Principal Housing Advisor PO2 - REQ004041

INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.

Job title: Principal Housing Advisor

Salary: PO2 £39,862 - £42,839

Hours: 37 Hours

Contract: Temporary Maternity Cover

Location: Merrion House – at least 3 days office based

As a Principal Housing Advisor, you will thrive on leading multiple teams delivering an effective statutory homelessness service. You will have operational responsibility for teams completing homelessness assessments, placing households into temporary accommodation, managing temporary accommodation, and maximising move on into settled accommodation.

You will be a representative of the service, leading on partnerships and projects to maximise homelessness prevention, deliver on the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-2028, and work effectively with rough sleeping/prison/hospital discharge partnership arrangements.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Principal Housing Advisor, you will bring to the role:

Ability to provide visible and effective leadership which empowers, enables and develops staff to achieve results.
Ability to manage operational service teams within a challenging context
Understanding of the needs of homeless people and those in housing need and of homelessness law and policy.
Experience of leading, coaching and motivating teams and individuals.

About the role

As our next Principal Housing Advisor you’ll demonstrate excellent leadership to ensure that Leeds Housing Options can deliver a first class service to households experiencing homelessness. Working in homelessness is a challenging role, and as a Principal Housing Advisor it is crucial to demonstrate resilience whilst being able to support and lead multiple teams to prevent homelessness, and maximise the number of households moving out of temporary accommodation.

The role is integral to the Leeds Housing Options service, taking on responsibility for operational management within a defined area, and leading on multi-agency partnerships to achieve positive outcomes for residents in Leeds. Whilst working in homelessness is challenging, it is also very rewarding and the role offers opportunity to make a difference.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role contact Gemma London, Housing Options Manager, gemma.london@leeds.gov.uk

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people. 

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. 

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose:

The post holder will contribute to the delivery of a high quality housing options service for people who are homeless, threatened with homelessness or in some for of housing need.

The post holder will contribute to ensuring the service has an absolute commitment to customer care and legal compliance.

The post holder will specifically focus on two of the core service functions of housing advice provision and assessment of housing need and duty.

The post holder will support, as required, the delivery of the other key service function of securing suitable accommodation options.

The post holder will contribute to the development of partnerships across the public, private and third sector to enhance the housing options offer made to service customers.

Responsibilities:

Contribute to the delivery of an effective Housing Options Services that generates value for money and helps achieve wider Council priorities
To use effective people management skills in order to motivate, develop and performance manage staff within your service area to drive service improvements.
To contribute to the development and delivery of a Housing Options Service Plan in line with wider service, divisional, directorate and Council priorities
To manage, promote and deliver positive solutions to achieving diversity and equality in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement and human resource areas, focussing on equality of outcome.
To actively drive continuous improvement initiatives through leading and contributing to cross Council projects, collaborative working with partners and supporting Directorate and Divisional Management Teams.
Contribute to maintaining effective communications relating to the Housing Options Service with staff, service users, councillors, trade unions, partners and other stakeholders.
To work with elected members, service users and community representatives in ways which support open, inclusive, responsive and accountable government.
Working as a team for Leeds by developing and maintaining good working relationships with internal and external customers, other stakeholders and partners to achieve excellent outcomes for the citizens of Leeds.
To be accountable for the safety of staff, service users and contractors in accordance with Legislation and the Council Health and Safety Policy.
To be actively involved in preparing, managing and controlling budgets and take responsibility where appropriate for assigned budgets.
Demonstrate a flexible approach to working as required meeting Directorate and Corporate priorities.
As a leader in the organisation with key people management responsibilities to undertake duties in relation to people management policies.
To promote the ambitions and values of the Council with staff.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade
Participate in appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills
Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and development programmes.
To work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Take a leadership role in the delivery of the Housing Options Service, at a variety of locations including Merrion House, that focuses on customer care, is legally compliant and demonstrates continuous service improvement.
Directly manage the Senior Housing Adviser post holders
Provide ongoing support and advice to officers employed within the Housing Options Service
Take a leadership role for delivering high quality staff support through meetings, supervisions and appraisals
Take a leadership role in quality assuring all elements of the Housing Options Service including face to face contact, case management, assessment, and advice decision letters and financial payments.
Take a leadership role in delivering the core Housing Options functions, and fulfilling accompanying legal duties, of housing advice and housing assessment
Deliver an ‘out of hours’ on call housing options service as part of pool of Leeds Housing Options Service managers
Respond to customer, member, MP and other stakeholder correspondence as required
Play an active role in fostering effective partnering arrangements across the public, private and third sector with a strong emphasis on embedding a case conferencing culture.
Contribute to the development and delivery of safeguarding arrangements for vulnerable adults and children using the Housing Options Service

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

See personal specification

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements

Skills Required

Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate. 
Ability to provide visible and effective leadership which empowers, enables and develops staff to achieve results.
Ability to identify and implement change programmes, improve service quality and support a culture that drives up standards and performance.
Ability to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences at all levels, including presenting high level information and reports on complex issues in an appropriate way.
Ability to lead the development of appropriate systems and procedures to enable effective data capture and analysis to inform service delivery.
Ability to think creatively and to solve problems in a constructive way.
Ability to manage operational service teams within a challenging context.
Ability to work to strict deadlines with conflicting priorities and to manage personal work and time effectively.
Ability to access and interpret local/national strategy, communicate to staff and apply where appropriate to service delivery.
Ability to make a contribution to the strategic direction of the Directorate, Division and services/functions.

Knowledge Required

Understanding of appraisal and evaluation techniques.
Understanding of housing law and policy
Understanding of the needs of homeless people and those in housing need
Knowledge of services for homeless people and those in housing need
An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Directorat and other key agencies and stakeholders in the city.
An awareness of key strategic plans including the Vision for Leeds and City Priority Plans and the Council’s planning framework.
A working knowledge of the Council’s Values and Leadership and Management standards.
Knowledge of Governance requirements and the Council’s policies and procedures that would apply to the Division and the wider Directorate.
Knowledge of the Council’s decision-making processes.
Understanding of Council and partner safeguarding procedures for vulnerable adults and children and how they apply to the service.

Experience Required

Of working effectively with internal and external partners to contribute to strategic partnerships and programmes and deliver cross sector or cross service projects to achieve positive outcomes.
Of communicating appropriately with a wide range of people, through a variety of different methods and gaining the commitment of a range of stakeholders/influencing views and behaviour to meet set objectives.
Of developing services to meet continuously changing needs.
Of managing the effective deployment and support of human resources.
Of leading, coaching and motivating teams and individuals.
Of managing in a political environment and working on politically sensitive issues.
Of delivering effective consultation to support service design, delivery and evaluation.

Behavioural & other Characteristics required

Committed to continuous improvement.
Commitment to self and team development and to team working
Ability to understand and observe Leeds City Council Equal Opportunities Policy.
Adaptable and innovative and committed to flexible working practices
To carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health & Safety Policies.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills, and continuous professional development
Understand and embrace our values, behaviours, and codes of conduct.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS: It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role. Candidates are not required to meet all the Desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.

Skills Required

Knowledge Required

Understanding of change management principles

Experience Required

Of contributing to managing and controlling budgets and achieving budgetary targets.
Of interpreting and analysing complex information and data.
Of conducting Equality Impact Assessments

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