Housing Advice Assistant - Lomond - ARB15124

The post holder will assist the Housing Team Leader to deliver high quality services and best value for service users by ensuring that all agreed plans are implemented efficiently and effectively. In particular:

• Interview homeless applicants; accurately complete all relevant needs assessments and ensure appropriate referrals are made for support and accommodation provision.
• Verify and input data for housing systems
• identify housing options for people at risk of homelessness and give appropriate advice
• Carry out background investigations into homeless applications
• Assist with arrangements for the provision of temporary accommodation
• Provide advice to temporary tenants on matters relating to their occupancy e.g. repairs; rent payments; neighbor complaints etc.
• Liaise with housing team members to ensure housing support needs are assessed and appropriate support is put in place
• Maintain files in an orderly system ensuring all necessary information including correspondence, assessments and supporting information is available as required and records are complete
• Participate in the out of hour's response service when necessary to meet the requirements of the service
• Respect the confidentiality of clients, colleagues and other departments/agencies at all times.
• Work within the Equal Opportunities policies and other values of the Council
• Assist the Housing Team Leader to manage budgets by preparing purchase orders and invoices for housing service and maintain financial records relating to accommodation charges and expenditure
  
  3 Standard Grades (Level 1,2) including English and Maths.
• Front line customer service
• Aptitude for IT systems and ability to input data accurately.
• The jobholder will be expected to travel efficiently and effectively between various work locations within Argyll and Bute and beyond to meet the operational requirements of the Service.
• Level 1 competencies - Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills, investigative interviewing skills, awareness of customer focused service delivery, customer focused service delivery
It is desirable that the post holder has:
• Relevant Professional Development Award in Housing Information and Advice Provision
• Previous work experience within a public sector housing environment
• Knowledge of housing information and advice and housing legislation, Disability Confident
About Disability Confident A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.

This is a permanent, full time post, 35 hrs per week, worked Monday to Friday 9am -5pm with an hour for lunch., Argyll and Bute Council recognises the numerous benefits of a positive work-life balance to the wellbeing and productivity of our employees. We will take a flexible first approach to requests from our employees to change the way that they work. While we must balance such requests with the need to ensure the quality of the important services we deliver is not compromised, we will ensure that each request is given careful consideration with a view to achieving a positive outcome wherever possible.