Support Services Manager
LIFE 2009
Remote
Full-time
Listed today
Job Description Title: Support Services Manager Accountable to: Head of Housing Support Responsible for: 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 extensive travel across the South East and/or Midlands– there is a requirement to be able to attend services in an emergency Contract Type: Permanent Working Hours: work Benefits: Full Time – 35hrs per week – some evening & weekend 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata), Pension scheme, Flexible working arrangements. Support Services Manager – Job Description (Supported Housing) 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 schemes, ensuring tenants receive person outcome ‑ focused support in line with the charitable objectives. centred, trauma informed and quality support services across supported housing ‑ ‑ 1. Service Leadership & Delivery ‑ • Provide operational leadership for supported housing services. • Ensure person • Monitor KPIs and contractual compliance. ‑ • Lead service improvement and co • To facilitate in the overseeing of the management of the on-call system on a rota centred support plans, risk assessments and case management. production activities. basis ‑ • 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. 2. Staff Management & Development • Line manage 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 Tenancy Sustainment Officer, 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 • 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 agency meetings. ‑ 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 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. An understanding of housing management legislation, relevant government policy and current housing issues 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 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 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 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