Winchester City Council want to bring together a new team to serve those fleeing Ukraine.  An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and self-motivated individual who can help us deliver our work to support Ukrainian refugees and hosts under the Homes for Ukraine (HFU) scheme to settle in Winchester.

The role would take responsibility for undertaking home visits to Ukrainian guests who are living in Winchester under the HFU scheme.  You would be a key part of a high profile team focused on rapidly providing wrap-around support for Ukrainians relocating to Winchester and their hosts as part of the HFU scheme. This team would explore a variety of support solutions to the host and guest for a time limited period

This is a varied and challenging role and you will need to demonstrate empathy, excellent interpersonal, decision making and organisational skills in order to meet the demands of the post. A key part of this post will be to mediate with guests and hosts where relationships become difficult, with an aim to prevent the guest from becoming homeless.

You will work alongside an experienced team of officers, managing your own caseload interviewing and assessing households in housing need, using a range of techniques to prevent homelessness or proactively working with a household to help them find a new home.

This role will also be responsible for direct line management of 2 FTE Housing and Communities Resettlement Officers and 1 Support Officer.

Ideally, the successful candidate should have an understanding of the council’s statutory homelessness functions as you will be required to implement the duties of the council under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, making complex legal decisions and securing temporary accommodation, where necessary.

You will also hold the skills and experience to foster effective working relationships with a wide range of partner agencies, including the voluntary and statutory sectors, to collaboratively resolve homelessness.

If you feel you have the necessary skills to undertake this role we would like to hear from you. In return, we offer an excellent package of benefits including:

• Employer paid health care cash plan scheme
• Cycle to Work and Car Benefit salary sacrifice schemes
• Up to 32 days annual leave per year
• Flexible working arrangements
• Up to 13 days additional flexi leave per year (subject to operational requirements)
• Option to buy up to 5 days additional annual leave
• Free parking
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Discounted membership at the two leisure centres in the district
• Confidential Employee Advice and Support Programme
• Employee retail and shopping discounts
• Season Ticket loans
• Excellent central location
• Support for continuous professional development

You will be required to undertake a DBS check and meet the travel requirements of the post.

If you would like to find out more information about the post, please contact Charlotte Quinn, Housing Options Manager on 01962 848 399 or email cquinn@winchester.gov.uk or Karen Thorburn, Service Lead – Strategic Housing on 01962 848 076 or email kthorburn@winchester.gov.uk

To apply please visit – https://accesspeople.accessacloud.com/WinchesterCityCouncilRecruitment/Home/Vacancy?id=156&returnurl=/WinchesterCityCouncilRecruitment/#.YrR8D6FKg2w

Closing date for applications is 10^th July 2022

Interviews will be held 15^th July 2022