Senior Caseworker (NH)(D)

Job Description

Job Category : Housing, Benefits & Planning
Location : Southover House, Lewes and Eastbourne Councils
Hours Per Week : 37.00
Start Date : Immediate Start
Start Time : 09:00
End Time : 17:00
Salary: £13.65

Senior Caseworker required to manage the Lewes District Council owned stock of Temporary Accommodation within the Lewes District. This post also requires the applicant to undertake some management of the Commercial properties also in Lewes District (private rented tenancies).

The skills and qualities required are the following:
Tenancy management experience – preferably from a Social Housing provider/Council.
Knowledge of homeless legislation – does not need to be in depth, but a general understanding is essential.
Ability to undertake visits in and around the Lewes District and on occasion, cover in Eastbourne.

1. Provide detailed advice and support to the teams in relation to tenancy
management.
2. Investigate, manage and seek positive solutions in partnership with statutory and
voluntary agencies on complex tenancy management cases including Anti-
Social Behaviour, safeguarding, tenancy fraud and complaints
3. Manage breaches of tenancy, investigate reports and complaints about
neighbours and take appropriate enforcement action
4. Manage complex tenancy cases across tenure
5. Manage a range of cases, inspections and associated activity – working with
customers, neighbours and partner agencies to resolve problems, taking formal
action when required.
6. Work as the lead caseworker or supporting leads in partner agencies on a range
of complex cases, assessing the risk and vulnerability of customers and
considering all aspects of the customer’s situation in order to provide the best
avenue of support and action.Page 2 of 6
7. Proactively design and develop tools and guidance notes for the area of
specialism to enable the team to self-serve and widen their knowledge.
8. To promote, create and implement best use of available social media channels
to help increase awareness of the councils’ presence in the community.
9. Collaborate with other team leaders and colleagues to resolve issues and
identify and implement improvements in performance and customer services.
10. Manage, own and resolve escalated complaints.
11. Access and accurately update all relevant information systems, both customer
and back office ensuring that the Golden Customer Record is updated and
maintained through verification and validation, and in accordance with Data
Protection principles.
12. Actively develop and maintain an extensive working knowledge of Lewes and
Eastbourne Council’s services, processes and procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

• GCSEs (or equivalent) at Grade
C or above including Maths and
English or qualified by strong
relevant experience.

Desirable

• Institute of Customer Services (or
equivalent).

SKILLS & ABILITIES

Essential

• Ability to effectively organise own
and team workload to meet
deadlines.
• Effective negotiation skills to
ensure a flow of new housing
solutions.
• Ability and commitment to help
challenging and distressed
customers.
• Ability to actively listen in order to
extract and assess important
information to ensure that the
appropriate arrangements are
made to support the internal and
external customer needs.
• Ability to work calmly and
sensitively.
• To be confident, flexible and the
ability to work on own initiative.
• Customer focused.
• Ability to use IT systems to
gather, store and produce reports
and process information.
• Ability to work, support and
deliver services within the
Councils Equalities Policy.
• Full understanding of channel
shift principles.
Desirable
• Project and / or change
management.
• Understanding of customer
demands and forecast planning.
• Understanding of social media
channels and channel shifts.Page 5 of 6
• Able to work with teams across
an organisation to improve
services.

KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• Best practice relevant to the post,
e.g. tackling anti-social
behaviour, succession, mutual
exchange and estate
management.
• Knowledge of housing law and
relevant legislation, including
privately rented accommodation
• Tenancy Management and
enforcement
• Professional boundaries and
safeguarding good practice.
• Housing Act 1996, 2004.
• Safeguarding.
• Data protection.
• Equalities.
Desirable
• Project and/or change
management.
• Able to exploit the use of new
technology.
• Knowledge of the Care Act &
Mental Health Act

EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Proven competence/expertise in
tenancy management, including
engagement with residents,
managing anti social behaviour
and court proceedings.
• Managing complaints and
successfully resolving difficult
problems.
• Engagement with private and
social sector housing providers to
find housing solutions.
• Working with external agencies
and service providers.
Desirable
• Working in a front line public
service team.
• Working within budgets and
meeting financial targets