Homelessness Case Officer

Homelessness Case Officer
Service: West London refugee rough sleeping team
Location: Aldgate, London
Reporting to: Team Manager
Contract: Hybrid - full time (3 days office based, 2 days from home)
Pay: £13.79 per hour
OVERVIEW
Participating in a payment-by-results initiative that centres on achieving specified outcomes for a caseload of single homeless refugees. This involves providing holistic support in formulating and executing integration plans, securing and sustaining accommodation in the private rented sector and promoting integration into their new community.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
* Coordinate a frontline service for refugees at risk of homelessness or already homeless in conjunction with 7 West London boroughs.
* Apply specialist knowledge of housing and homelessness legislation, including private rented housing, the Homelessness Reduction Act, and Housing Act, to relieve homelessness and sustain tenancy.
* You are required to be target-led, negotiating with local lettings agents, private landlords, and other agencies to find optimal solutions to clients' housing needs.
* To deliver against all sets of individual financial outcome targets and service standards on a weekly basis.
* To manage own caseload effectively and drive engagement with clients in line with service standards and Values.
* Travel may be required for property viewings with individuals and building relationships with local organisations to ensure the successful integration of individuals into their new communities and tenancy sustainability.
* To undertake comprehensive assessments and ongoing reviews of client needs, creating co-produced Integration Plans and implementing actions to improve housing options and community integration. Including the wider support planning, linking with education, employment, health and other support providers and agencies.
* To actively work with clients to relieve their homelessness by assisting them to secure accommodation in private sector or other housing pathways.
* To advise clients and manage expectations on housing options with regards to private rented accommodation and other pathways. .
* Develop and maintain effective working partnerships with statutory, voluntary, and commercial organisations to address the holistic needs of customers.
* To ensure all necessary steps and actions are taken in a timely manner to relieve homelessness, encourage self-resolution, and support service users in resolving their housing issues.
* To Keep accurate and up-to-date records of all interactions and correspondence.
* To ensure all financial processes in relation to funding the tenancy are completed in a timely manner and recorded.
* To provide advice to clients to ensure that they have the best possible opportunities to sustain their new accommodation.
* Proactive in attending property viewings with individuals, sometimes out of London and managing client's expectations.
* To ensure that potential safeguarding issues are identified, and the appropriate corporate actions are taken.
* To participate in the core work of the service, providing support to colleagues, carrying out tasks allocated by the Team & Service Manager and using initiative to identify and deal with additional tasks as they arise.
* Provide Tenancy Sustainment Support to ensure that service users can access longer term support where required and maintain a tenancy.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Demonstrate knowledge, experience or relevant qualifications in housing and homelessness legislation, in relation to private rented housing, rough sleeping, the Homelessness Reduction Act and Housing Act.
Demonstrate knowledge in welfare benefits legislation (including welfare reform) to support service users effectively.
You are Solution focused and pro-active in achieving high quality client work and results in a fast paced and outcome focused environment.
You have previously worked in a target led environment.
Previous experience in sourcing, negotiating, and maintaining relationships with agents and landlords in the private rented sector.
You thrive in negotiating and accomplishing daily outcomes.
A social butterfly who is genuine and empathetic
You have strong work ethics with excellent customer service focus.
You have impeccable organisational skills.
Ability to positively manage a busy client caseload and own workload in line with service standards and values, working towards client progression and meeting service targets and deadlines, reviewing work and priorities.
Proficient in using computer systems and databases as part of your daily tasks.
Strong communication skills and ability to record good quality data, case notes, plans and outcomes accurately and timely.
Excellent at building relationships with team members, statutory and non-statutory organisations.
Socially conscious and want to make a difference.
Flexible and adaptable team player with a can-do attitude
Able to undertake a variety of activities with a substantial degree of personal responsibility and autonomy.
We welcome applications from candidates with lived experience. If you have any convictions/cautions, this does not mean you cannot apply for any of our roles, however, we do require a DBS for all positions.
We will ensure that any positive disclosures on DBS records are discussed with candidates and fairly assessed by an internal panel
SAFEGUARDING: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with us. .
This job description is subject to change depending on the needs of the service
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