Housing Initiatives Officer.

Remedy Recruitment are currently working with the local authority in Surrey and are seeking an experienced Housing Initiatives Officer to work within a busy, fast paced and exciting environment.

**SALARY- £20 PER HOUR**

** FULL TIME**

**START- ASAP**

Main Duties and Responsibilities-

• Managing a supply of properties with a view to finding accommodation, both emergency and longer term, for applicants threatened with homelessness and in severe housing need.

• To work with a team of Initiatives Officers in the development and operation of supply initiatives to reduce homelessness, and maximise the supply of private sector accommodation, ensuring all cases are dealt with in accordance with the law and Council policy.

• To make the most appropriate, equitable and cost-effective use of available resources, ensuring that all lettings comply with statutory requirements and the Council's policies

• To ensure that all households for whom the Council has a statutory duty to secure emergency accommodation is provided with such accommodation, and to manage movement between, and discharges from emergency accommodation.

• Successfully procure and set up a range of cost effective, good quality private rented accommodation to enable the Council to meet its statutory rehousing duties and minimise the number of tenancy failures and repeat approaches to the Housing Needs Service.

• To provide an emergency placements service on behalf of DASHH on a referral basis.

• To contribute to the development of policy, procedures and practice, and to the achievement of the Section's aims, objectives and targets.

• To participate in appropriate projects relevant to the role of the team within and outside the Section as appropriate.

Skills and Attributes

• Good verbal and written communication skills including the ability to negotiate with accommodation providers and explain complex issues to the diverse users of the service and the ability to write letters, report, and procedures using Plain English.

• Able to demonstrate enhanced and innovative negotiation, mediation, problem solving and interviewing skills

• Ability to relate the Department's objectives and policies in relation to the service, and to communicate these concisely, simply and sensitively to colleagues, customers and partners.

• Ability to provide a caring and responsive service to customers, addressing those needs and concerns as far as possible within the given resource constraints.

• Ability to manage a varied and demanding workload, and to provide a consistently high quality of work with limited supervision )
• Ability to take responsibility for one's own and team performance in delivery of a customer focused service.

• Ability to assess and communicate service issues and problems, and identify and cost appropriate responses and solutions.

• A commitment to equalities issues and an understanding of how they relate to the Housing Initiatives Section and the diverse needs of its customers.

• Able to provide a service to members of the public consistently but sensitively, according to their individual needs.

• An understanding of equalities issues and how they relate to the diverse needs of customers of the Procurement Section.

• Carry out site visits

• Clean driving licence

For more information please contact Bronte at Remedy, 0208 418 7677.