Housing Assessment & Advice Manager

Portsmouth City Council; England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Portsmouth City Council is seeking an Housing Assessment & Advice Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of the Assessment & Advice team within the Housing Needs, Advice & Support Service. The role includes shared line management of a ~30 FTE team to ensure delivery of housing allocation policy and statutory rehousing duties.

The post requires strong frontline experience, staff leadership, budgeting skills and a good grasp of welfare benefits and safeguarding.

Qualifications

• Experience in frontline public service.
• Ability to manage staff working with customers with diverse social issues.
• Experience within legislative framework for homeless decisions.
• Understanding of private renting sector and landlord/tenant law.
• Budget management experience.
• Ability to motivate and lead a team and provide guidance.
• Ability to make proportionate decisions and manage resources.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Awareness of welfare benefits system.
• Commitment to equal opportunities and safeguarding.
• Proactive and independent working style.
• Creative problem solving and willingness to challenge procedures.
• Proficient IT skills including Excel.
• Fluent spoken English.
• Adherence to Ways of Working.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operation of the Assessment & Advice team.
• Line manage a multidisciplinary team of ~30 FTE.
• Ensure housing allocation policy and statutory rehousing duties are met.
• Provide front-line service to the public with high standards.

Skills

Front line service experience

Staff management

Homeless decisions framework

Private rented housing knowledge

Budget management

Team leadership and development

Decision-making and resource pulling

Verbal and written communication

Welfare benefits awareness

Equal opportunities

Safeguarding awareness

Proactive initiative

Creative problem solving

IT proficiency (Excel, Office)

English communication

Ways of working adherence

Tools

Excel

Job description

The purpose of The Housing Assessment & Advice Manager (HAAM) role is to be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Assessment & Advice team within the Housing Needs, Advice & Support Service. This includes the shared line management of a multi-disciplinary team totalling approximately 30 FTE direct reports, although at times you may take responsibility for team members in the wider team.

This role involves managing staffing resources to ensure service delivery to the public, providing a comprehensive front-line service to ensure the City Council's housing allocation policy and statutory rehousing duties are fulfilled within agreed service standards and ensures that everyone with an accommodation problem receives appropriate help and advice.

Skills:

We are looking for somebody who:

• Has experience of working in a challenging front line service.
• Has the ability to support and manage staff dealing with customers who may have a range of social issues
• Has experience of working within the relevant legislative framework managing, making and reviewing homeless decisions.
• Has a practical understanding of the private rented housing sector and landlord and tenant law generally
• Has the ability to manage a budget
• Can motivate, manage and lead a team, offering support, direction and advice to help them, to be more effective in their role and equip them with the skills they need to robustly engage with customers and partners.
• Can make proportionate decisions in a structured and transparent way and is able to identify and pull resources to themselves to help achieve necessary outcomes.
• Is confident and a strong verbal and written communicator. Able to negotiate and to clearly interpret legislation and contract arrangements, for partners, employees and customers as appropriate.
• Has an awareness of the welfare benefits system and the impact of current reforms on customers and a Housing Needs, Advice & Support service
• Has a commitment to equal opportunities and awareness of the issues facing vulnerable client groups
• Understands and is committed to the safeguarding of adults and children.
• Is always proactive, working on their own initiative, able to manage multiple tasks.
• Is creative, able to respond to customer demand with well thought out solutions to problems and is happy to question current procedures and suggest improvements based on their knowledge of the 'what and why' of the current performance.
• Is competent using a variety of IT systems such as Excel and other office applications.
• Has the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English
• Has the ability to work in accordance with the 'Ways of working' as described above.