Homeless Support Services Manager, West Lothian Civic Centre, 499.42

Job Advert

36 hours per week, 52.14 weeks per year, Permanent

We are keen to employ a diverse workforce that reflects the people of Scotland. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and particularly from groups currently under-represented, including people with disabilities, those from minority ethnic communities or from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for the right individual to secure a critical leadership role in the Housing Need management team. The Homeless Support Services Manager sets the tone for all supporting and enabling services activity in housing need in West Lothian. This is delivered via the development, co-ordination and operational leadership of the management team tasked with the provision of services to homeless people with support needs in temporary and emergency accommodation in West Lothian.

This vacancy presents an opportunity for someone with the clarity of vision, and practice knowledge to deliver the planning and management of functional activity spanning a broad range of professional support services. The service delivers housing management and personal support functions for a variety of needs, including MAPPA, intensive support for those who are vulnerable, including substance dependency and domestic abuse, mental health, youth, and refugees

Reporting to the Housing Need Service Manager, the post is an essential member of the high-energy Housing Need management team, and is responsible for ensuring that all customer facing activity within the Housing Need Service is designed to ensure support needs are identified at an early stage and delivered by a professional and interventionist support service. This role ensures the appropriate services are delivered to those who need them to navigate the homeless journey with the intention of reducing barriers for those who at most at risk and in the highest need.

To succeed in this post, the service requires an individual who will lead and drive forward excellence in service/individual officer performance by setting clear and challenging service level agreements and expectation for service delivery. This requires close and effective working with other service managers in order to meet regulatory reporting requirements and build officer capacity and skills within the service.

The role is the named registered officer for the Care Inspectorate, ensuring that the service operates in full compliance with, and is developed to meet all required care standards and all regulatory requirements.

This role will involve working across West Lothian, managing a team of Homeless Support Managers providing services in multiple locations including temporary accommodation, homeless units, hotels and those self-accommodating.

Requirements

Who we are looking for -

We are looking for a proven leader with clarity of vision and a strong commitment to driving forward an agenda of excellence in service provision. You will be someone who delivers through motivating staff and partners to meet high standards and to innovate new ways of achieving good outcomes for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. You will have a strong track record in delivering effective management of a high performing team, in a challenging environment with energy and focus.

You should have experience of managing services within set budgets, and an understanding of the current economic position in local government and homeless services. This should translate into knowledge of the effective delivery of efficiencies in service delivery, and managing the change this requires.

You will have experience of designing and delivering a range of hybrid services tailored to the support needs of applicants including housing options advice, financial support, employability advice and wellbeing/health. We are seeking an applicant with outstanding planning, communication and line management skills and can help sustain our strong partnership working with our key partners.

You should be able to evidence understanding and recent experience of National Care standards, MAPPA arrangements and all regulatory and statutory provisions relating to homelessness and housing.

 

Does this sound like you?

This post is permanent and will contribute to the direction and performance of the Housing Need Service, which is a busy and agile service, where our people are focussed on getting the best outcomes for our clientele.

The successful candidate will have access to West Lothian Council’s Pool Car Scheme in order to undertake approved business travel.

This position requires registration with the SSSC. The successful candidate will have six months from the date of commencement of this post to become registered with the SSSC. SSSC stipulate you must submit your application within three months of your start date.

This post is considered Regulated Work with Vulnerable Children and/or Protected Adults, under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. Successful candidates will be required to join the Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme Update check prior to commencing employment and the cost will be met by the candidate.

The fee for a Full PVG Scheme Membership is £59 or Existing Member is £18. The £59 cost (where appropriate) will be deducted from your salary over a 1 or 3-month period by repayment schedule. If your employment concludes before the amount is re-paid in full, the outstanding balance will be deducted from your final salary.