Housing Coordinator

Housing Coordinator

We're looking for a driven, enthusiastic and resilient Housing Coordinator to join our Gateway Service in Southwark.

£25,169.00 per annum, working 35 hours per week.

Want to feel like you're making a difference? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:

• Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
• Free DBS
• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
• Fully paid induction programme and further training
• ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
• Healthcare Cashplan through our partner Healthshield
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
• Online wellbeing resources
• A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
• Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution

The Gateway service is used as a partnership arrangement with a local authority for temporary accommodation. The Housing Coordinator will be the lead point of contact for Look Ahead at this site and manage this relationship on a day-to-day basis.

The Housing Coordinator will also be expected to monitor occupants' adherence to house rules and work with our Local Authority partners to follow up any enforcement action, occupant support needs or requirements that are presented.

A key part of the role is managing the safety and operation of the building, as well as dealing with enquiries and contact from customers and visitors. The Housing Coordinator will be required to monitor the maintenance function and facilities on the site and raise any contractor performance issues to the head office based Property and Landlord Services team.

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

Main duties include:

• Provide first point of contact on site for Local Authority staff, occupants, Look Ahead colleagues, contractors and visitors
• Carry out day to day management of the building including managing breaches of house rules, including alerting Local Authority when tenancy enforcement action is required
• Health and safety checks to include regular testing, inspections and assessments in accordance with Look Ahead's Health & Safety procedures
• Administration and management of operating systems and equipment within the building
• Advising occupants regarding repairs, being the contact and link between the occupants and the property team.
• Conducting void inspections and raising the relevant Void Forms and furniture requests
• Supporting new customers to move in
• Manage furniture requests, recharge forms, keys and locks
• Conducting fire alarm checks - weekly call point checks
• Investigating and responding to complaints regarding property maintenance, dealing with complaints relating to maintenance issues
• Monitoring and coordinating activities of security/concierge
• Sign-posting customers to Local Authority partner for advice on their homelessness status
• Submission of quarterly invoices to the Local Council
• Communicating with Safer Neighbourhood teams in relation to any ASB issues

The post-holder will:

• Be the main point of contact for Local Authority partner and contractors and carry out day to day management of the building and the facilities
• Manage all void processes - void inspections and void event monitoring
• Report maintenance issues and repairs
• Monitoring contractors performance
• Ensuring equipment (e.g. electrical equipment) is repaired, serviced, inspected and tested at the specified times
• Manage breaches of house rules advising Local Authority partner when formal action is required
• Liaise and communicate with occupants, Look Ahead staff/departments, contractors, suppliers and external stakeholders
• Use IT systems in day to day activities
• Report any observation relating to occupants well-being and welfare to Local Authority partner
• Adhere to all the policies and procedures of Look Ahead Care, Support and Housing plus those specific to the service including any statutory requirements
• Maintain records as required at the project under the direction of the Senior Housing Manager
• Participate in team meetings
• Undertake any other tasks or special projects as needed to be delivered at the service

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

• An understanding of the needs of customers who have experienced homelessness and who may also have support needs.
• Excellent time management skills to prioritise tasks in a logical and systematic way.
• Excellent communication skills and experience of dealing with vulnerable people in a sensitive , friendly and clear manner.
• An understanding of how to effectively deal with breaches of occupancy such as anti-social behaviour and abandonment. .
• The ability to lone work and confidence in own decision making.
• A logical approach to problem solving and a willingness to deal with problems quickly and efficiently.
• A willingness to "go the extra mile" when working with our customers.

What you'll bring:

• 2 years experience of working in housing or a related field.
• Experience of liaising with housing benefit departments ,council tax and other external agencies.
• Experience of using IT systems to record information.
• Experience of drafting reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• An understanding of health and safety issues in a residential setting.

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 120 services, providing support to around 6000 customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

• We focus on Excellence and innovation.
• We are Caring and Compassionate.
• We are Inclusive and Trusted.
• We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.