Housing Needs & Homelessness Manager

To lead and manage the Housing Needs and Homelessness Service ensuring the Council meets its statutory duties under housing and homelessness legislation. The role is responsible for delivering high-quality homelessness prevention and housing solutions services that are customer-focused legally compliant financially sustainable and aligned with the Councils housing and corporate objectives.

The postholder will promote safeguarding equality and trauma-informed practice ensuring services remain accessible fair and responsive to the needs of vulnerable households.

• Lead motivate and manage the Housing Needs and Homelessness team to deliver high-performing customer-focused services.
  
• Ensure homelessness assessments statutory decisions prevention activities and accommodation placements are completed lawfully accurately and within required timescales.
  
• Drive homelessness prevention initiatives through early intervention partnership working and innovative service delivery.
  
• Oversee the procurement management suitability and health and safety compliance of temporary accommodation.
  
• Monitor service performance quality standards budgets and compliance requirements implementing improvements where necessary.
  
• Manage complex homelessness cases and provide professional advice and guidance on housing legislation policy and best practice.
  
• Coordinate responses to legal challenges complaints reviews Ombudsman investigations and judicial proceedings relating to housing and homelessness services.
  
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal departments housing providers health services community organisations and other external stakeholders.
  
• Represent the Council at strategic partnerships multi-agency meetings and housing-related forums.
  
• Ensure safeguarding responsibilities are embedded throughout service delivery and that vulnerable households receive appropriate support.
  
• Contribute to emergency planning arrangements and participate in the out-of-hours homelessness management standby rota as required.
  
• Support the development and implementation of housing strategies policies and service improvement initiatives.
  
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement accountability equality and excellent customer service across the team.
  

• Significant experience managing housing needs homelessness or related housing services.
  
• Extensive knowledge of homelessness legislation housing law statutory guidance and best practice.
  
• Proven experience leading and managing teams within a public-facing service environment.
  
• Strong understanding of housing law relating to homelessness security of tenure landlord and tenant responsibilities and temporary accommodation management.
  
• Experience working in partnership with external agencies housing providers and support services.
  
• Excellent communication negotiation presentation and stakeholder management skills.
  
• Ability to manage complex and sensitive cases while making sound legally compliant decisions.
  
• Strong planning organisational analytical and problem-solving abilities.
  
• Experience monitoring service performance budgets and operational targets.
  
• Good ICT skills including Microsoft Office applications and housing management systems.
  
• Commitment to delivering high standards of customer service safeguarding equality and inclusion.
  
• Educated to A-Level standard or equivalent experience.
  
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use.
  

• Professional qualification in Housing or a related discipline.
  
• Full or part membership of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH).
  
• Experience using housing CRM or case management systems.
  
• Experience managing accommodation services or temporary accommodation portfolios.
  
• Knowledge of wider local government housing policy and social housing sector issues.
  
• Experience managing services within a politically sensitive environment.
  
• Budget management and financial monitoring experience.