Lead Worker - Hounslow Reach Floating Support Service

Thames Reach; Greater London; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27/29 days holiday (pro rata)

Pension contributions 6.5%

Career development opportunities

Wellbeing support and EAP

Life assurance 4x salary

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

Thames Reach is seeking a Lead Worker to join the Hounslow Reach Team in London. The role focuses on floating support to sustain housing, using a strength-based approach to identify needs and coordinate with landlords and services.

You will lead a team, work with support workers and volunteers, and provide person-centred plans to help individuals achieve independence and move on successfully.

Qualifications

• Understanding of the complex issues contributing to homelessness and its impact on individuals.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to build relationships with clients and partners.
• Ability to provide flexible, responsive service to people with complex needs.
• Experience in supervising casework or coordinating teams is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Assess suitability of individuals referred into the services and support referrals oversight.
• Provide practical resettlement support and information on housing rights, benefits, education and employment.
• Collaborate with housing providers and referral agencies to sustain tenancy and independence.
• Liaise with and support client engagement with specialist agencies (drug treatment, NHS, etc.).
• Provide person-centred support and co-produce plans to achieve aims and ambitions.
• Take a lead role within the team, coordinating staff, volunteers and placements.

Skills

Understanding homelessness

Excellent communication

People skills

Flexibility

Organising ability

Supervisory experience

Job description

Job Summary

Role: Lead Worker - Hounslow Reach

Salary £37,143 per annum

Hours: 37.5 per week

Location: Hounslow

Closing date: 18/10/2026

Interview date: 30/10/2026

Whatever your experience of street homelessness and its impact on people's lives - personal or professional - when you join the Thames Reach team as a Lead Worker we will make the best use of all your understanding, compassion and commitment

About us

Thames Reach runs projects and services that help to end homelessness in and around London. We work directly with homeless people on the streets and in hostels. We work to prevent vulnerable people from becoming homeless. We help formerly homeless people get their lives back on track. We help people find work and access training and volunteering opportunities.

Is our mission easy? No, but we never give up on people. Last year we helped more than 15,000 people.

Is our work rewarding? Yes, in every sense. We're listed as one of the top 100 Best Workplaces in the UK. There's no better place to develop or transfer your skills and build a fulfilling career.

About this role

We are looking for a Lead Worker to join the Hounslow Reach Team.

Floating Support services work with people to sustain their housing. We use a strength-based approach to work with people to identify what support they require and how we can address them together or / and in collaboration with others e.g. landlords, Department of Work and pension or mental health services.

We can support people for the duration of their tenancy, or we can provide short term interventions. We can provide resettlement support when a tenancy commences, and we can equip people with the skills to manage their home and goals independently or when they are move on ready and require minimal support.

We will not accept applications where Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been used to assist with completing the competency questions.

You will:

• Assess suitability of individuals referred into the services, and support management team with oversight of referrals.
• Provide practical resettlement support for individuals who may have never held a tenancy before and provide information and advice around; housing rights and responsibilities, benefits and maximising income, and education, training and employment.
• Work with both the housing provider and referral agencies to ensure individuals can sustain their tenancy and move towards independence in their new homes.
• Liaise with, signpost, and support client engagement with specialist agencies as appropriate e.g. drug treatment services, Community Mental Health Teams, NHS services, community groups etc.
• Provide person-centred support to individuals and co‑produce all plans to assist them to achieve their aims and ambitions.
• Take a lead role within the team, working closely with support workers, assistant support workers, volunteers and student placements around casework and resource provision for individuals accessing the service.

You will have:

• An understanding of the complex issues contributing to homelessness and the impact on the lives of individuals.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to form and maintain effective working relationships with individuals accessing the service, colleagues, and partner agencies.
• Knowledge and understanding of the needs and aspirations of individuals with experience of homelessness and a commitment to supporting people to achieve the best outcomes as they work towards independence.
• The ability to provide a flexible and responsive service to people presenting with complex needs and facing multiple disadvantage.
• Strong organisation skills, with the ability to manage conflicting priorities and deadlines, to carry out administrative tasks alongside practical support work, and manage and mitigate risk. Able to organise the operations of a complex, integrated and busy service.
• Knowledge, understanding, or experience of supporting and supervising casework practice of support workers, trainees, students, or volunteers.

We are listed in the top 100 UK Best Workplaces 2023 in the UK. As part of a commitment to our employees we offer:

• Generous holiday allowance - 29 days per year plus 8 public holidays (pro rata).
• Pension - we contribute 6.5% to your pension when you contribute 1.5%.
• Excellent development opportunities - career progression, regular supervision and appraisals, and learning programmes to support your career with Thames Reach.
• Wellbeing support - our 24/7 employee assistance programme and opportunities for TOIL.
• Life assurance - four times your annual salary and critical illness cover.
• Other benefits including a blue light discount card, interest free season ticket and cycle to work loans.

Thames Reach is committed to achieving a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We value, respect, and celebrate diversity. We welcome and encourage applicants from all sections of the community regardless of their history of homelessness, sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religious belief.

For further information please contact, Folasade Babade, Lead Manager at [e-mail]

Thames Reach is committed to safeguarding. Applicants must be willing to undergo pre‑employment screening appropriate to the post, including, but not limited to checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Having a criminal record will not exclude you from applying but you will be asked to provide further details as most posts are considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Job Profile

Location

Hounslow