Job Description:

The Opportunity:

We are seeking a proactive and empathetic interim Housing Income Officer based at a head office in Leicester. This is a hybrid post with 2-3 days a week in the office. There is an opportunity for this role to get permanent.

The primary focus of this role is to support customers in sustaining their tenancies through a customer-focused approach, fostering a culture of early intervention and arrears prevention while robustly managing rent, service charge, and lease fee income.

Key Duties:

• Manage a portfolio of arrears cases to ensure debt is consistently reducing across a variety of tenure types.

• Handle end-to-end arrears enforcement by issuing legal notices, preparing court documentation, and representing the organisation in court to request appropriate orders.

• Lead on the annual rent and service charge setting process, communicating all adjustments clearly to superior landlords, tenants, and benefit departments.

• Proactively engage with Housing Benefit departments and the DWP (Universal Credit) to resolve complex claim issues and ensure payments are assessed efficiently.

• Support Housing Officers with data collection and allocate incoming cash payments directly to debt via the finance system.

• Produce comprehensive monthly and quarterly arrears, rental income, and void income reports for senior leadership and superior landlords.

• Handle difficult financial conversations with tenants and appointees with deep understanding and empathy to build strong rapport.

• Identify service weaknesses and design strategic action plans for effective income management in support of the Head of Housing.

Further information:

• Location: Based out of our central Leicester head office, at least 2 days a week on site

• Salary: £17-18.50 per hour based on experience

Requirements:

• Experience: Essential previous experience working within a housing association in an income management role, with a proven track record of reducing arrears.

• Knowledge: Deep knowledge of Housing Benefit regulations; a solid understanding of the Supported Housing sector and Intensive Housing Management models is highly desirable.

• Qualifications: CIH Level 3 qualified or holding equivalent housing management qualifications is strongly preferred.

• Skills: Excellent attention to detail, strong analytical report writing capabilities, and highly effective internal and external stakeholder management skills.

• Core Competencies: A resilient, "can-do" attitude with the ability to confidently navigate lone working, handle sensitive client data securely, and maintain an up-to-date knowledge of relevant welfare legislation.

How to Apply:

Please apply for this role online or contact Matt at Avalon for a confidential discussion.

Avalon, trading name of Spirehouse Recruitment Limited, is an equal opportunities employment business and employment agency. We practise a diverse and inclusive recruitment process that ensures equal opportunity for all individuals.