Belfast Services Manager

Job Description

Title:

Belfast Services Manager

Accountable to:

Head of Housing Support

Responsible for:

Support Workers/Community Support Workers/Volunteers

Working
Relationships:

Internal:

Support Workers, Senior Support workers, Tenancy
Sustainment Officers, Community Support Workers,
Clients, Floating Support Workers, Estates Manager,
Estates Coordinator, Volunteers

External:

Local Authorities, Housing Ombudsman, Property
Professionals, Surveyors, contractors.

Location:

Home working with travel across the Belfast–
there is a requirement to be able to attend services
in an emergency. There may be requirement to
attend meetings in Leamington Spa

Contract Type:

Permanent

Working Hours:

Part Time – ..hrs per week – some evening & weekend work

Benefits:

25 days holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata),
Pension scheme, Flexible working arrangements.

Belfast Services Manager – Job Description

Life manages a dispersed  network of supported housing  units  in locations across  England
and Northern Ireland, providing around 100 bed spaces with additional  outreach services.
As well as providing a national helpline,  counselling  services, free pregnancy tests and
charity shops.

Our service provides practical, emotional and life skills support in a trauma informed way to
women who find themselves pregnant, with a young child and homeless. We aspire to
provide a home-from-home in a shared living environment, with other Mums in similar
circumstances until Mum, Baby and any siblings are in a position  to be able to transfer to
move on housing.

Job  Purpose
To lead, manage and develop high‑quality services with Belfast supported  housing scheme
and community support, ensuring clients receive person‑centred, trauma‑informed and
outcome‑focused support in line with the charitable objectives.

1. Service  Delivery

•  Provide operational  leadership for supported housing services.
•  Ensure person‑centred support plans,  risk assessments and tenancy management

to ensure a successful transition  from Life services.

•  Monitor KPIs and contractual compliance.
•  To facilitate in the overseeing of the management of the on-call system on a rota

basis

•  To ensure a Trauma informed practice is embedded in the Belfast Life house and

community service including the key principles of Safety, Trustworthiness,
collaboration, Empowerment, cultural, historical and gender issues to support mental
and physical health outcomes.

•  Monitor tenancy obligations  and action letters of concerns were appropriate

2. Staff Management  & Development

•  Line manage support workers, community support workers and volunteers,

maximizing motivation, skills, development, and performance of the team ensuring
that all staff have regular one to ones and are appraised annually and receive timely
agreed objectives for the year.

•  To  ensure  appropriate  staff  cover  is  maintained  throughout  the  region  through

effective recruitment and management of Support Staff at all levels.

•  To  attend  services  at  least  once  a month,  in  case  of emergencies and  in  cover of

other staff members, including when support staff are unavailable.

•  Ensuring  support  staff receive regular  supervision,  case  reviews and  performance

management.

•  Recruiting and retaining a high quality team, ensuring all staff and volunteers are
trained to a high level in order to conduct their roles to the best of their abilities

•  Support continuous  professional development.
•  Working  together  with  the  Head  of  Housing  Support,  Estates  Manager,  National
Helpline,  Safeguarding, Complaints  and Finance to  ensure  a high  quality  service to
clients

•  Working alongside  the  Income Generation  Team to  recruit, develop  and  work with
volunteers  to  build  relationships  in  the  local  community with  individuals;  ensuring
support within the house for support or estates  activities such as gardening.

•  Working alongside  the Income Generation  team to  develop  relationships  with  local

companies and local government and grant making bodies.

3. Safeguarding  & Risk  Management
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility  and all employees are required to act in such a
way that at all times safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and adults  at harm of
risk.

•  Familiarisation  with, and adherence to, the appropriate organisational  Safeguarding
policies and any associated guidance is an essential  requirements of all employees
as is participation in related mandatory/statutory training.

•  All employees must ensure that they understand and act in accordance with this

clause. If you do not understand exactly how this clause relates to you personally,
then you must seek clarification from your immediate line manager as a matter of
urgency.

•  Equally, all managers have a responsibility to ensure that their team members

understand  their individual responsibilities  with regards to Safeguarding Children
and Adults at Harm of Risk.

•  Be a safeguarding champion in handling,  managing and reporting on safeguarding
incidents, proactively working with the Safeguarding Team, implementing and
recommended actions.

•  Ensure robust risk assessments  and incident reporting.
•  Liaise with safeguarding partners and maintain GDPR‑compliant records.

4. Housing  & Property  Compliance

•  Work with the Estates teams to ensure safe, compliant accommodation.
•  To contribute to Quality improvements within housing, both physical and service

delivery in all areas of housing and community offers

5. Partnership  Working

•  Build relationships  with commissioners, local authorities, health  and community

partners.

•  To liaise  and build relationships  with multiple referring agencies to ensure effective
communication externally including local authorities,  social work teams, health and
other statutory services, voluntary agencies and other providers to ensure referrals
are aligned  with the service we provide

•  Attend case conferences, contract reviews and multi‑agency meetings.
•  To seek out, assess  and respond appropriately to new referral opportunities  for the

Charity, especially those requiring the provision of Housing and Services to pregnant
women and their families

6. Quality,  Governance  & Reporting

•  Meet regulatory, policy and contractual standards.
•  Produce performance reports and ensure audit readiness
•  To oversee the effective use of the housing management system (Omniledger)

throughout the region.

•  To actively contribute to the growth and strategic direction of the support services

and delivery of its Business plan

•  To monitor and evaluate service delivery and projects and share good practice to

inform the continuous improvement of services.

•  To provide leadership  and inspiration  for the region; to play a major part in promoting

its mission in society and to represent Life in the public forum.
•  To lead and support working parties to contribute to service delivery

7. Finance  & Resource  Management

•  Managing expenditure in line with budgets; monitoring staffing and resources

efficiently.

•  Support clients to manage rent payments to prevent arrears
•  Support funding bids or service redesigns.
•  Liaise with finance to ensure clients are supported  with rents and finances

Personal skill characteristics

Essential
(Tick)

Desirable
(Tick)

  Business Management / Service Delivery

Experience in the delivery and management of support
and/or care services.

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An understanding of housing management legislation,
relevant government policy and current housing issues

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Strategic Ability / Innovation

Willingness to contribute to the development of services.

Experience in delivering results in line with organisational
aims

Experience / Knowledge / Qualifications

Proven experience of working within a charity in a similar
role

Knowledge and understanding of performance-based
management in a customer focused service organisation.

Good knowledge of social housing, leasehold
management and understanding of estates management.

A good level of literacy and numeracy. (minimum 3 GSCEs
(or equivalent) including English and Maths)

Relevant Housing qualification.   (CIH Level 4 in Housing)

Recent relevant experience working with individuals in
crisis

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Knowledge and practical experience of Supported
Services.

Knowledge of needs and risk assessments and support
planning.

Understanding the needs of vulnerable people and
Safeguarding Children and Adults

Understanding and experience of promoting equality in
employment and service delivery

Previous experience in a trouble shooting role

Knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 and associated IT
applications

  Communication

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Communicates effectively and openly at all levels

Experience of communicating effectively with a wide range
of people to identify their needs, preferences and
demands

Ability to promote the charity to a wide range of individuals
and external contacts

Personal

Committed to the vision, mission and values of the charity

Commitment to quality, customer service, best practice
and  best value in all aspects of the charity’s operation

Ability to work with people at all levels

Positive outlook and approachable personality

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Ability to work on own initiative

Handles pressure of meeting deadlines and supports
others where possible

Ability to prioritise workload and plan time

Commitment to own personal and professional
development

Ability to motivate others and work as part of a team

Excellent teamwork, interpersonal and organisational skills

Ability to negotiate and influence

An interest in working with diverse social groups

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Good strategic awareness

Self motivation and Resilience

Problem solving skills

Common sense and the ability to use initiative when
making decisions

Ability to demonstrate good people skills in managing
complex and difficult situations

Full UK driving license

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