Homelessness Relief Officer Homelessness Relief Officer (FAFH4246) A rare opportunity has become available for two applicants to join the Homelessness Relief Team, within Cheshire East Council's Housing Options department. We are seeking to recruit into two permanent positions. Both positions are full time (37 hours per week) over a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday working pattern. The primary base being Macclesfield Town Hall, but the team do currently work on a 50/50 hybrid split between home and the offices. Officers work from both the Crewe and Macclesfield offices. Cheshire East is an amazing place to live and work. As one of the largest employers in the borough, we are able to offer you a wide range of challenging and rewarding career opportunities. At Cheshire East Council we are working for a brighter future – together and our commitment to you is that our workplace culture will provide a shared purpose, a well-led organisation with valued people succeeding together as one team and one council to deliver the best service for our customers and communities. If you want to be part of our award-winning council and contribute to our ongoing success, have the flexibility and drive to enable us to innovate, are committed to working as part of a team and striving to deliver exceptional service wherever you can, we would especially like to hear from you. As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and want our workforce to reflect the diversity of our local communities so that we can all work for a brighter future - together. Brighter Future www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/employee-benefits.aspx ABOUT THE ROLE This is a rare opportunity to join an experienced, yet evolving team. Existing knowledge of the homeless legislation is beneficial, but training will be provided. We are looking for applicants who have a strong administrative, investigative or casework skills ideally from a public sector, legal or similar background, with the knowledge of public sector work. You will carry a caseload of around 35 homeless households, so you will have to be confident in organising your time to meet their needs and support them in finding alternative accommodation, often with a sense of urgency. You will be responsible for conducting thorough assessments, making enquiries, sourcing temporary accommodation where applicable and also for supporting people in finding permanent long-term accommodation. Our customers can be frustrated and often feel anxious about the situation they are in, you will have a calm approach to your work and help to make them feel re-assured and more confident. As an organisation we continue to develop ways in which to improve our services and you will support your team leader on service improvement, investigating, developing, and implementing new initiatives to enhance the Housing Options and Homelessness Service. You will be expected to represent Cheshire East at multi-agency meetings and have the ability to work with other agencies to find solutions to homelessness. This is a diverse role, with no one day the same, for more information on the role please view the “in this job you will” section within the attached JDPS document. ABOUT YOU You will have: A good standard of education to include grade A-C in Maths and English Experience of case management Experience of delivering complex advice An understanding of public sector work Experience of working with people face to face and over the phone Excellent computer literacy and IT skills Excellent organisational skills The flexibility to travel across Cheshire East where required To find out more about our essential and desirable criteria for the role please view the “in this job you will need” section within the attached Job description and person specification (JD) document. In this instance we will consider strong applications from applicants with transferrable skills and knowledge whom do not necessarily have the specific Housing and Homelessness knowledge. WHAT WE GIVE IN RETURN • ENHANCED ANNUAL LEAVE - 34 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays) from day 1, increasing up to 39 days after only 5 years' service • ENHANCED PUBLIC PENSION - A career average pension (contributions built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay • FLEXIBLE WORKING PATTERN - 37-hour standard full time working week with flexi time and hybrid/remote working arrangements • PURCHASE OF ANNUAL LEAVE - The ability to purchase up to 10 days' extra annual leave each year in addition to your normal annual leave entitlements (this is pro-rata for part time staff) • CYCLE TO WORK SCHEME - Receive up Income Tax and National Insurance savings of up to 25-39% off the retail price of the bike and safety equipment package (savings dependent on the value of your chosen package and your tax status • EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME - A completely free to use and confidential assistance service for all employees to help staff manage, reduce and overcome the impact of life issues which they may experience from time to time, both within work and their personal life • PAID VOLUNTEER LEAVE – Up to two days paid leave per year to volunteer for local organisations in the borough of Cheshire East • VIRGIN MEDIA AND O2 DISCOUNTS - Exclusive discounts on Virgin Media Broadband and O2 pay monthly plans. • DISCOUNTED GYM MEMBERSHIPS - Access to corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure which includes: • Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities • Off-Peak Racket Sports • Athletics Tracks • Sauna/Steam/Spa HOW TO APPLY If you want to be part of our award-winning council and contribute to our ongoing success, have the flexibility and drive to enable us to innovate, are committed to working as part of a team and striving to deliver exceptional service wherever you can, we would especially like to hear from you. To apply for the role please click apply for this job at the bottom of the page, or, for or an informal chat about the role please contact Katie Cooper. We reserve the right to close any vacancy sooner than the advertised closing date, should a suitable candidate be found. Early application is therefore advisable. FURTHER INFORMATION For further information please contact Katie Cooper via email; Katie.coopercheshireeast.gov.uk Please ensure you check the email account (including junk/spam boxes) from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date then it is likely that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion, however please do not be discouraged from applying again. For any technical enquiries please email sourcingteamecwip.co.uk Please quote job reference number in all correspondence.