Emergency Housing Officer

Blackpool Coastal Housing Ltd; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

26 days annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Wellbeing program

Vivup discounts

Health plan options

Credit Union access

Employee Assistance Programme

Training & development opportunities

Flu vaccinations

Job summary

Blackpool Coastal Housing Ltd is seeking an Emergency Housing Officer to join our Emergency Housing Service in Blackpool. You will provide daytime staffing across hostels and dispersed sites, ensuring tenancy management and housing-related support for homeless clients with varying needs.

The role requires strong organisation, liaison with agencies, and the ability to work independently. Some bank holiday work and travel between sites are expected. CIH qualification is desirable.

Qualifications

• 3 GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths and English at grade 4/C or above.
• CIH qualification desirable or willingness to work towards it.

Responsibilities

• Carry out tenancy management across BCH hostels and dispersed accommodation.
• Manage day-to-day operations of emergency housing sites.
• Provide housing-related support to homeless clients with diverse needs.
• Conduct health, safety and wellbeing checks and risk assessments.
• Liaise with partner agencies to help clients access services.
• Perform necessary administrative tasks and maintain records.

Skills

People skills

Decisive

Customer focus

Education

GCSEs including Maths & English

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

BCH manages an extensive supported housing offer for both adults, young people and children, as well as managing emergency homeless accommodation in Blackpool. It is within our Emergency Housing team that a fantastic opportunity has arisen for an Emergency Housing Officer to join our expanding team and you might be exactly who we’re looking for!

Ref 26/12883
2 X EMERGENCY HOUSING OFFICER
Permanent
37 hours per week worked over 5 days Mon - Fri
Scale 6 (£33,119- £34,811 per annum), plus enhanced payments for bank holiday working

Our Emergency Housing Service provides a range of temporary accommodation for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. This includes hostel settings and dispersed houses and flats in the community. Emergency Housing Officers provide daily, daytime staffing cover across our various sites.
All our sites are located within relatively close proximity and within no more than a 5 mile radius of each other.
For this role, we would particularly welcome applications from candidates who are decisive problem-solvers with exceptional people skills, to effectively support the day-to-day operations of the emergency housing service. If you have experience of working in a person centred way with empathetic, understanding, positive, kind and level-headed behaviours then we would like to hear from you.

As an Emergency Housing Officer, you will carry out all aspects of tenancy management, within BCH’s hostels and emergency housing dispersed accommodation settings. You will be based at one of the Emergency Housing hostels within Blackpool and will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the accommodation and for providing housing related support to homeless clients with a range of support needs.

You will ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of clients including carrying out needs and risk assessments, safety checks of the building and rooms, collection of charges and all necessary administrative functions. You will liaise with a variety of agencies and assist clients to access appropriate services.

The successful applicants will have experience of supporting vulnerable clients, be confident and self-motivated and have the ability to work independently with minimal supervision. An understanding of professional boundaries and excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential.

You will possess excellent organisational, administrative and time management skills, be able to prioritise your own workload and be competent in the use of IT systems, particularly Microsoft Office.

A minimum of 3 GCSEs (or equivalent) to include Maths and English, at grade 4/C or above is essential, together with an understanding of customer rights and choices and how to support them. A Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) qualification, or the willingness to work towards a CIH qualification is desirable.

The post involves some bank holiday working, as part of a rota, so flexibility is required, both in terms of working hours and also work location.

There are several hostel locations and travel will be required between sites, therefore, it is desirable for applicants to have a full, UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.
Any offer of appointment will be subject to satisfactory clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB check).

BCH is a great place to work
Every member of staff comes to work here with one vision in mind, “Inspiring People to Build Sustainable Communities” and our values help guide the way we all work towards this.
Our 5 core values that reflect the PRIDE that our workforce displays on a daily basis, also guide our conduct and our relationship with customers, partners and stakeholders:

• Positivity
• Respect and Compassion
• Integrity
• Dynamism
• Energy

If you have a strong customer focus and want to be part of an ambitious, growing organisation, we will support you in developing your skills and achieving your personal goals.

BCH also offer a fantastic reward and benefits package which includes:

• Competitive rates of pay
• 26 days paid annual leave per annum, in addition to bank holidays
• Attractive and flexible membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme, with excellent employer contributions
• An in-house wellbeing program of wellbeing, social and charitable initiatives with BCH colleagues
• Vivup - the employee benefits scheme for discounts on various high street retailers and cycle to work
• Option to join BHSF - a voluntary salary sacrifice Health Cash Plan Scheme for help with medical costs such as physiotherapy, optical, osteopathy etc.
• Option to join the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Credit Union for preferential rates on financial services
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and access to counselling services
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay schemes
• A wide variety of training and learning and development opportunities
• Staff Suggestion Scheme
• Free annual flu vaccinations and Occupational Health Support

Our Approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Applications

AI can be a helpful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. We want to understand your personal experience, skills and strengths, so please make sure your application is genuine, reflects your own narrative and clearly shows how you meet all the essential criteria. The strongest applications are those that are authentic, specific, and clearly demonstrate your skills, experience and potential.

Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or those generated by artificial intelligence, as your own), applications may be withdrawn.
For further information on this opportunity, please contact Charlotte Bremner, Emergency Housing Manager at [e-mail] or on 01253 476912.

Closing date for applications: Sunday 22nd November at midnight
Interview date: Tuesday 1st & Thursday 3rd November

*BCH reserves the right to close this vacancy before the specified closing date if sufficient suitable applications are received to progress to interview. Therefore, applicants are advised to apply as early as possible.