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

Job title: Housing Adviser (temporary accommodation)

Salary: C3 £31,067 - £32,654

Hours: 37

Contract: Temporary

Location: Merrion House

As a Housing Adviser you’ll provide a quality service to meet the needs of customers who approach for assistance with safeguarding victims and survivors of domestic abuse and engage in homeless applications, completing referrals for sanctuary installations and having attendance at a range of partnership meetings.

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 Housing Adviser, you will bring to the role:

• Ability to community effectively and influence and deliver an efficient customer focused service.
• Able to work with a wide range of partners.
• You will be able to adapt to a range of communication skills displaying empathy for applicants approaching the service.
• Have an interest in working with victims / survivors of domestic abuse.

About the role

This role will sit within the Leeds Housing Options Domestic Abuse team which is responsible for carrying out homeless applications for victims and survivors of domestic abuse and support a move into safe accommodation. As part of the team, you will be responsible for conducting homeless applications, attending Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences and liaising with a range of partners to support sanctuary measures and referrals to refuges.

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

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice.

Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact  Fiona Webster – 0113 3789524

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

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 £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose:

The post holder will take lead responsibility for managing a portfolio of approximately 150 emergency access and other supported housing units commissioned by the Council as temporary accommodation for homeless people.  The post holder will be responsible for the timely and appropriate move-on from these units, taking lead responsibility for all aspects of the re-housing process, to ensure that homeless people can be re-housed as swiftly as possible, placements are minimised and the cost to the Council of temporary accommodation placements is closely controlled.  The post holder will also be responsible for liaising with commissioned services to determine the suitability of referrals to the temporary accommodation units.

In addition to the above, the post holder will also undertake the standard Housing Advisor functions including offering housing advice to prevent or relieve homelessness and carrying out assessments of housing need/duty in accordance with the statutory framework. 

The post holder will be based with the Leeds Housing Options Service.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Take lead responsibility for case managing a portfolio of approximately 150 emergency and temporary accommodation units commissioned by the Council.
• Take lead responsibility for delivering swift move on from the commissioned temporary accommodation including all aspects of the re-housing process.
• Lead on the day to day contact with the commissioned temporary accommodation service providers.
• Be responsible for providing regular updates to service management on placements made, move-ons achieved and total number of placements.
• Deliver a face to face housing options service, in accordance with Part VII of the 1996 Housing Act (as amended) to people who are homeless, threatened with homelessness or in some of housing need, at a variety of locations including the Leeds Housing Options Service at Great George Street.
• Deliver a telephone based, or using other mediums such as email, housing options service.
• Take responsibility for caseload of homeless and housing need cases.
• Carry out homeless and other additional need assessments in accordance with Part VI and Part VII of the 1996 Housing Act (as amended) 
• Write homeless decision letters in accordance with the legal framework.
• Liaise with supported housing and other temporary accommodation providers to secure suitable temporary accommodation for people owed such a housing duty.
• Help people to secure private rented options through the Private Sector Lettings scheme and through other routes such as requesting a Homeless Prevention Fund payment.
• Help people to access mediation services as required.
• Help young people to access youth mediation services as required.
• Help people to access Sanctuary scheme funding as required.
• Help deliver a mortgage and tenancy advice service as required.
• Prepare Homeless Prevention Fund applications as required.
• Supervise and Manage staff as required.
• Assist service managers in the quality assurance of service delivery by providing case work information held in case files or IT systems, decision letters and financial payments.
• Help develop partnering arrangements between the Leeds Housing Options Service and other public, private and third sector organisations.
• Work flexibly to help deliver an effective Housing Options Service.
• Attend meetings and forums as required relating to the delivery of the Housing Options Service.
• Undertake any other duties as required commensurate with the responsibilities and grade of the post.

Qualifications

See employee spec

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.

Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview or Certificate.

SKILLS

• Demonstrate evidence of problem solving, analytical and social skills required to provide a housing options service to vulnerable people.
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to use a range of ICT applications including Word and email and to be able to word process reports.
• Ability to extract and analyse information sourced from different ICT systems.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to work in partnership with a range of public, private and third sector organisations.
• Ability to identify support needs.
• Ability to identify safeguarding concerns and escalate them appropriately.
• Ability to deal with people who are displaying challenging behaviour.
• Ability to take lead responsibility for managing a portfolio of approximately 150 temporary accommodation units.

KNOWLEDGE/QUALIFICATIONS

• Awareness of housing options law and policy.
• Awareness of the needs of homeless people and others in housing need.
• Awareness of services in Leeds for homeless people and others in housing need.
• Knowledge and understanding of Equal Opportunities law and policy
• Awareness of safeguarding policy and practice.

EXPERIENCE

• Experience of working with homeless and other people in housing need.
• Experience of writing and reports.
• Experience of working in a multi-agency partnership environment.
• Experience of working in a busy team environment.

BEHAVIOURAL AND OTHER RELATED CHARACTERISTICS

• Commitment to working with homeless and other people in housing need.
• Commitment to adhere to the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
• Willingness to adhere and take personal responsibility under the Council’s Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to engage in training.

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