Housing Support Officer

Mears Group • Sunderland, MA

5d • £29,857 - £29,857 • Hybrid

About The Position

We are looking for a Housing Support Officer to join our expanding team. This rewarding role focuses on supporting asylum seekers through their right-to-work application process with the Home Office. You will provide both practical and emotional support, address safeguarding and welfare needs, monitor wellbeing, and keep accurate records for compliance. Every day is different, and while the role can be challenging, it is also highly rewarding for someone who is resilient, empathetic, and people focused. This role is responsible for delivering a high-quality housing management and support service to service users, combining property management with person-centred support. The post holder will manage a portfolio of homes within an assigned region, ensuring properties are maintained to contractual standards while safeguarding the welfare and wellbeing of all service users. The role involves coordinating move-ins, move-outs, voids and inspections, monitoring compliance with key performance indicators, and identifying and managing risks. Through regular assessments and engagement, the post holder will identify service users’ support needs, provide advice and assistance, and work collaboratively with internal teams, external agencies, care providers and community organisations to ensure appropriate support is in place. The role requires cultural awareness, professional boundaries, resilience, accurate record keeping, performance reporting, and a flexible approach, including supporting colleagues and undertaking ad hoc projects as required.

Requirements

• Hold a full UK driving licence
• Entitlement to work within the UK
• Ability to undertake relevant Background, Identity & Security checks, including BPSS check.
• Provide relevant identification, including Proof of Address, References, a valid passport and proof that you have lived in the UK for the last 5 years.

Nice To Haves

• Resilience
• Empathy
• People focused
• Cultural awareness
• Professional boundaries
• Accurate record keeping
• Performance reporting
• Flexible approach
• Initiative

Responsibilities

• Support asylum seekers throughout their application process, ensuring welfare and safeguarding needs are met
• Provide practical and emotional support to individuals and families
• Identify needs and put in place support packages to promote independence
• Work with vulnerable and diverse client groups, including those with mental health needs or challenging behaviours
• Carry out risk assessments and maintain accurate records for audits and compliance
• Communicate effectively with colleagues, service users, local authorities, and partner organisations
• Maintain professional boundaries while being approachable, empathetic, and supportive
• Work independently, showing resilience and initiative
• Flexible and willing to travel between sites
• Undertake OOH duties (1 week out of 12), including being on standby and potentially attending properties or service users during OOH.
• Deliver a high-quality housing management and support service to service users.
• Manage a portfolio of homes within an assigned region, ensuring properties are maintained to contractual standards.
• Safeguard the welfare and wellbeing of all service users.
• Coordinate move-ins, move-outs, voids and inspections.
• Monitor compliance with key performance indicators.
• Identify and manage risks.
• Identify service users’ support needs through regular assessments and engagement.
• Provide advice and assistance to service users.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams, external agencies, care providers and community organisations.
• Support colleagues and undertake ad hoc projects as required.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Annual Mears Fun Day
• Volunteering Leave
• Staff perks with Mears Rewards (discounts on groceries, holidays, eye tests, Share save scheme)
• Family friendly policies
• Company Vehicle and Fuel Card
• Access to EAP Counselling sessions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed