Accommodation Officer

at  Coventry City Council

About the team we are recruiting to
We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.
The Housing and Homelessness Service is a very busy environment and faces several challenges to meet the housing needs of citizens of Coventry. The team have grown significantly during the last 12 months and this reflects the fact that Housing & Homelessness are now a key council priority.

The team are responsible for the delivery of the following service functions:

• Provision of the statutory homeless service
• Provision of temporary accommodation
• Management of the housing register
• Co-ordination of support to citizens rough sleeping
• Commissioning of homeless services, and
• Responsibility for housing strategy

The Council has a strategic vision that is clearly set out in both the Housing & Homelessness and the Rough Sleeping Strategies which were both approved in 2019.
By becoming part of an expanding team who are focused on preventing households from becoming homeless as well as providing tailored support and interventions when someone does become homeless this is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to some of the most vulnerable people in our city.
What is the job role?
We are recruiting one full time Accommodation Officers to join our already exclusive and vibrant team. The work involves placing households into temporary accommodation and working with landlords around concerns or issues with households using the accommodation. You will join the team at an exciting time for the housing and homeless service.

THE ROLE

• Placements of households into temporary accommodation in line with the legislation, to move households out of or between temporary accommodation to ensure the best use of stock.
• Act as an intermediary between landlord and household if disputes arise to try and reach a settlement to support, so the temporary accommodation is not lost.
• To work closely with landlords and providers to secure properties to meet the housing needs of the households under the Housing and Homelessness duties, whether for temporary or permanent accommodation.
• Negotiate with Landlords regarding the condition of the property. If ready to let, to undertake the inspection in line with the required Coventry City Council standard. Training will be provided if required.
• Identify where occupiers require additional support so they can move to permanent accommodation to end the duty.

WHEN CONSIDERING YOUR APPLICATION, THE RECRUITING PANEL WANT TO SEE WHAT MAKES YOU THE IDEAL CANDIDATE IN THE ‘YOUR SUITABILITY FOR THE POST’ SECTION OF YOUR APPLICATION. IT IS ESSENTIAL WHEN COMPLETING THIS SECTION THAT YOU DEMONSTRATE YOUR SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE RELATING TO THE PERSON SPECIFICATION, WHETHER THIS IS THROUGH DIRECT HOUSING MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE, OR FROM ROLES WITH TRANSFERABLE SKILLS.

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
Who are we looking for?

For the role you’ll need,

• A positive attitude towards helping people to overcome Homelessness.
• Strong negotiating skills, advocacy skills and IT skills.
• Resilience and determination to achieve right outcomes for Homeless people/families.
• To be highly motivated with a strong drive and ambition to achieve results.
• Willingness to learn about the relevant legislation for Housing and Homelessness
• You will be able to use your initiative, be forward thinking and solutions led due to this being a reactive role.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Flexible and resilient
• The ability to travel around the city.

If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you’ll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled ‘Coventry City Council Application Process’. If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete their application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.
Interview date(s): 1st stage group exercise on 20th September 2024. If successful, the panel interview will be on 27th September 2024.
About Coventry

The team are responsible for the delivery of the following service functions:

• Provision of the statutory homeless service
• Provision of temporary accommodation
• Management of the housing register
• Co-ordination of support to citizens rough sleeping
• Commissioning of homeless services, and
• Responsibility for housing strateg