Accommodation Support Officer

The role will assist the Private Sector Housing Initiatives Manager and wider team in delivering an effective housing management service across temporary accommodation used by the Authority.

The successful candidates will support administrative systems, emergency accommodation bookings, customer enquiries, Housing Benefit administration, rent payments, invoicing, maintenance queries, data collection and day-to-day temporary accommodation management., * Assist with the management of temporary accommodation for homeless households

• Support the Private Sector Housing Initiatives Manager and wider team
• Provide an effective housing management service for temporary accommodation
• Respond to service requests from clients
• Support the planning and development of the homelessness service
• Maintain administrative systems for the Housing Supply and Regulation Service
• Support systems linked to temporary accommodation provision
• Collect, collate and provide management information and statistics
• Act as a point of contact for maintenance support and direction
• Support procurement and booking of emergency accommodation
• Complete administrative tasks linked to placing clients into accommodation
• Act as a point of contact for clients in temporary accommodation
• Support Housing Benefit claims administration
• Assist with rent payments and invoicing
• Monitor financial processes and maintain accurate records
• Assist with day-to-day management of Council temporary accommodation units
• Provide customer service to landlords, applicants and customers
• Deal with day-to-day temporary accommodation enquiries
• Assist with rent charges and income monitoring
• Raise payment requisitions, debits, credits and invoices
• Process orders and support goods/services administration
• Operate and update relevant IT systems
• Prepare correspondence, reports, data and performance information
• Attend meetings and take minutes where required
• Follow health and safety requirements
• Report incidents, accidents, faults and concerns
• Work in line with Council financial regulations, standing orders, policies and procedures
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with data protection requirements, This is a full-time, 37-hour-per-week hybrid role involving home working, office working and community-based work.

This role requires strong administration, customer service, housing support, data entry, financial administration, Microsoft Office, database and stakeholder communication skills., Candidates must be comfortable dealing directly with customers by telephone and face to face, including clients in temporary accommodation and people approaching the Council regarding accommodation.

The role involves housing administration, emergency accommodation bookings, maintenance support, Housing Benefit claims, rent payments, invoicing, requisitions, debits, credits, data/statistics and updating IT systems.

Candidates must be able to work hybrid, including office working, home working and community-based work depending on business need.

A DBS Summary Form and 2 years’ references/work history are required at candidate submission stage.

Candidates without housing, homelessness, temporary accommodation, customer service, administration, database or financial administration experience are unlikely to be considered., * Experience in housing, homelessness, temporary accommodation, customer service or administration

• Experience dealing with people using a range of communication methods
• Experience working with the public
• Experience liaising with internal and external stakeholders
• Experience using databases
• Experience using Microsoft IT packages
• Good written communication skills
• Good verbal communication skills
• Good numeracy skills
• Ability to understand and follow policies, procedures and statutory regulations
• Confidence using computers and IT systems
• Ability to organise and prioritise workload
• Ability to work to targets and tight deadlines
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good negotiation skills
• Ability to deal with people tactfully and diplomatically
• Ability to deal with difficult customers professionally
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to work individually when required
• Commitment to training and personal development

Qualifications

Essential: Minimum of 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above, including Maths and English.

Desirable

• Housing-related qualification
• Understanding of social housing management
• Understanding of frontline housing services
• Experience working with Registered Social Landlords
• Experience supporting temporary accommodation services
• Experience with Housing Benefit administration
• Experience with rent payments, rent charges or invoicing
• Experience raising requisitions, debits, credits or invoices
• Experience preparing reports, statistics or performance information
• Experience taking minutes at meetings, * Do you have experience working in housing, homelessness, temporary accommodation, social housing, frontline housing services or a similar customer-facing public sector environment?
• Are you confident dealing directly with customers by telephone and face to face, including applicants, landlords, clients in temporary accommodation and potentially difficult customers?
• Do you have experience using databases and Microsoft IT packages to update records, prepare correspondence, collate data, produce reports or maintain accurate case/admin information?
• Have you supported financial administration such as Housing Benefit claims, rent payments, invoicing, payment requisitions, debits, credits, purchase orders or income monitoring?
• Can you work hybrid across home, office and community settings, and can you provide a DBS Summary Form and 2 years’ references/work history at submission stage?