OR20486 - Home Moves Plus Officer

Umbrella: £17.82 per hour

Moorland House, Moorland Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 2FG

3 days on site, 2 days remote working.

Role title: Home Moves Plus Officer

Directorate: Communities

Reporting to: Lettings Manager

Grade: 13

Evaluation ref: SCT1417

Role purpose

The Home Moves Plus (HMP) Project was established to make better use of the existing social housing stock in the Taunton and Wellington areas, and to mitigate the impact of Hinkley Point C construction on the housing needs of local people by creating bed spaces in the area through downsizing. The role is responsible for reducing the number of under occupied households within Somerset Councils in-house landlord housing stock, thus freeing up much needed accommodation for those who need it.

If the role did not exist and tenants circumstances change, they could find themselves living in accommodation that is no longer affordable to them and does not suit their needs. The Council will also have less ability to manage its housing stock in line with local priorities.

Key results areas Accountability: Corporate Responsibilities

Understand, uphold, and promote the aims of the council's equality, diversity, and inclusion policies; health, safety, and wellbeing of self and others; and organisational values in everything you do. Equality and diversity practice covers both interaction with staff, service users and communities and includes challenging discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity for all.

Operational Service Delivery

Engage frequently with tenants, their family, and friends, providing solutions to meet their housing needs.

Responsible for ensuring relevant documentation is completed, for example: housing register application forms, tenancy agreements, tenancy termination forms, grant/tenant incentive forms and welfare benefit change of circumstances forms.

Responsible for updating the housing management system with changes to tenancies.

Responsible for determination of value of grants awarded under Somerset Councils Transfer Removal Grant scheme, ensuring all internal financial processes are followed, resulting in tenants receiving their payments.

Create and deliver the following reports: periodic list of all the financial incentives awarded to tenants' year to date up to an annual value of 25,000, quarterly reporting on location data, case studies and issues, postcode monitoring, end of year and final reports.

Subject to policy and guidelines the postholder will decide upon who is eligible and those who will be entitled to receive incentives including a grant payment, additional support, and assistance.

Report concerns relating to the safeguarding of children, young people, or vulnerable adults in accordance with agreed procedures.

Strategic Delivery / implementation /Coordination

Successful delivery of this project enables Somerset Council to make long-term savings, and the strain on council services is reduced, as the need for on-going support for local people is decreased, resulting in bedspace creation and targeted support and financial services provided by the project.

Performance Framework

Ensure KPIs are met around creation of bed spaces and numbers of stakeholders supported.

Improve self-service to customers on Homeswapper system, improving a tenants ability to access another social home both within the local area and beyond.

Project/Contract Management

Liaise with commissioners i.e. the Hickley Point C (HPC) Solutions project, on actual service delivery outputs and outcomes against the performance criteria and targets.

Stakeholder Engagement

Engage with teams inside and outside of the Council, including Village Agents, Sheltered Housing Team, General Needs Housing Team, Lettings Team, Home removal companies, House cleaning companies, Grounds maintenance providers, Utility suppliers, Revenues and Benefits Team, DWP Universal Credit Team, Housing Associations, etc.

Liaise regularly with the Housing Property Void Team to ensure all works are completed within specified deadlines.

Co-operating with other local authorities and/or housing associations.

Co-operating with key partners and the police to deter anti-social behaviour within neighbourhoods and agencies to deter domestic abuse.

Regulation / Statutory compliance

Somerset Councils council housing is regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing who ensure all their registered providers deliver and maintain homes of appropriate quality that meet a range of need.

Ensure all activities are statutory and regulatory compliant. The following is a list of regulatory standards the postholder will be required to adhere to: Tenancy standard; Transparency, influence and accountability standard, Safety and quality standard, Neighbourhood, and community standard; 1985 Housing Act.

Qualifications Essential

• Good general standard of education (minimum to GCSE standard or equivalent, including English and Mathematics).
• Evidence of continuing development of professional skills, e.g. through training, qualification and/or experience.

Desirable

• Be a member of a professional body for housing i.e. the Chartered Institute of Housing.

Knowledge and Experience Essential

• Knowledge of the demographics of the housing tenants, the local community and wider sub regional impacts, such as Hinkley Point, in respect of properties for letting and impacts on homelessness.
• Knowledge of income management work and best practice in a housing organisation context.
• Detailed and extensive professional and technical knowledge of allocations and lettings policy and practice.
• Detailed and extensive professional and technical knowledge of wider housing management policy and practice, housing law and best practice relating to neighbourhood and tenancy management.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and housing applications (Open Housing System, Homefinder Somerset, Choice Based Lettings system, Home Swapper Mutual Exchange System)
• Knowledge of services across Somerset Council, for example Childrens services, adult social care and community mental health.

Desirable

• Experience of working with elected members or in a political environment.
• Knowledge and understanding of Health & Safety legislation and requirements.
• Experience of working in a social housing organisation.

Skills Essential

• Good customer service and communication skills.
• Able to value and promote equality and diversity.
• Able to build successful working relationships with a range on internal and external stakeholders.
• Have a flexible approach to changing deadlines.
• Persuasive and encouraging, adopting a coaching style to support customers.

Desirable

• High degree of problem solving and decision making.
• Able to identify opportunities for further enabling and self-serve.
• Understand when to consult with others, including specialists.

If you think this job role is for you, please send your CV to