Independent Living Housing Advisor

Fixed Term, Full Time

Up to £37,645 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: 12th August 2021

This role is part of an exciting new team working across the County Council's responsibilities for Housing Growth, Adult Social Care services, homelessness and rough sleeping.
Essex County Council has recently relaunched an ambitious Independent Living Housing Programme to provide circa 1,000 new contemporary homes for Older People. The Independent Living Programme has ambitions to achieve savings for adult social care budgets of £1.2m per annum by 2025.

The Independent Living Housing Advisor will draw together and co-ordinate the quality development and occupancy of Independent Living Housing across Essex, delivered in partnership with registered providers. Proposed schemes are predominately for Older People.

Role responsibilities

* Responsible for the co-ordination of the delivery of the Independent Living programme plan of housing growth of 1100 additional homes for vulnerable people across the county

* Delivers an agreed number of IL pipeline schemes across the county

* Builds strong working relationships with a range of partners across key localities, acting as a trusted partner to deliver the Independent Living Programme

* Positively co-ordinates the quality housing development of individual schemes working with specialist technical partners

* Attends site and progress meetings to ensure schemes are developed in accordance with the approved Independent Living Design Guide

* Works closely with Registered Providers, Adult Social Care, Contracts and Commissioning teams to ensure positive and efficient occupancy of schemes, minimising the risk of voids

* Co-ordinates and attends scheme referral/nominations panels with partners to ensure the successful occupancy of schemes

* Maintains tools with which develop, monitor and analyse the effectiveness of the IL schemes and pipeline.

* Contributes to and maintains all IL communication channels including updating marketing materials, websites and events, working with internal and external partners

* Co-ordinates the IL project plan, monitoring and implementing agreed actions

* Works collaboratively, building wide internal and external networks, proposing constructive solutions to progress the IL programme

* Obtains feedback from residents, staff and partners on the effectiveness of the programme.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

* Educated to A level or equivalent by experience

* Experience of housing for vulnerable people (operations, management or policy/strategy)

* Experience/Understanding of housing development

* Understanding and knowledge of housing market

* Experience of working in a local authority or registered provider housing environment

* Understanding/Experience of the issues/opportunities for vulnerable people

* Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area