Housing Officer

The role

This is a 9 month Fixed Term Contract (Maternity Cover).

We are looking for a Housing Officer to join our Birmingham Southern Housing Team, working in a hybrid way, with arrangements to be agreed with the Area Housing Manager.

Our Housing Officers are required to be flexible in their ability to travel across our homes in Birmingham, this is because we work in a patchless way. However, each role is designated to a team within the following areas and you may be required to travel within those zones as well as other zones as part of your duties:

The regional housing teams are at the frontline of the housing service and are the team that will deal with complex housing issues and see residents in their homes. As a Housing Officer, you will be responsible for supporting tenants through their tenancy in the West Midlands. Being professionally curious every day and for ensuring we know who our residents are. You will take action to ensure their wellbeing, welfare and health and safety are addressed. You'll deliver a great service, excellent housing advice and support whilst being empathetic, polite, courteous, and hardworking, proactively resolving issues when you find them, in a safe and efficient manner.

Responsibilities will include:

• Providing an effective housing management service, working with multi-agency partners and within the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks.
• Settling residents into their new homes and visit residents on a regular targeted and pro-active basis, ensuring tenancy conditions are met and properties are maintained to a good standard.
• Completing welfare checks, making safeguarding referrals, monitoring and updating cases, working in partnership with multi agency partners.
• Working proactively with customers, managing expectations, to ensure they're able to have successful tenancies and have a positive view of their environment and landlord. Managing complex cases through to completion
• Carrying out pre-void inspections and viewings. Work with lettings and contract services colleagues to ensure the turnaround of vacant homes are within agreed key performance indicators.
• Supporting with the management of ASB cases as required. Lead on dealing with nuisance issues such as neighbour disputes not reaching the ASB threshold. Explore solutions such as good neighbour agreements, mediation, and non-legal interventions.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Experience of working in a housing environment, including dealing with cases of nuisance and harassment in a housing management context and has a good knowledge of relevant legislation and of tenancy enforcement
• Proven experience of following processes, using initiative, and delivering excellent customer service.
• Professional curiosity to identify residents with complex support needs
• Meets targets and deadlines, able to prioritise workloads and work under pressure showing persistence and determination when setbacks occur
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly, accurately, and effectively using various communication channels.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team, working in an agile environment.
• Good negotiation and influencing skills
• The post holder will be required to work remotely at times and must be able to travel efficiently and/or have a valid licence and access to a vehicle

Please note, in your supporting statement, it is important that you address how you meet each of the above 8 criteria providing real examples.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Closing Date: Sunday 5th January 2025 at 23:59 pm

Shortlisting Date: Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th January 2025

Interviews: Thursday 16th January and Friday 17th January 2025

Please note, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early, should we receive a high volume of applications

About us

At Southern Housing, our residents are at the heart of everything we do. As one of the largest housing providers in the UK with over 77,000 homes across London, the Southeast, the Isle of Wight, and the Midlands, we give over 167,000 people somewhere affordable to call their own!We also understand the difference that safe, secure, and affordable homes can make to people's lives.

A career at Southern Housing will allow you to make a difference every day you come to work. Working in the housing sector with us will bring fresh challenges and give you the opportunity to grow and develop, too.

What's in it for you

Pension

Life
assurance

Healthcare cash plan

Eyecare & dental

Birthday
leave

Retailers discounts

Cycle
to work

Buy & sell
annual leave

Season ticket loan

In-house academy & career development

Flexible working

Inclusion & Diversity

We work hard to create a diverse and inclusive culture and environment where people are respected for who they are. Encouraging inclusion is not just about protected characteristics, it's about celebrating differences of thought, opinion, experience and perspective of each individual.

We're all different in our own way and we want our colleagues to feel comfortable, that they belong, and are safe to be themselves at work, without fear of being judged or excluded, but valued for their contribution to our One Team approach.