Location
London Borough of Newham

Hours
Hybrid Role with flexible working arrangements, including the possibility to work from home up to 3 days a week after an initial 4-week induction period.

Salary
£40,182 - £42,060 per annum

About the Role
Last year, Newham Homelessness Prevention Advice Service (HPAS) received over 6,500 homeless applications from households across the borough. The housing market in and around Newham is highly competitive and challenging, with significant demand for affordable family housing. The private rented sector plays a vital role in addressing this issue by providing essential housing options for those in need. Your role will be instrumental in ensuring that private rented accommodation is accessible and sustainable for our clients.

As part of the Private Rented Solutions Team within Newham HPAS, you will support the service in procurement, education, and lettings. You will be responsible for maintaining a robust supply of affordable private lettings and long-term leased temporary accommodation. This involves cultivating strong relationships with landlords, agents, and developers to promote the uptake of the Council’s Leasing and Lettings Schemes and matching these properties to households to prevent or relieve homelessness or to discharge s193 homelessness duty.

The Private Sector Solutions Team is key to our Temporary Accommodation Reduction strategy, playing a vital role in reducing reliance on temporary housing solutions and helping to secure long-term, sustainable housing for those in need.

This dynamic role focuses on procuring private sector properties and providing landlords and agents with opportunities to let or lease their properties. You will deliver a high-quality, customer-centric experience that rivals a private letting agency, ensuring both landlords and tenants receive exceptional service.

All candidates will initially be offered a 12-month fixed term contract with permanent contracts available thereafter.

What Newham Can Offer
You do not need prior PVII homeless experience, although it is preferred. If you do not have experience, you must demonstrate an ability to seek out relevant legislation and explain it effectively. Full training on the legislation will be provided by our internal training team, supporting your career pathway within homelessness.

We offer flexible working arrangements, including the possibility of working from home up to 3 days a week.

Experience
We are looking for hard-working, experienced housing professionals with specific private sector procurement experience. You should possess strong communication and negotiation skills and have a proven track record of delivering positive outcomes.

You will have experience negotiating with landlords and agents, securing high-quality accommodation at competitive prices, and assessing affordability for prospective tenants.

About you
- Strong communicator with excellent negotiation skills
- Able to achieve personal targets that impact team performance and efficiency
- Able to provide landlords with advice in line with legislation
- Confident in communicating effectively with a range of people, particularly landlords
- Able to deliver excellent customer service with the ability to mediate and resolve challenges
- Able to sensitively manage expectations
- Passionate, committed, and enthusiastic about making a difference in homelessness prevention

Qualifications
Knowledge of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, including Suitability of Accommodation, is essential. While prior PVII homeless experience is preferred, it is not mandatory if you demonstrate the ability to research and understand relevant legislation. Full training will be provided.