Homelessness Prevention Manager

To lead the council's statutory response to homelessness. Managing a comprehensive front-line service to ensure the statutory prevention and rehousing duties are carried out within the policy and legislative framework, ensuring that anyone who is homeless or threatened with homelessness is given appropriate help and advice.

What is the role?

Demand is typically very high, often presents as very complex, and comes with a significant statutory burden.

The role includes:

• Leading a multi-agency 'Prevention Hub', comprising PCC's statutory response to homelessness along with employees and representatives from other PCC directorates and external organisations


• Ensuring statutory duties and powers associated with homelessness applications taken under Housing Act 1996 (as amended) are met by the Assessment and Advice Team, leading the team who take those applications.


• Improving access to the private rent sector for those threatened with homelessness, including consideration of ambitious and cost-effective schemes.


• Supporting, educating, and developing staff to equip them to do better work.


• Approving expenditure to prevent homelessness.


• Ensure that the council meets its legislative, compliance and performance obligations in this area, focusing on data, measures, quality, statutory reviews and the council's strategic aims.


• Promote the service's safeguarding responsibilities, ensuring a culture of professional curiosity and one where the most vulnerable in society are offered the help they need.


• To work with councillors and the administration in responding to specific housing issues as well as developing, explaining and implementing policies and strategies.


• Undertake line management functions for the direct reports. This includes regular 1-2-1s, team briefs, and absence, conduct and performance management issues.
  
  1. Is an experienced people manager, with experience of leading and developing a team.

2. Can guide and develop an experienced and knowledgeable team of managers and specialists with authority to make meaningful changes to ensure continuous service improvement.
3. Has a demonstrable passion for providing housing services and have a similar passion for the city of Portsmouth.
4. Can demonstrate an ability to improve services for customers using an evidenced based approach that gets to, and deals with, the root causes (please include any experience of a systems thinking approach).
5. Has knowledge and experience in delivering homelessness, housing options and/or rough sleeping services.
6. Has excellent knowledge of Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 and associated legislation and guidance.
7. Has a good understanding of the private rent market, including the challenges within and existing barriers to access.
8. Understands and is committed to promoting and achieving the safeguarding responsibilities associated with this role.
9. Can demonstrate an awareness of the challenges and benefits of multi-agency working, and an understanding of the competing priorities and statutory obligations that can affect its success.
10. Has extensive experience of using initiative and judgement to problem solve and make decisions in a structured and transparent way to resolve complex issues, at both service level and in a multi-agency environment.
11. Is emotionally resilient and able to support a team which is exposed to customers' difficult circumstances.
12. Is a confident person who can clearly and effectively communicate both verbally and in writing - including the ability to deliver complex information to differing audiences as appropriate.
13. Works proactively and is able to remain motivated, working on your own initiative in coordinating multiple tasks.
14. Is able to analyse data in order to understand the performance of the system.
15. Is hard-working.

We really appreciate our employees and fully realise they are essential to our success and look to offer an inclusive, supportive working environment where employees can reach their potentials with a healthy work life balance, offering the following rewards:

• A generous pension scheme


• Up to 31 days annual leave per year + bank holidays


• Flexible / hybrid working where appropriate


• A range of retail discounts via our reward portal offering discounts at retailers including IKEA, Currys, Tesco


• Free Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and wellbeing support


• Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities including apprenticeships


• Potential to purchase additional annual leave


• Business travel support and initiatives, including bike loans