Interim Housing Ombudsman Service Case Officer

**Job reference**: 001527

**Salary**: £32,000 per annum

**Closing date**: 23/09/2024

**Location**: Bede Island - Leicester

**Employment type**: Fixed Term

**Hours Per Week**: 35

**A little bit about what we are looking for...**

We are seeking a dedicated professional to provide a comprehensive, positive, and effective Housing Ombudsman action handling and resolution service for our organisation and the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS). This role involves close collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders to investigate, resolve issues, and ensure satisfactory outcomes for PA Housing residents, the HOS, and our internal business areas. The key responsibilities include championing a positive complaint-handling culture, ensuring compliance with the statutory HOS Complaint Handling Code, which requires landlords to adhere to orders and information requests, and providing assurance to the HOS regarding the efficacy of our complaints system, including scrutinising data and information provided by the business.

Additionally, it involves seeking assurances from the complaints and operational teams that complaints are being managed effectively, changes are being implemented, and residents' voices are being heard throughout the process. The role also focuses on promoting service improvement for residents and facilitating learning and business enhancement within the organisation. This position demands high-functioning administrative skills, the ability to seek clarity swiftly, and the capability to effectively assess and manage HOS enquiries. Join us in making a positive impact on our community by ensuring excellence in complaint handling and resolution.

We embrace the future of work with our hybrid working model, offering you the flexibility to thrive in your role. You'll have the opportunity to blend the best of both worlds, spending approximately 2-3 days per week in the office with the remainder being from the comfort of your own home. However bear in mind during your probation and training, we may request more office presence to ensure you feel fully supported and equipped for success. Your well-being and confidence in your role are paramount to us, and we're committed to providing the flexibility you need to excel. Of course if you'd prefer to be in the office more, then that is completely fine with us too

**Your responsibilities...**
- Ensuring enquiries are correctly assessed, logged, risk assessed, prioritised, and thoroughly researched, with the right questions posed to the business.
- Collating all necessary evidence for each HOS case, identifying the root cause of individual complaints, and providing clear evidence of the decisions made.
- Risk assessing each HOS enquiry and following appropriate escalation routes depending on the nature of the request.
- Taking ownership of resolving HOS complaints within agreed timescales, which includes preparing information, engaging with various stakeholders, and building relationships to ensure the continuity of service.
- Providing regular feedback on emerging issues or patterns related to HOS enquiries.
- Dealing with actions requiring immediate attention post-HOS enquiry and escalating them to the relevant teams.
- Maintaining electronic databases of all communications regarding HOS enquiries, delivering accurate information to customers, and providing detailed reports to the business.
- Updating the HOS Portal with progress on cases, ensuring residents' wishes are recorded and considered in any decisions, and responding to complaints.
- Ensuring feedback is provided and acted upon, delivering reasonable and proportionate responses to residents throughout their complaint journey.
- Encouraging feedback on services and recognising the evolving needs of the service.
- Meeting regulatory requirements and upholding Service Level Agreements by investigating and responding to concerns, and sharing intelligence about HOS enquiries to help identify potential trends, themes, and causes of complaints.
- Preparing and composing clear, professional, and persuasive communications tailored to the audience, proofreading to ensure accuracy, and providing comprehensive responses.
- Projecting a positive image of PA Housing by delivering excellent and empathetic customer service to all customers.
- Maintaining a clear and accurate audit trail of HOS enquiries.
- Being the first point of contact to provide expert advice on HOS enquiries.
- We recommend you read the full job description to get a really good understanding of what the role entails, you can find this as a downloadable attachment at the bottom of the advert._
- Experience in a similar role with a focus on the HOS or working directly with other Conduct Authorities/Regulatory bodies is advantageous.
- Proficient in complaint handling, service management, and compliance.
- Understanding the principles of excellent customer service, ensuring HOS enquiries are accurately triaged and responded to withi