Location
Hounslow

Hours
36 hours per week

Salary
£49,056 - £52,194

About the Role
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Homelessness, Independence and Preventative Services at the London Borough of Hounslow. The service adopts a preventative approach across housing, health and social care agendas. You will take a lead role in housing allocations to council properties and nominations to Registered Providers. You will manage the team responsible for allocating permanent council accommodation and nominations, ensuring properties are let as soon as practicably possible. Your responsibilities include ensuring prompt viewings and signups for new tenancies, taking account of individual customer needs, and monitoring key performance data on Allocations.

You will engage with service users through telephone and email contact, maintaining accurate and up-to-date customer records. You will actively promote the service and participate in service improvement initiatives across Homelessness, Independence and Preventative Services. Collaboration with colleagues and other professionals is essential to achieve positive outcomes for residents and support the council’s shared goals.

This role involves managing a busy and developing Allocations team focused on reducing temporary accommodation use and achieving upstream prevention outcomes. You will be a visible leader managing high volumes of work involving vulnerable residents, demonstrating compassion, energy and enthusiasm. You will mentor and support staff handling complex and sensitive cases, ensuring resources are targeted effectively and cross-cutting issues are addressed with borough-wide solutions.

You will operate effectively in a demanding environment with multiple competing priorities, ensuring timely interventions to prevent escalation of need, fulfil statutory requirements and respond to legal challenges.

Working in this role means making a real difference to the lives of people who are homeless or at risk of losing their housing, developing initiatives to help residents live independently and safely in their homes.

Experience
Extensive knowledge and experience of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. Experience working with vulnerable people and leading multi-disciplinary housing teams dealing with complex needs and diverse client groups. Expert knowledge of homelessness and associated legislation.

About you
Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, manage and develop staff in a challenging, high volume, fast-paced environment. Excellent communication skills to engage effectively with applicants, colleagues and elected members, influencing and negotiating to achieve multi-disciplinary outcomes. Acts with integrity, takes personal responsibility, handles stress effectively and makes confident decisions. Flexible and independent worker who adapts to changing needs and keeps the team updated with legislation, policy and guidance. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a comprehensive understanding of issues faced by vulnerable people. Collaborative team leader focused on achieving targets and service objectives while developing the team to its full potential. Ability to travel independently around the Borough to visit properties and meet professionals in community settings.

Qualifications
Degree or equivalent qualifications are desirable but not essential.