Job title: Housing Officer (Support)

Salary: C3

Hours: 37

Contract: Temporary – 31/03/2025

Location: Merrion House

Internal vacancy. Applications will only be considered from existing Leeds City Council employees.

As a Housing Officer for the Local Authority Asylum Seeker Liaison team you will become part of the Council’s statutory homeless service who are responsible for preventing and relieving homelessness.

As our next Housing Officer within this team you will become part of a fast paced environment communication effectively with customers and partners in a range of settings in person, over the telephone, via email or at external locations. Your focus will be to provide advice and support for refugees who have been served with a 28-day notice to move on from their Home Office accommodation or who are undergoing a family reunion. You will be responsible for engaging with the applicant to complete a homeless application and identify the households support needs and providing a personalised housing plan to secure suitable accommodation.

Within this role you will have the opportunity to build and develop excellent partnership skills by working with a range of 3rd sector organisations and building connections with the home office accommodation provider to secure suitable accommodation.

You will be responsible for your own caseload and complete homeless applications, referrals for support and accommodation - training will be provided through an induction period.

About you

As a Housing Officer for the Local Authority Asylum Seeker Liaison Team you will bring to the role:

• An excellent standard of customer service and ability to engage and adapt to vulnerable applicants who approach our service.
• An interest in homelessness and the ability and passion to work in conjunction with a range of professionals and partnerships.
• High motivation to work in a busy environment as part of a team.
• Ability to manage your own time efficiently and be responsible for managing your own case load.

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.

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 Amber Khan Call 0113 5351668 or email amber.khan@Leeds.gov.uk. 

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period. This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - 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 and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description

Job Purpose:

The LAASLO (Local Authority Asylum Seeker Liaison Officer) team provides advice and support for newly granted refugees who need to move on from their NASS accommodation, we also assist customers who are bringing their family over as part of Family Reunion to access suitable housing in preparation for the arrival of their family.

The role requires close working with the home office housing provider (MEARS) with the transition of asylum seekers with positive decisions to be rehoused within a 28 day timescale. Effectively working with a range of landlords to procure properties and maintain good relations. The successful applicant must be able to work to tight deadlines and link closely with other 3rd sector organisations who support customers such as RETAS, Red Cross and PAFRAS. You will also be responsible for completing required information to the Refugee Integration Service on a monthly basis.

Main Duties

Responsibilities for Grade:

1. To provide ongoing housing support.

2. To provide housing advice for families wishing to apply for social housing, registering and advice on choice based letting.

3. To provide a safe and welcoming environment for refugees, ensuring that standards are maintained, monitored and that the service meets all statutory and contractual requirements.

4. To link in effectively with wider support services also also supporting customer throughout the housing process and transition into secure accommodation.

5. To carry a caseload and provide signposting, advice and support in relation to all housing matters for upto 6 months.

6. To work in partnership with various organisations to enable the delivery of cross service projects to achieve positive outcomes

7. To maintain good practice in the use of interpreters, including assessing the need for interpretation, taking into consideration complexity of information or advice.

8. To record accurate client information, actions taken and advice given.

9. To be aware of, identify and act upon issues around safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in accordance with the Leeds City Council Safeguarding Policy.

10. To work with volunteers in a manner that effectively compliments the framework of integration support.

11. To be aware of and adhere to Leeds City Council Health and Safety Policy being responsible for your own health and safety whilst at work and that of your colleagues and service users.

12. To work within all relevant policies, procedures and systems established corporately or locally and to support the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policies.

13. To carry out duties in accordance with the Council Values and culture

14. Monitoring and reporting hate crime wherever it is found

Specific Responsibilities

15. To deal with sensitive and confidential information on issues relating to families on the programmes.

Qualifications

Must have relevant experience in this area of work

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION: Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate

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

1. Ability to negotiate clearly and sensitively with agencies on behalf of clients.

2. Ability to communicate complex information to confused and distressed clients.

3. Excellent listening skills with the ability to empathise.

4. Sensitivity to working in a diverse organisation with a diverse group of people

5. Good command of spoken and written English and an ability to communicate in a professional manner.

6. Competent IT skills including excel, word and email.

7. Ability to take a flexible and creative approach to the demands of the post, working on own initiative as well as within a team.

8. Ability to work effectively with colleagues and interpreters to establish good working relationships including partnership working.

9. Commitment to and understanding of equal opportunities and its practical applications for own working practice.

10. Able to work effectively with communities in groups and secure their commitment to achieving learning outcomes

11. Ability to effectively manage conflict

12. Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own workload whilst delivering to a work programme and adapting it to changing circumstances whilst ensuring deadlines are met

13. Able to lead on responding to immediate safeguarding/health & safety issues

14. Ability to prepare and present regular reports and keep an up to date record of work progress

15. Ability to record spend accurately

16. Ability to handle sensitive/confidential information

Knowledge Required

1. A good knowledge of welfare benefits, housing, immigration systems and an understanding of how these affect refugees.

2. Knowledge and understanding of the difficulties faced by newly arrived refugees, including language, mental health and the ability to adapt service delivery to address this need.

3. Understanding the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.

4. A working knowledge of national policies relating to refugees

5. An understanding of community cohesion issues.

6. A knowledge of, and evidence of the ability to communicate effectively with, many different organisations.

Experience Required

1. Sensitivity to working in a multi-cultural organisation and the ability to work with colleagues from different cultures

2. Experience of working with vulnerable groups

3. Effectively record and evaluate community sessions, produce reports within specific timescales

4. Working in a multi-agency setting to achieve shared objectives

5. Experience of working with complex cases

Behavioural & other Characteristics required

1. Conscientious, honest, and reliable

2. Willing to have a flexible approach to meet the changing demands

3. Able to undertake a flexible and varied working pattern i.e. late evenings & weekends

4. Committed to continuous improvement of the service

5. Willing to abide by the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policies in the duties of the post and as an employee of the Council

6. Prepared to be DBS Checked

7. Willing to take personal responsibilities under and abide by the Council’s Health and Safety Policies

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