Homelessness Prevention and Solutions Officer

Homelessness Prevention and Solutions Officer

Salary Range: £38,976 to £47,229 per annum

Position Type:
Three Permanent, Fulltime – 36 hours

Location:

Housing Customer Services Centre, 90 Putney Bridge Road, SW18 1HR

We are looking for a capable and ambitious individual keen to help families and individuals facing homelessness to support them in their journey and adhere to legislative guidance as well as policy and procedures.

We are especially interested in your transferable skills, in particular your ability to assess information, understand and accurately apply the assessment criteria, problem solve and communicate effectively with applicants, colleagues and agencies.

Whilst previous experience in a homelessness or other busy front‑line public‑sector role would be advantageous, it is not essential. What we would like you to be is:

• Emotionally mature and confident to work with people facing homelessness for various reasons.
• A good listener and able to apply what you hear to the legal framework in which we work.
• Organised in your work and able to keep on top of changing priorities.
• Able to engage and work collaboratively with families and individuals who require housing assistance.
• Able to discuss, negotiate and persuade families and their landlords to prevent and relieve homelessness.
• Able to write reasoned decision letters, carry out interviews and produce case notes and assessments of a high standard.
• A motivated and engaged team player.

You will be working proactively and collaboratively with households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness to assist them to sustain their current housing where possible, or otherwise to secure alternative, suitable and affordable accommodation.

You will hold a personal caseload of households and agree practical and reasonable steps for the Council and the household to take to prevent and/or relieve homelessness. Households will include private or social tenants, homeowners, those evicted by family members or facing relationship breakdown, and may be vulnerable and/or have complex needs.

You will provide a flexible and responsive service for applicants who are homeless or threatened with homelessness by delivering services from our offices and ensuring comprehensive housing advice is available for customers, staff and partner agencies.

In this role, you will carry out home visits to assess homelessness and the sustainability of the applicant’s current housing.

In this role, you will need to do the following:

• Prevent and alleviate homelessness by providing housing advice and options to those who present as homeless.
• Conduct and review homelessness needs assessments and complete personalised housing plans to help empower individuals to sustain and secure accommodation.
• Work collaboratively with various stakeholders and manage expectations.
• Demonstrate an excellent customer‑centred approach and participate in duty rotas.
• Issue statutory homelessness decision letters aligned with Homelessness legislation in a timely manner.
• Take on a caseload and manage it effectively.
• Utilise IT systems to accurately update and record information.

Experience of working within a customer service, housing, or lettings service.

Experience of carrying out interviews, investigations, negotiations.

Experience of effective record keeping, including electronically held information.

Experience of working with people who are homeless or in other stressful situations.

Experience of working successfully to performance targets and deadlines.

Excellent interpersonal skills including active listening and negotiating.

Excellent communication skills including the ability to write detailed case notes and technical letters.

Richmond & Wandsworth Better Service Partnership are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the…