Venesky-Brown’s client, a public sector organisation in Northampton, is currently looking to recruit a Housing Allocations Officer for an 11 week contract on a rate of £25 per hour Umbrella or £19.23 per hour PAYE.
Responsibilities:
– To process complex and detailed correspondence and telephone enquiries in relation to housing allocations applications, including who can join the Organisation’s Housing Register, the banding scheme and what priority a customer may be awarded under the scheme and the provision of realistic advice on the availability of social housing and a customer’s housing options.
– Comprehensively assess, investigate and determine housing applications to join the Organisation’s Housing Register in terms of eligibility and qualification for social housing and level of priority awarded to those applicants that can join the Organisation’s Housing register in accordance with the Organisation’s Housing Allocations Scheme and all relevant codes of guidance and legislation.
– Process applications where there is a medical need and assess the applicant’s basic medical condition in relation to their housing circumstances. Make decisions on the level of priority that should be awarded to the applicant and the type of property to best suit their needs. In particularly complex situations, make an appropriate referral to the Organisation’s specialist medical advisor for guidance and advice to inform decision-making.
– Ensure that investigations are robust and verification of all housing register applicants’ circumstances are completed in accordance with the agreed policy and procedures. This will require interviewing applicants both in their home and within locality hubs, such as organisation offices.
– Receive information about available properties from the Organisation’s ALMO and Registered Providers in the area and create adverts for regular choice-based lettings advertisement cycles (to make applicants on the Housing Register aware of the available properties that they can bid on).
– Responsible for allocation of properties through each choice-based letting cycle. Ensure that the shortlisting and nomination of applicants against properties is undertaken in an appropriate and timely way in accordance with the Organisation’s Housing Allocations Scheme and in relation to prescribed nomination agreements. Ensure that any risks are properly assessed and escalated, as appropriate, in accordance with MAPPA, MARAC and any relevant safeguarding and/or health and safety procedures.
– Ensure all administrative records are updated promptly in accordance with the approved policy and procedures including annual reviews of housing applications and changes of circumstances of applicants.
– Work with other Organisation departments and external voluntary and statutory bodies to identify housing need and ensure that the Organisation’s Housing Allocations Policy is applied correctly to meet need. Key stakeholders include Children’s Trust, Adult Social Care, Probation and Police.
Essential Skills:
– Ability to interview applicants skilfully and sensitively to elicit as much information as possible, give the appropriate advice and make informed decisions.
– Excellent interpersonal skills, including being able to communicate at all levels.
– Ability to produce concise and persuasive written reports on complex issues.
– Well-developed negotiation and problem-solving skills.
– Ability to manage and prioritise own workload and the ability to work effectively as part of a demanding frontline service.
– Demonstrate ICT skills sufficient to maximise the use of software applications, particularly the use of Excel, Performance Management and Housing Allocations Software packages
– Flexibility to occasionally work outside of normal working hours and able and willing to travel to and work from other locations
– Fully understands their role in the context of safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults, in a housing environment.
– Demonstrate effective use of Office 365 (incl. Teams, OneDrive, etc.) or willingness to undertake training during the probation period.
– A thorough working knowledge and understanding of current housing law, such as the Housing Act 1996, Parts VI and VII, Homelessness Act 2002, Localism Act 2012, Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and immigration law as it applies to housing eligibility, relevant code of guidance and case law.
– A working knowledge of local/regional/national policies in relation to allocations, nominations and meeting housing need.
Desirable Skills:
– Knowledge/ recent experience of welfare rights benefit systems and debt issues.
– Chartered Institute of Housing – Chartered Membership (for those with a CIH recognised qualification at Level 2 or above, or members who have completed an experiential route accredited by CIH.)
If you would like to hear more about this opportunity, please get in touch.
Housing Allocation Officer