Housing Needs Team Manager – Homelessness Prevention & Solutions

Overview

The London Borough of Harrow is seeking a proactive and experienced Housing Needs Team Manager to lead its Homelessness Prevention & Solutions service. In this role, you will oversee the delivery of a high‑quality, compassionate advice and assessment service for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, ensuring all cases are managed in line with legislation, statutory guidance and Council policies.

You will drive early intervention through effective prevention work, including negotiation, mediation and advocacy, ensuring homelessness is prevented or relieved as quickly as possible. A key responsibility will be monitoring the progress of homelessness applications, meeting performance targets and reducing reliance on emergency and temporary accommodation by exploring all alternative options. Accurate and timely case recording will be essential to support performance monitoring and statutory reporting, including quarterly HCLIC returns.

You will work collaboratively across the organisation to deliver service improvements, make best use of resources and achieve excellent outcomes for residents.

The successful candidate will have:

• A working knowledge of Part VI & VII of the Housing Act 1996 as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002.
• An understanding of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.
• An understanding of current issues affecting social housing and private housing provision especially in London.
• A working knowledge of legislation on lettings, homelessness, security of tenure, tenants’ rights including codes of guidance, case law and good practice.
• Knowledge of full range of housing options and effective and evidence-based homelessness prevention approaches.
• An understanding of the reasons for homelessness and the wider system of support services Customer focussed with an understanding of the need to respond holistically to the needs of vulnerable clients.
• Knowledge of the private rented sector; the council’s statutory function to protect citizens from illegal eviction; and of county court possession proceedings.
• Understanding of the needs of people undergoing housing stress.

For more information, please refer to the Role Profile/Selection Criteria