Senior Caseworker (NH)(D)

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