- Oversee the procurement and renewal of temporary accommodation contracts, ensuring properties are well-maintained and meet health and safety standards.
- Manage relationships with property providers and ensure supply meets demand.
- Negotiate terms of service-level agreements and ensure legal processes are adhered to in lease renewals and property handovers.
- Proactively identify and prevent landlord fraud and abuses, liaising with anti-fraud teams as necessary.
- Lead the temporary accommodation and procurement teams, ensuring a high standard of service delivery.
- Recruit, train, and develop team members, setting clear goals and expectations while fostering a positive working environment.
- Evaluate training needs and ensure staff are fully compliant with current housing legislation and health and safety protocols.
- Promote a culture of diversity and inclusion across the team and in all service delivery.
- Take responsibility for managing and optimising budgets related to temporary accommodation.
- Collaborate with the Finance department to monitor expenditure and identify savings, ensuring value for money in all transactions.
- Drive cost-efficiency in reducing reliance on costly nightly and bed-and-breakfast accommodations.
- Maintain a customer-centric approach, understanding the needs of the community and continuously improving service delivery.
- Address and resolve customer complaints in a timely and effective manner, ensuring high satisfaction rates.
- Maintain regular communication with stakeholders, including senior management, councillors, and legal representatives.
- Ensure all team operations meet the council's key performance indicators for accommodation management and procurement.
- Ensure compliance with relevant housing laws, including those governing landlord and tenant relationships, and the council’s own housing policies.
- Provide regular reports and updates on performance, including data analysis and recommendations for service improvements.
- Deputise for the Property & Place Manager, contributing to the overall management and strategic direction of the Housing Solutions Service.
- Support and implement initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency and quality of temporary accommodation services.
- Work with partners such as Capital Letters and Homefinder to increase the availability of affordable housing options.
- Educated to degree level or equivalent.
- Demonstrable experience managing housing procurement and temporary accommodation, with a solid understanding of housing legislation and landlord/tenant laws.
- Strong financial acumen with the ability to manage complex budgets and ensure financial efficiency.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, capable of addressing senior management, stakeholders, and legal representatives on complex issues.
- Experience in team leadership and staff development, with a proven ability to foster a positive working environment.
- A strategic thinker who can drive operational improvements while maintaining service excellence.
- Strong negotiation skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with property providers and other stakeholders.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure and to tight deadlines in a dynamic and evolving environment.