Supported Housing Manager in Basingstoke

YMCA provides supportive homes to almost 200 young people and families in Southampton, Basingstoke and Isle of Wight. We call those that live at YMCA “members”. The Supported Housing Manager will support the Area Manager to ensure that all members experience a therapeutic approach to personal support that leads to independence, access to emotional wellbeing and mental health support, opportunities for employment, training and education, and the skills to sustain them, as well as daily opportunities for meaningful use of leisure time that meets their needs.

Our approach is to support people in a trauma-informed way that contributes to members’ wellbeing and enables them to move into employment and independent living. We have committed at YMCA to using evidence-based approaches including Advantaged Thinking and Psychologically Informed Environments, and the postholder will support all staff, volunteers and external agencies to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to apply these approaches every day. The postholder will also work closely with the housing management and estates team to ensure the quality and sustainability of supportive housing at YMCA.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

• Work within the YMCA Way including ensuring implementation of trauma-informed working, psychologically informed environments and Advantaged Thinking, supported by the Area Manager.
• Take a positive and restorative behaviour support approach to respond to and reduce behaviours of concern.
• Undertake day-to-day operational responsibility for YMCA Basingstoke in the form of delegated duties and as duty manager.
• Line manage, support and develop a team of staff and volunteers, with a strong focus on their wellbeing.
• Share on-site duty management on a rota system which includes evenings, weekends and bank holidays, including the sharing of information with third-party providers.
• Act in the interests of your own safety & the safety of others at all times.

Housing Management (40%)

• Lead on the selection and induction of those applying for accommodation.
• In partnership with the Supported Housing Area Manager, deploy housing resources effectively to ensure maximum occupancy across all properties.
• Support the debt management process, taking local ownership of delivering debt recovery letters and leading finance conversations with residents who are in arrears.
• Lead on addressing anti-social behaviour and other welfare concerns, including leading on the investigation of any service-level complaints raised by residents and ensuring first-contact resolution where possible.
• Ensure maintenance schedules are met and maintain the right level of compliance with health and safety and regulatory requirements across all properties.
• Drive high-quality void turnaround, ensuring properties are relet quickly without compromising standards.
• Ensure that the welfare, safety and security of all residents is ensured as a priority.
• Carry out local site reporting requirements to regulators, commissioners and the Charity.
• Hold third-party providers to account in delivering services against expected standards, ensuring the timely sharing of feedback and that action is taken when necessary.
• As a leader, ensure that the correct support, planning and assessments are in place with residents.
• Develop community-focused support and activities that engage the wider community and involve third-party partners in delivering meaningful opportunities for members.
• Act as an advocate for members and engage partner agencies and services appropriate to the member’s needs.
• Enable job search, training, and volunteering opportunities with members who are not in education, employment, or training.
• May be required to work evenings, weekends and bank holidays in line with operational needs, and ensure adequate staffing is maintained throughout these periods.
• Commit to training, CPD, and continuous professional development to maintain and enhance skills.

Qualifications and Experience

• Demonstrable experience of management in youth, adult or community-based service.
• An ability and willingness to relate positively to members, visitors and staff.
• An outgoing and friendly personality, able to communicate well and engage a wide range of people.
• Ability to react positively and effectively when faced with unwanted high-risk behaviours from members.
• Good level of IT proficiency.
• Knowledge of housing support services and processes.
• An understanding of safeguarding principles and procedures.
• An understanding of the issues facing young people.
• An understanding of equality and diversity matters.

Personal Attributes

• A genuine enthusiasm for the work of the charity.
• An outgoing and friendly personality, able to communicate well and engage positively with a wide range of people including young people, visitors and staff.
• The ability to motivate and inspire others.
• An ability to work under pressure and manage challenging situations.
• Good organisational skills in order to manage a highly varied and unpredictable workload.
• A creative and flexible approach to work.

Successful applicant will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via Disclosure and Barring Service. We are an equal opportunities charity with commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion in the workplace.