Sheltered Housing Officer

Job description

Are you looking for a rewarding role that can really make a difference? This is your opportunity to join a friendly and supportive team who work together to make a positive impact to the lives of older people in Reading. Join us, and you can look forward to excellent training and development opportunities too, so you can grow your skills and build a great future with us.

As a Sheltered Housing Officer, you will be responsible for managing a group of properties out of the council’s current stock of 10 Sheltered Housing schemes. You will work as part of a team of housing & support officers who provide services to over 300 sheltered housing tenants supporting them to live full and independent lives.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

We are open to flexible working patterns and can provide a hybrid working environment which utilises the best of both worlds with a mix of office working in central Reading and homeworking according to the needs of the Service.

**About the role**

The post holder will be the first point of contact for households in Reading Borough Council’s Sheltered accommodation, managing the properties and tenancies from the point of moving in through to the day they move on.

Working in a busy fast paced arena you will need to be comfortable dealing with tenants, professionals, and elected members alike. You will work closely with colleagues across Tenant Services, Repairs, Parks, Waste and Facilities Management as well as outside agencies and suppliers.

Main duties and responsibilities:

- To be the primary contact and representative of the Council in respect of its social landlord activities, duties and responsibilities to tenants living in Sheltered & Supported Housing, working with tenants so that they understand their responsibilities and to identify and drive initiatives to improve the service and the quality of their local environment.
- To carry out a regular programme of essential health & safety, including the control and prevention of legionella, fire alarm and emergency lighting checks, emergency pull cords and pendants.
- To identify and report any concerns about tenant welfare, health and safety or other risks by maintaining frequent contact and positive professional relationships with tenants throughout the Sheltered Housing stock.
- To work collaboratively with colleagues across the Sheltered Housing service to ensure the appropriate range of services are accessible to all tenants.
- To work in close co-operation and develop positive working relationships with a range of stakeholders such as individuals and groups of service users, tenant organisations, statutory agencies, providers and community-based services.
- To be responsible for the recording and completion of targets linked to performance indicators, legislative requirements and local service standards.
- Ensure the service is delivered in accordance with the Council’s Information Security, Equality and Diversity, Customer Care and Health and Safety policies and procedures.

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:
**Work Together as one team** - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

**Drive Efficiency** - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

**Be Ambitious** - be demanding of our own performance - striving to be even better - and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

**Make a Difference to Reading** - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

**About you**

You will need to be enthusiastic, motivated and a highly organised individual to manage your own workload to offer the best housing service possible to our tenants. You will be a team player with the ability to build strong working relationships with internal & external agencies that share a common goal. You will need to be passionate about supported housing and the service that you deliver with the determination to reach the desired outcome for our tenant’s.

**A Valid Full UK Driving License