Reports to: Community Housing Advice Service Operational Lead
Salary: £30,660 per annum (pro rata) - £24,528pa
Location: Swansea
Hours: 28 - 35 hours per week
Post No: SC714
Background to post
The Team Leader (Western Bay) will be responsible for ensuring that high quality, responsive and effective housing advice services is delivered across the Western Bay region, which includes Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend.
This post takes direct line management responsibility for all Housing Law Caseworkers who is delivering face-to-face housing advice services to the Western Bay region. Housing advice services is delivered by phone, through outreach based advice surgeries, and at county courts when housing possession cases is listed, offering specialist legal advice and support. Housing Advice Services is funded through the Welsh Government, the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) and local authority contracts.
The post holder will also be expected to undertake upto a maximum of 22 hours direct casework per week (to be agreed with the CHAS Lead) in order to make a delivery contribution, meet the LAA Supervisor Standard and maintain casework expertise.
Role summary/purpose
- Management & Supervision
1.1 Provide day-to-day line management for the Western Bay Housing Advice Services Team which will involve: leading the recruitment and induction of new staff to the team; undertaking performance review meetings; monitoring measures and Key Performance Indicators; managing service delivery issues; identifying training needs; identifying and dealing with day-to-day staffing issues e.g. absence management; performance, complaints and conduct issues.
1.2 Regularly monitor the performance of the team, including measures and Key Performance Indicator's, Legal Aid Agency, Welsh Government and other funder contract requirements and targets, outcomes, quality assurance and user feedback information.
1.3 To assist the Community Housing Advice Service Operational Lead and Head of Housing Services in developing and implementing improvements to casework practices, policies and procedures to better meet client need, based on systems thinking principles.
1.4 To lead the team in promoting the housing advice service to the public and potential referral agencies.
1.5 To maintain good relationships with existing funders, local authorities, through protocols or otherwise, and other partner agencies and to identify new potential funding opportunities.
1.7 To facilitate team meetings on a regular basis, to include setting agendas, providing briefings and disseminating information to the team.
1.8 Regularly monitor the annual budget of income and expenditure for the Western Bay Regional Housing Advice Team in consultation with the Heads of Housing Services, the Head of Finance and other team members as appropriate.
1.9 Lead the CVV Regional Housing Advice Team in the monitoring, reviewing and acting upon client feedback, both on an individual basis with Housing Law Caseworkers and by facilitating regular Client Feedback meetings with the team.
2.0 Casework Supervision
2.1 Ensuring that all work undertaken meets appropriate quality standards including company's casework Office Manual and the Specialist Quality Mark standard requirements set by the LAA.
2.2 Provide day-to-day casework support to advisers by answering legal enquiries on housing law, the legal process, tactics and other relevant areas of law.
2.3 Along with the Senior Housing Law Caseworker, act as the first point of contact for caseworkers on any legal and / or technical queries and to filter enquiries before they reach the Legal Team.
3.0 Casework
3.1 Provide appropriate advice, information and where necessary, practical help, to enquirers whether by visit, telephone, letter or referral and where necessary, to advocate on behalf of clients in the appropriate forums.
3.2Provide advice and representation at court for people with housing possession hearings, including 'on the day' emergency advice and advocacy through the LAA Housing Loss Prevention Advice Scheme.
3.3 Ensure that all casework records is kept up-to-date, accessible to other staff and that all local casework information systems is maintained effectively.
4.0 General
4.1 Participate as and when required in meetings and one-to-one meetings, and undertake, as appropriate, courses/training/other developmental activities, which is relevant to the role.
4.2 Ensure, in the course of employment, complete confidentiality is maintained in respect of the Charity, its dealings, transactions, affairs and all other information relating to clients, participants, associates, staff and other subsidiaries etc.
4.3 Keep up to date with developments within the company that influence the day-to-day activities within the role, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and any other relevant internal/external factor(s).
4.4 Ensure all activities comply with appropriate legal requirements and with company policies and procedures.
In addition to the above duties and responsibilities, the post holder must be prepared to undertake such additional duties which may result from changing circumstances, but which may not of necessity change the general character or level of responsibility to the post.
You will be subject to a performance review which will incorporate a review of the above duties and performance over the period.
As the post may involve working with vulnerable people, your employment will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Scheme check.
Please return your completed application by email.
An application form and guidelines can be found online on our Vacancies page.