Housing Solutions Manager

5 Star Recruitment; Esher; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Elmbridge Borough Council is seeking a senior Housing Services professional to lead the Housing Solutions Service, overseeing four teams and 22 staff, and drive homelessness prevention initiatives. You will develop and review housing policies, manage revenue budgets, ensure legal compliance and probity, and act as the expert on homelessness with senior officers and civil servants.

This role deputises for the Head of Housing Services and requires a degree-level qualification with proven

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent working experience.
• Proven track record in homelessness and housing advice for a local authority.
• Significant experience managing social housing allocations and registers.
• Multidisciplinary line management experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support four housing teams and 22 staff; monitor performance and development.
• Develop and review housing policies and procedures in line with legislation.
• Manage revenue budgets for the Housing Solutions Service and report variances.
• Be the council's expert on homelessness policy; liaise with senior officers and government bodies.
• Deputise for the Head of Housing Services when required; ensure continuity of service.

Skills

Team Leadership

Stakeholder Engagement

Budget Management

Homelessness Policy

Housing Legislation Knowledge

Performance Management

Policy Development

Education

Degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

• Lead a multi-disciplinary service currently comprising four teams and 22 people.
• Provide 1-2-1 support and performance development for team leaders and ensuring this is cascaded effectively through their teams.
• In collaboration with your teams, to effectively manage housing performance statistics to help prevent homelessness and ensure the fair allocation of social housing.
• Ensure that staff are trained, coached and supported to deliver high quality services.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with partners, colleagues and the voluntary sector.
• Lead on the development, implementation and review of a range of housing policies and procedures.
• Responsible for the effective monitoring and management of budgets.
• Ensuring services are legally compliant, customer focussed and proactive.
• Deputise for the Head of Housing Services

Main responsibilities

• To support, manage and give professional advice to the 4 Team Leaders in the Homelessness Prevention and Advice Teams; Private Rented Sector and Temporary Accommodation Team; and Social and Supported Housing Team in the delivery of their day-to-day work and the provision of the Housing Solutions Service.
• To manage the delivery of the Housing Solutions Service to comply with the requirements of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) and other associated legislation and guidance.
• To respond to councillor and MP enquiries and to handle stage one complaints relevant to the service and where complaints are escalated, to work with colleagues in responding to these.
• Where required, to represent the council in statutory investigations such as those led by the Coroners Court or for Serious Case Reviews involving the housing service, preparing and submitting chronologies and documentation and answering questions asked of the Housing Service.
• To manage staff within Housing Solutions Service in accordance with the Councils Performance Management framework, monitoring staff performance and where necessary taking informal and formal action at all stages in line with Elmbridge procedures including disciplinary proceedings and management investigations.
• To be the councils expert on policy and practice concerning homelessness and the allocation of social housing, providing advice and guidance to senior officers and members as required. To be the main point of contact with civil servants at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on homelessness, housing advice and rough sleeping matters and good practise dissemination.
• To be responsible for managing revenue budgets for the Unit around homelessness prevention, the operation of the housing register and the provision and use of temporary accommodation. To provide reasons for variations as requested and to minimise financial risk to the council.
• With the Head of Housing Services, to make effective use of the councils Homeless Prevention Grant and Rough Sleeper Initiative funding, commissioning services (where appropriate) and ensuring all reporting requirements to Central Government are complied with.
• To ensure that trained personnel and comprehensive policies and processes are in place to enable the Housing Solutions Service can deliver services and decisions that comply with the law.
• To be the reviewing officer where initial decisions were made by Team Leaders and to work with Legal & Governance Services in responding to legal challenges relating to the Housing Solutions Service.
• To collaborate with the Housing Services Management Team on the development of a robust Housing, Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Strategy for Elmbridge and leading on the delivery of actions relevant to the Housing Solutions Service.
• To be the councils representative at multi agency public protection panels, working in partnership, with other professionals and agencies to ensure a holistic approach to meeting housing needs and protecting public safety.
• To identify the need for and put in place pathways with Team Leaders for individuals with support needs who require supported housing or other alternative provision, working where appropriate with Surrey Adult Matters and the Bridge the Gap programmes and providers of supported housing and floating support services.
• To be responsible, with the relevant Team Leader, for the implementation, management and review of the councils Housing Allocations Policy, including the day-to-day operation of our housing register and Search Moves choice-based lettings scheme.
• To be responsible, with the relevant Team Leader, for the effective use of all emergency and temporary accommodation available to the council, seeking resolutions to operational issues that arise and reporting when necessary to senior management and members on the costs of such provision and strategies to manage this.
• To be responsible, with the relevant Team Leader, for the operation of the Councils Rental Support Scheme to ensure the Council makes the best use of the private sector in the prevention of homelessness and that sustainable relationships are developed and maintained with private landlords and accommodation agencies
• To oversee the operation of the Elmbridge Homelessness Network including a wide range of voluntary and statutory agencies providing a platform to discuss homelessness issues and best practise solutions.
• To deputise for the Head of Housing Services, when required, to ensure continuity and resilience across the Housing Service
• To represent and participate effectively on behalf of the housing service and Elmbridge Borough Council on a range of corporate initiatives and external partnerships.

Person Specification (mandatory elements)

A. Qualifications and education

• Educated to degree level or equivalent working experience.

B. Mandatory experience

• Proven successful track record in homelessness and housing advice for a local authority.
• Experience of managing the allocation of social housing and the operation of social housing registers
• Significant experience of multidisciplinary line management responsibility

C. Required skills, knowledge and abilities include

• Detailed knowledge and experience of the Homelessness Act 2002, Housing Act 1996, Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 the Code of Guidance, case law, relevant Regulations and legislation on Housing Register assessment and the Allocation of social housing
• Ability to lead, manage, advise and motivate others.
• Ability to work using own initiative and assuming a high level of individual responsibility and workload, self-motivated, meeting deadlines and prioritising workload
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with an ability to tailor your style to different audiences
• Ability to develop relationships, partnerships and protocols with other stakeholders and to quickly be able to quickly establish trust and demonstrate credibility in order to deliver the best possible service to all customers
• Ability to be innovative and capable of developing new projects to meet changing needs
• Proficient at using Microsoft software and capable of maximising the use of software applications
• Committed to equal opportunities and providing customer focussed services
• A sound understanding of budget management responsibilities
• Must be able to take forward the management change culture for the Housing Solutions Service.