Head of Housing Support

Title:

Job Description
Head of Housing Support

Accountable to:

  Director of Income Generation, Marketing & Housing

Responsible For:

  Support Services Managers, Tenancy Sustainment Officers

Working
Relationships:

Internal:
Support Service Managers, 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:

Contract Type:

Working Hours:

Benefits:

Flexible National role with extensive travel across the
UK
Permanent

Full Time – 35hrs per week – some evening & weekend work

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

Main purposes of the job:

• As Head of Housing Support, you will provide strategic leadership and operational
oversight across the critical function of Housing Support Services, as well as
working closely with the Estates Manager to ensure excellent quality support
services are delivered in high quality, safe and compliant homes. You will be
responsible for shaping and delivering housing Strategy and Policy alongside the
Estates Manager and the Director of Income Generation & Housing, ensuring a
strong client focus.

• Through effective collaboration and matrix management, you will work closely with
colleagues across the Charity to improve service quality, client outcomes, and
operational efficiency.

• To be an active member of the Operational Leadership Team including preparing
reports for and attend the Operational Leadership Team meetings and making
contribution to working parties as required including reporting on departmental
progress.

• Preparing and delivering reports to and presenting to the Senior Leadership

Team as required.

Key achievement areas:

Housing

1.  Drive operational excellence implementing the overall housing strategy; overseeing

Support Services within Housing, focusing on safety, client satisfaction and
Tenancy sustainability. Ensuring client outcomes are maximized in line with our
charitable objectives.

2.  Ensure regular and effective communication between Housing Support

Services and Estates, as well as other Departments.

3.  Maintaining a close working relationship with the Estates Team to ensure,
high quality housing provision, ensuring safety, compliance and all other
relevant regulatory obligations are met.

4.  To develop, continuously improve and implement the Housing Strategy alongside

the estates team, as well as specifically housing support services, aligned with our
mission and growth ambitions.

5.  Ensure that Safeguarding is prioritized; working closely with the Complaints and

Safeguarding team to ensure that all complaints, welfare and safeguarding matters
are prioritized as appropriate; recorded and support actioned. Working closely with
all housing involved teams to ensure comprehensive training is provided to support
staff and volunteers in all complaints, welfare and safeguarding matters. To ensure
that standard operating procedures and policies are fit for purpose and followed
appropriately.

6.  Lead on the Housing review to ensure services are delivered to the highest

standards and work with the Estates Manager to take into account best practice in
ensuring Life is in-line with Housing consumer standards.

7.  To work with the finance team and Tenancy Sustainment Officers, overseeing and
managing the rent setting process to ensure the rental income is fair, equitable and
transparent for budget setting.

8.  To lead on the formation, development and application of Policy and Procedure

relating to Housing and Community Support.

9.  To take lead responsibility for the Life Housing and Community support services,
including but not limited to; support planning and life skills development for our
clients, ensuring high standards of service delivery.

10. To take lead responsibility for tenancy management within housing; Managing

Support Services Managers to ensure management of Voids and networking to fill
those voids. Managing and working closely with the Tenancy Sustainment Officers
and Finance, ensuring clients are supported through tenancy matters. Ensuring that
we facilitate full income recovery whenever possible, including close management
of arrears, voids, and other tenancy related financial controls.

11. To champion compliance, working closely with the Estates Manager and other

relevant teams to ensure we meet all regulatory and safeguarding
responsibilities within Housing.

12. To inspire partnerships, build strong relationships with housing providers, developers

and local authorities.

13. To shape the future of Life Housing, identify new opportunities, influence Policy and

contribute to our Operational Leadership Team.

14. To produce reports outlining KPIs and significant accomplishments in Housing for the

Board, Senior Leadership team and Operational Leadership Team.

15. To renew Policies on a cyclical process for the department and to review Policies for

the organisation when allocated.

16. To lead on the Budget setting process and ensuring the Housing Support  operates
within the budget parameters, alongside Working closely with the Estates Manager
to ensure Houses as a whole operate within budget.

17. To lead on good financial management within the department, brainstorming and
implementing cost-saving ideas where possible, including use of volunteers.

18. Attend and represent the Charity at relevant networking events and opportunities and

act as an ambassador for the organisation.

19. To ensure a Trauma informed practice is embedded in the Housing department and

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

People Management

1.  Effectively manage Support Services Managers and Tenancy Sustainment
Officers 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. In turn, supporting those you
directly manage to manage their teams.

2.  To lead and empower the Housing Support team, developing high performance,

fostering a culture of collaboration, particularly with the Estates Team, Life Helpline,
Complaints and Safeguarding and other teams.

3.  As part of the appraisal process assess short-, medium- and long-term performance

issues and development needs. Identify prioritised plans for team members and coach
team members on a wide range of issues.

4.  Identify team development opportunities to maximise the effectiveness of the Housing

Support team.

5.  Ensure volunteers are fully integrated within the Housing Support team and that
relevant guidelines policies and procedures for volunteers are developed as
required.

6.  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.

Safeguarding Children & Adults at Risk of Harm:

•  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

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

to,

•  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.

Personal responsibilities:

•  The post holder must assume responsibility for their own professional and personal
development  (supported  by  Life  where  appropriate)  to  ensure  their  continuing
competence to deliver Life’s requirements.

•  A  key  component  of  development  is  being  fully  aware  of  regulatory  and  legal
requirements impacting on operational services and ensuring that all staff within
those services are aware of and deliver their individual responsibilities

Corporate behaviours:

All staff are expected to:

•  Work towards the charity’s aims and objectives, and uphold it’s vision and mission
•  Demonstrate respect for others and value diversity
•  Act responsibly regarding the health and safety of themselves and others
•  Focus on the client and customer, both internally and externally, at all times
•  Make an active contribution to develop the service
•  Learn from, and share experience and knowledge
•  Keep others informed of issues of importance and relevance
•  Consciously review mistakes and successes to improve performance

•  Act as an ambassador for the charity and always maintain professional standards
•  Use  discretion  and  sensitivity  and  be  aware  of  issues  requiring  total  customer

confidentiality

•  Demonstrate a flexible approach to their work
•  Abide by and take responsibility for the obtaining, storage, processing and sharing
of  any  personal  data  within  the  meaning  of  the  General  Data  Protection
Regulations  2018  and  as  defined  in  the  relevant  Life  policies  for  all  aspects  of
service delivery and working practice, paying particular attention to the protection
of personal information in any form and by whatever means it is accessed by you.

In addition, all managers and supervisors will be expected to:

•  Value and recognise ideas and the contribution of all team members
•  Coach individuals to perform to the best of their ability
•  Delegate work to develop individuals in their roles and realise their potential
•  Provide support, feedback and guidance to all team members and encourage their

team to achieve work/personal life balance

This job description is not necessarily an exhaustive list of duties but is intended to reflect a
range of duties the post holder will perform. The job description will be reviewed regularly
and may be changed in consultation with the post holder.

Post title: Head of Housing Support

Personal skill characteristics

Essential
(Tick)

Desirable
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Values & Behaviours

Ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our workplace
values. These are embedded in all roles and employees must
evidence their attitudes/behaviours
Committed to the vision, mission and values of the charity

Strategic Ability / Innovation

Ability to lead individuals and teams to achieve key objectives

Ability to think creatively and identify business development
opportunities
Excellent networking and communication skills

Experience / Knowledge / Qualifications

Academic or professional Management qualification or evidence
of relevant experience. A CIH: Level 4 in Housing
Evidence of continuing personal and professional development

Senior Management experience supported Housing at multi-
million-pound level

Proven ability to lead and motivate high performing teams

Communication

Strong 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
Strong presentation skills and ability to promote the charity with
a wide range of individuals and external contacts

Commitment to developing a wide range of partnerships

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

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Ability to work with people at all levels

Positive outlook and approachable personality

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

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Internal Use Only

Approved By: Kerry Smart

Issue No: 1

Approved Date: 02.07.2025

Review Date: 02.02.2026