serving notice and ending of tenancies as per Riverside policy framework
• Manage an effective housing allocation and referral pathway into the service, ensuring customers are able to access the service as quickly as possible
• Manage the rental income for the service by ensuring the team collect rent payments from customers and manage any arrears to minimise any losses
• Deliver a tenancy sustainment and advice service to customers, by maximising their income i.e. claiming correct benefits, ensuring that the team support customers to maintain their tenancy through effective budget management

Supporting customers

• Lead your team to provide a person centred, service for customers in line with our psychologically and trauma informed approach
• Promote the highest levels of customer consultation, communication and partnership working in all aspects of service delivery
• Work with your team to ensure customers are supported to achieve their ambitions and aspirations through creative support planning and a flexible approach
• Continuously develop relationships and networks with a range of stakeholders, including housing providers to identify pathways to plan and deliver positive move‑ons
• Involve and engage customers in the design and delivery of all aspects of the service, including encouraging participation in internal audits
• Work with your team to continuously identify and build relationships with community resources and promote multi‑disciplinary working to enhance the service for customers
• Guide your team to record customer information on Riverside and relevant local or external digital platforms, ensuring information is clear, accurate and strengths‑based
• Enable customers to move towards self‑management of their medication through adherence to medication management procedures
• Handle complaints and reports of anti‑social behaviour transparently, ensuring customers are kept up‑to‑date with progress and a culture of continuous improvement is embedded

Other Information

• You will be required to work flexibly to meet customer and business needs, which may include out‑of‑hour working and participating in an “on‑call” rota
• Undertake regular training and take responsibility for continuous development to enable you to deliver your role safely
• Use the Lone Worker system as and when necessary
• Ensure customers are safe at all times - carrying out all of your duties within Riverside’s Policy and Procedure framework e.g. health & safety, safeguarding, dignity at work, GDPR, cash handling, etc
• Deliver your role in line with Riverside company values – “Our Riverside Way”
• Participate in team meetings, attend regular supervisions and reflective practice sessions
• From time to time you may be required to undertake additional duties and responsibilities in consultation with your Line Manager

Person specification

Essential

• Experience of working within a supported housing environment with a vulnerable and diverse group of customers.
• Experience of working in challenging environments with the ability to plan, prioritise, organise tasks to achieve results.
• Be a team player with a caring, empathic, supportive and flexible with a resilient can‑do attitude.
• Ability to listen and communicate clearly, encourage feedback and reflection, empower, motivate and gain improvements.
• Have conflict resolution skills and be confident and consistent when making decisions.
• Experience of reviewing, monitoring and evaluating outcomes in the delivery of support services.
• Competent IT skills, including using databases, producing reports and other communications, and analysing key outcomes data to understand and drive service improvements.

Desirable

• Experience of managing and developing a small team.
• Financial experience or previous budgetary responsibility.
• Previous experience of managing contracts, achieving KPIs, managing compliance.
• Recognised formal care, support or housing qualification.

About Us

Riverside is one of the UK’s leading not‑for‑profit social housing and regeneration organisations, owning or managing around 75,000 homes from Irvine to Kent. We are a leading provider of supported housing services, particularly for those affected by homelessness, and our track record of transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods dates back over 90 years. We have plans to build over 15,000 affordable homes over the next decade.