Salary: £36,363 – £39,152 a year pro rata plus £963 essential car user allowance
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Fixed term 12 months 

This position is available as a secondment opportunity for 12 months. If you are a permanent LBC employee, you must have written approval (an email will suffice) from your manager prior to applying and a copy will need to be submitted with your application. Please note: we will not be able to proceed with your application form without your manager’s permission.

Luton Council is committed to reducing rough sleeping and improving long-term housing outcomes for some of our most vulnerable residents. We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate professional to contribute to the delivery of an effective, high-quality support service for single, chronically homeless individuals.

You will play a key role in breaking the cycle of rough sleeping by providing personalised navigation support, helping individuals access, maintain and sustain safe and appropriate accommodation. This is a challenging yet highly rewarding role that requires resilience, empathy, and strong problem-solving skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver a personalised, strengths-based navigation service to individuals experiencing rough sleeping and complex homelessness
• Manage complex casework, making informed decisions on a case-by-case basis in line with client aspirations
• Work collaboratively with internal council services, charities, housing associations, landlords and external partners
• Take a non-judgmental, solution-focused approach to complex situations to establish facts and generate positive outcomes
• Represent the service at internal and external meetings, using influence and negotiation skills to build and maintain effective partnerships
• Maintain accurate case records, monitoring data, reports and correspondence using IT systems
• Analyse performance data, financial and resource information to support service delivery and improvement
• Lead, motivate, influence and support others where required, contributing to a positive and effective team culture
• Work independently and collaboratively to meet deadlines, targets and demanding workloads

Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.

You will have:

• Demonstrable experience of working with individuals with severe and complex needs
• Experience of homelessness casework, administrative systems and processes within housing management, supported housing or a similar environment
• Strong ability to work autonomously, using professional judgement to make informed decisions
• Proven experience of partnership working across multiple agencies and stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to converse fluently in spoken English and provide clear, accurate advice to the public
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, particularly in relation to homelessness, rough sleeping and complex needs
• In-depth knowledge of homelessness, including the causes and consequences of rough sleeping
• A clear understanding of confidentiality and data protection responsibilities
• Confidence working with financial information and performance data

Essential Requirements

• IT proficiency in Microsoft Office and the ability to learn new systems quickly
• Ability to organise, prioritise and manage a demanding workload, working alone or as part of a team
• Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), or equivalent qualification, or equivalent professional experience
• Flexibility with start and finish times on occasion
• Full, valid driving licence and ability to travel across Luton and surrounding areas

Why Work for Luton Council?

At Luton Borough Council, you’ll be part of a values-driven organisation making a real difference to people’s lives. We offer a supportive working environment, opportunities for professional development, and the chance to be at the heart of meaningful change within our community.

Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision – that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty – is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.

The people of Luton depend heavily on this council – and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough

Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare all unspent cautions and convictions; and also any adult cautions (simple or conditional), and spent convictions that are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020). A person’s criminal record will not in itself prevent a person from being appointed to this post. Applicants will not be refused posts because of offences which are not relevant to, and do not place them at or make them a risk in, the role for which they are applying. However in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such offence, as detailed above, will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority.

On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.

We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:

– From 25 to 32 days’ annual leave: linked to length of service and grade
– Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave
– Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area
– Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant
– Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
– Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home
– Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns
– Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways
– Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons
– Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel

We understand that job applications take time and effort, but a high-quality application shows that you are professional with a good attention to detail. The recruiting manager may receive a number of applications for each job advertised so you want yours to stand out!

Our ‘How to apply’ page has more tips to help with your application: How to apply