Accommodation Officer (Housing & Social Care)

Outward Housing; London; On-site; GBP 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A community service provider in London is looking for an Interim Accommodation Officer. The role involves supporting older residents in interim accommodation, ensuring their safety and comfort. Applicants should have experience in housing services and strong communication skills. The position offers a full-time contract with an annual salary of £28,000 and a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

25 days Annual Leave

Comprehensive Learning & Development Programme

Cycle-to-Work Scheme

Death in Service Benefit

Employee Assistance Programme

Pension Scheme

Qualifications

• Experience of providing housing or supported accommodation services to vulnerable individuals.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding principles.
• Experience managing tenancy breaches including anti-social behaviour.

Responsibilities

• Liaising with social workers and care providers.
• Supporting residents during move-in and move-out.
• Carrying out risk assessments and welfare checks.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

IT proficiency

Time management

Tools

Microsoft Office

Housing management software

Job description

Overview

Role: Interim Accommodation Officer

Location: Hackney Older People Services

Contract: 12 month fixed term, with view to extending

Hours: Full time, 38 hours per week

Salary: £28,000 per annum

About Outward

For 50 years, Outward has been providing high-quality support and care services to vulnerable people across London, predominantly in North East London. Established by families seeking alternatives to institutional care, we've grown into a respected provider of person-centred support for adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, and complex needs. We support over 1,000 people across nine boroughs, guided by our core values: engage, enable, and empower.

About The Role

Outward's Older People\'s services include a number of self-contained flats used by the London Borough of Hackney as interim accommodation. These homes provide short-term housing for older residents who can no longer remain in their previous accommodation but are yet to be offered a permanent home that meets their changing needs.

We are seeking a motivated, compassionate, and organised Interim Accommodation Officer to join our team. You will be responsible for providing a housing management service that ensures residents are safe, comfortable, and well-supported throughout their stay, and that they are well-prepared when it\'s time to move on.

Responsibilities

• Liaising with Hackney\'s teams, including Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, and Brokerage Officers
• Supporting residents at the point of move-in and move-out
• Carrying out risk assessments and regular welfare checks
• Reporting repairs and health & safety concerns
• Coordinating with care providers, families, and other stakeholders to meet residents\' individual needs

This is a varied role that requires excellent interpersonal and organisational skills, a flexible approach to managing day-to-day responsibilities, and a genuine commitment to supporting vulnerable people.

If you\'re looking for a new challenge and want to bring fresh ideas, energy, and dedication to a role that supports older people to feel safe and in control, we\'d love to hear from you.

Requirements

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk and expect all staff to share this commitment. This post involves working with or having access to adults at risk and/or their records; we will require an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. This will be fully subsidised by Outward.

Experience And Knowledge

• Experience of providing housing or supported accommodation services to vulnerable individuals
• Experience of managing voids and tenancy processes, including sign-ups, end-of-tenancy checks, and property inspections
• Experience of managing tenancy breaches, including anti-social behaviour, and responding to complaints
• Experience of assessing client needs and working collaboratively with social workers, care providers, and support agencies
• Understanding of welfare benefits, including the ability to support with claims, appeals, and access to entitlements
• Sound knowledge of housing management procedures, including arrears management, tenancy sustainment, and repairs
• Experience of liaising with landlords, contractors, and local authority teams
• Strong understanding of safeguarding principles and ability to work with vulnerable adults
• Awareness of voids management procedures and experience working to targets

Skills And Abilities

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a track record of building and maintaining professional relationships across a wide range of stakeholders
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with proven experience managing competing priorities and meeting deadlines
• Confident working independently and taking ownership of tasks, while actively contributing to team objectives
• Skilled in writing clear, accurate reports and maintaining professional records
• Proficient in using IT systems, including Microsoft Office and housing or case management software
• Experienced in supporting clients with practical tasks, such as completing benefit applications, sourcing documentation, and tenancy paperwork
• Competent in managing data, including using spreadsheets and tracking performance indicators
• Capable of monitoring and planning service charge expenditure, ensuring accuracy and value for money

Desirable

• Working knowledge of housing legislation, including:
• Housing Act 1985
• Housing Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002)
• Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
• Experience attending court and representing landlords at possession hearings
• Knowledge of housing benefit rules, especially within an inner London context
• Understanding of local authority housing pathways and temporary accommodation processes
• Experience supporting older people or adults with complex needs
• Knowledge of grant application processes for housing adaptations or repairs
• Experience supporting clients through resettlement or move-on processes

Full JD available upon request

How To Apply

The above is not an exhaustive list of requirements for the role.

If you think you are who we are looking for, please submit a CV and statement detailing how you feel your experiences meets the requirements of the role by referring to the Job Description and the Person Specification.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. It would be great to hear from you.

Benefits

We value everything our staff do for the people we support, so we provide a great benefits package:

• 25 days Annual Leave excluding Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time)
• Comprehensive Learning & Development Programme
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme
• Death in Service Benefit
• Health Assured - Employee Assistance Programme
• Eye care Vouchers
• Flu Jab Reimbursement
• Pension Scheme
• Purchase Additional Annual Leave
• Refer-a-Friend Scheme

Diversity at Outward

Outward applies its Equal Opportunities Policy at all stages of recruitment and selection. Shortlisting, interviewing and selection is carried out without regard to gender, sexual orientation, marital status, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, age or trade union membership. Those with disabilities meeting the minimum requirements for the post will be shortlisted and reasonable adjustments will be made to ensure they are not disadvantaged during the interview process.

As an employer, who aspire to become Disability Confident Committed, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. Please indicate clearly at the beginning of your supporting statement if you have a disability (as defined by the Equality Act 2010), and you wish to be considered for an Offer Of an Interview (OOI) Please note that the OOI is available to disabled candidates only. Regrettably, any false declaration of disability in order to secure an interview will impact on your overall application