Sheltered Housing Officer

Reading Borough Council; Reading; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday entitlement

Flexible working opportunities

Modern working environment at Civic HQ

Life Assurance - three times your one

On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursey

Season Ticket Loan

Lease car salary sacrifice scheme

Job summary

Reading Borough Council is seeking a dedicated Sheltered Housing Officer to join our Sheltered and Supported Housing Team in Reading. You’ll be the primary contact for tenants, delivering housing management and support services to help residents maintain independence.

Your role involves welfare checks, safeguarding, tenancy support, budgeting advice and promoting community wellbeing, with strong customer service and IT record-keeping skills.

Qualifications

• Experience working within housing, support services, social care or a related customer-focused environment.
• Knowledge of challenges facing older people and individuals with complex needs.
• Experience providing front-line customer services and working directly with residents or service users.

Responsibilities

• Building strong relationships with tenants and maintaining regular welfare contact.
• Carrying out welfare checks and responding to health, safety and wellbeing concerns.
• Identifying safeguarding concerns and working with agencies to provide appropriate support.
• Delivering person-centred housing related support.
• Helping residents sustain their tenancies through budgeting, benefits and managing rent accounts.
• Organising and supporting social activities and engagement opportunities.
• Monitoring health and safety standards across schemes and reporting repairs.
• Working with contractors and partner organisations to deliver services.
• Maintaining accurate records and responding to enquiries and service requests.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Relationship-building

Organisational skills

IT literacy

Problem solving

Driving licence

Job description

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Reading Borough Council is seeking a dedicated and customer-focused Sheltered Housing Officer to join our Sheltered and Supported Housing Team. This rewarding role places residents at the heart of everything we do, helping people maintain their independence while ensuring they have access to the support, advice and services they need.

As a Sheltered Housing Officer, you will be the primary point of contact for tenants living within our sheltered housing schemes, building positive relationships, promoting wellbeing and delivering high-quality housing management and support services

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the role

This is a varied and rewarding position where no two days are the same. You will work closely with tenants, families, community organisations and partner agencies to ensure residents can thrive within safe and welcoming communities.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Building strong relationships with tenants and maintaining regular welfare contact.
• Carrying out welfare checks and responding appropriately to concerns relating to health, safety and wellbeing.
• Identifying safeguarding concerns and working with relevant agencies to ensure vulnerable residents receive appropriate support.
• Delivering person-centred housing related support
• Helping residents sustain their tenancies through practical advice on budgeting, benefits and managing rent accounts.
• Organising and supporting social activities, events and engagement opportunities that reduce isolation and promote community wellbeing.
• Monitoring health and safety standards across schemes, including reporting repairs and supporting compliance checks.
• Working collaboratively with contractors, community groups and partner organisations to deliver excellent services.
• Maintaining accurate records and responding to enquiries, complaints and service requests

About you

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who combines excellent customer service skills with a genuine commitment to supporting older people and vulnerable adults.

You will have:

• Experience working within housing, support services, social care or a related customer-focused environment.
• Knowledge of the challenges facing older people and individuals with multiple or complex needs.
• Experience providing front-line customer services and working directly with residents or service users.
• Strong communication, listening and relationship-building skills.
• The ability to handle sensitive situations with empathy, professionalism and discretion.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage a varied workload effectively.
• Confidence using IT systems and maintaining accurate records.
• A proactive and solution-focused approach to problem solving.
• A full driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place. Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team -

work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

Drive Efficiency -

show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

Be Ambitious -

be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

Make a Difference to Reading -

maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax