Contracts Negotiator (Homelessness/Housing)

Positive Employment; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Job summary

Positive Employment is recruiting a Contracts Negotiator for a local government organisation in Kensington, London. You will lead procurement and management of temporary accommodation within the Private Rented Sector, negotiating with landlords and agents to secure suitable properties and favorable terms.

The role is a 3-6 month temporary contract with hybrid working (3 days in the office). You will develop relationships with landlords, monitor contracts, and produce clear reports to support

Qualifications

• Experience in social or private housing environments.
• Understanding of Private Rented Sector, housing standards and housing benefit.
• Experience in procurement and contract management, including handling under-performance.
• Experience with private landlords, letting agents and accommodation providers.
• Strong negotiation, communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage a varied workload with limited supervision.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to produce clear reports in plain English.
• Good understanding of equalities and diverse customer needs.

Responsibilities

• Procure and manage temporary accommodation, direct lets and private rented sector properties.
• Negotiate with landlords, letting agents and accommodation providers to secure suitable properties and favourable terms.
• Support tendering, evaluation and management of accommodation contracts, ensuring compliance with legal and financial requirements.
• Develop and maintain relationships with landlords, agents and stakeholders.
• Inspect properties to assess suitability and maintain standards.
• Monitor contracts, SLAs and provider performance; address under-performance.
• Analyse demand, supply, performance and financial information for commissioning decisions.
• Support move-on from emergency accommodation and minimise high-cost placements.
• Manage accommodation-related issues and sustain tenancies.
• Support accommodation projects, property management and new contracts.
• Maintain records and produce reports; stay updated on relevant legislation.

Skills

Negotiation

Procurement

Contract management

Stakeholder engagement

Reporting

Communication

Data analysis

Education

GCSE English & Maths

HHRS qualification (desirable)

Job description

Positive Employment is currently recruiting for a Contracts Negotiator for our client, a local government organisation based in Kensington, London.

The successful post holder will support the Temporary Accommodation and Resettlement service, with a strong focus on the procurement and management of accommodation within the Private Rented Sector. The role will involve negotiating with landlords and agents, managing contracts and providers, and ensuring a suitable supply of accommodation that delivers quality and value for money.This is a temporary contract for an initial 3-6 months, with the possibility of extension. Hybrid working is available, with 3 days per week in the office.

Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to:

• Procure and manage temporary accommodation, direct lets and private rented sector properties.
• Negotiate with private landlords, letting agents and accommodation providers to secure suitable properties and favourable terms.
• Support the tendering, evaluation and management of accommodation contracts, ensuring compliance with legal and financial requirements.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with landlords, agents, housing providers and other stakeholders.
• Inspect properties to assess suitability, investigate disrepair and ensure appropriate property standards are maintained.
• Monitor accommodation contracts, service level agreements and provider performance, addressing under-performance and service issues.
• Analyse demand, supply, performance and financial information to support commissioning decisions and ensure value for money.
• Support effective move-on from emergency accommodation and help minimise high-cost placements.
• Manage accommodation-related issues, including liaising and negotiating with landlords and tenants to resolve problems and sustain tenancies.
• Support accommodation projects, property management activities, tenancy audits and new contract development.
• Maintain accurate records and produce performance, financial and other reports as required.
• Keep up to date with legislation and policy relating to temporary accommodation, the Private Rented Sector and housing benefit.

Personal Requirements:

• Experience of working within a social or private sector housing environment or a related field.
• Good understanding of the Private Rented Sector and accommodation acquisition, including housing standards, health and safety, security of tenure and housing benefit.
• Experience of procurement and contract management, including addressing under-performance.
• Experience of working with private landlords, letting agents and accommodation providers.
• Strong negotiation, communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage a varied and demanding workload with limited supervision.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess issues and identify appropriate solutions.
• Ability to produce clear, accurate reports, correspondence and procedures using plain English.
• Good understanding of equalities and the diverse needs of customers.
• GCSE Grade C or above in English and Maths, or equivalent.
• Property inspection qualification under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System would be desirable, or willingness to obtain.

Working Hours:

36 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Pay:

£27.36 per hour

Please note this role is within the scope of IR35.