Housing Support Officer

Housing Support Officer

Location:

We have various roles across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Salary up to £29,856.80 per annum Including company vehicle and fuel card or £3,500 company car allowance

Contract:

Full time – Permanent, 40hrs per week, Monday to Friday

There is an expectation that any candidates will need to undertake OOH duties.

This will be for 1 week out of 12. This includes being on ‘standby’. This is paid at £30 per weekday and £50 weekend day. There may be a requirement to attend properties or/and service users during OOH. This is paid at x 1.5

Mears provides temporary accommodation to asylum seekers whilst their claim is being assessed in three regions:
Northeast, Yorkshire and Humber, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. Mears work in partnership with central and local Government, registered providers, tenants, landlords and investors to find solutions to homelessness, provide more social and affordable housing and create specialist housing for people with care needs.

We are looking for a Housing Support Officer to join our expanding team. This rewarding role focuses on supporting asylum seekers through their right-to-work application process with the Home Office. You will provide both practical and emotional support, address safeguarding and welfare needs, monitor wellbeing, and keep accurate records for compliance. Every day is different, and while the role can be challenging, it is also highly rewarding for someone who is resilient, empathetic, and people focused

• A genuine passion for supporting people from diverse backgrounds and helping them build independence and confidence
• Strong empathy, compassion and the ability to provide practical and emotional support to individuals and families
• The resilience and emotional intelligence to work with people who may be facing complex challenges, including mental health concerns or difficult circumstances
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with service users, colleagues and partner agencies
• Sound judgement and the ability to identify risks, maintain professional boundaries and act with integrity
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to keep accurate records and work in line with safeguarding and compliance requirements
• The confidence to work independently, take initiative and adapt to changing situations
• A flexible approach and willingness to travel between sites when required
• A full UK driving licence
• Experience of working with vulnerable people, asylum seekers, housing support services or safeguarding would be advantageous, but we are primarily looking for individuals with the right personal attributes, values and commitment to supporting others. Full training will be provided.

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Annual Mears Fun Day
  - Our annual Fun Day is organised as a massive thank you from the Executive team for all the hard work!
• Volunteering Leave
  - Mears supports employees to undertake paid volunteering in the community, in support of our social value commitment.
• Staff perks with Mears Rewards - discounts of up to 10% weekly groceries, holidays, eye test vouchers, Share save scheme, plus much more
• Family friendly policies
• Company Vehicle and Fuel Card
• Access to EAP Counselling sessions

All our roles require candidates to have the entitlement to work within the UK, Mears does not currently offer visa sponsorship.

Candidates should be aware that all our roles are subject to relevant Background, Identity & Security checks before commencement of employment.

As part of the recruitment process for this role, we will carry out a Background, Identity, Security clearance & BPSS check. For these checks to be completed, we will require from you the relevant identification, including Proof of Address, References, a valid passport and proof that you have lived in the UK for the last 5 years.

At Mears Group, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, we are a Disability Confident employer, valuing individuality and ensuring equal opportunities for all.

We proudly support the Armed Forces Covenant and are honoured to have achieved the Gold Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) to coincide with this, we hold an Endorser Award for the Career Transition Partnership, recognising our commitment to veterans transitioning into civilian careers.

In our continued effort to promote social mobility, we invite applicants to voluntarily share their background information during the application stages to help us better understand the diverse experiences of our candidates. This is to ensure we are committed to improving social mobility. We use the Social Mobility Index to assess and enhance opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds. These questions are optional and will not impact your ability to apply.