Role: Service Lead – Homeless Service
Reports to: Head of Service Delivery
Hours: Full Time
Salary: £28,000 - £32,000 depending on experience
Contract: Permanent
Closing Date:
Are you someone who’s passionate about homelessness and who’s ready to lead a team that’s making a real difference in our local community?
About Us
At the Hope Centre we’re a small but dedicated organisation with a big heart and an even bigger mission; to give hope to people experiencing homelessness, hunger, hardship, through immediate relief, practical support, and pathways towards independence.
At the heart of our work is the belief that everyone deserves dignity, opportunity, and hope and we’re committed to delivering person-centred, trauma-informed support that empowers people to achieve positive and lasting change in their lives.
Role Purpose
The Service Lead – Homeless Services is responsible for the day-to-day leadership, coordination and development of Northampton Hope Centre's Hand Up Service.
The post-holder will provide leadership to a team of staff, volunteers and student placements, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe and effective services for people experiencing homelessness and multiple disadvantage.
Working closely with internal colleagues and external partners, you will promote a trauma-informed, person-centred approach that supports individuals to improve their wellbeing, access accommodation, engage with treatment and recovery services, and make positive progress towards independence, all whilst supporting with crucial crisis provision (food, clothing, and showers etc.).
Alongside management responsibilities, the role will maintain a small caseload to ensure direct engagement with service delivery and service-user experience.
Key Responsibilities
· Provide effective operational leadership for the Hand Up Service, ensuring services are clean, safe, welcoming and responsive to the needs of service users.
· Support the development and continuous improvement of homelessness services in line with organisational objectives.
· Foster a positive, inclusive and collaborative team culture.
· Ensure service delivery aligns with Hope Centre policies, funding criteria, procedures, values and standards.
· Contribute to service planning, development and performance monitoring.
· Escalate operational risks, safeguarding concerns and emerging issues appropriately.
· Provide supervision, support and leadership to staff members within the service.
· Conduct regular one-to-one meetings, performance reviews and annual appraisals.
· Promote reflective practice, learning and professional development across the team.
· Support with the effective induction and development of volunteers and student placements.
· Coordinate staffing rotas to ensure appropriate service coverage.
· Promote staff wellbeing and ensure appropriate support mechanisms are in place.
The successful candidate will be a positive role model, that leads by example in delivering high-quality support as well as maintaining a small caseload.
Responsibilities include:
· Delivering trauma-informed, person-centred support to individuals experiencing homelessness and multiple disadvantage.
· Supporting individuals to identify strengths, needs and goals through collaborative support planning.
· Encouraging engagement with housing, health, employment, education, recovery and community services.
· Advocating on behalf of service users where appropriate.
· Working collaboratively with partner organisations to achieve positive outcomes.
· Supporting individuals to access and sustain suitable accommodation.
· Contributing to multidisciplinary meetings and safeguarding processes where required.
· Maintaining accurate, timely and professional case records.
· Promote recovery-focused approaches for individuals affected by drug or alcohol use.
· Support access to specialist assessment, treatment and recovery services.
· Work in partnership with local treatment providers to ensure coordinated support.
· Encourage engagement with harm reduction, recovery and wellbeing initiatives.
· Promote a non-judgemental approach that reduces stigma and supports positive change.
· Develop and maintain effective working relationships with local authority teams, treatment providers, health services, housing organisations and community partners.
· Work collaboratively to ensure coordinated support and avoid duplication of services.
· Represent Northampton Hope Centre professionally at meetings, forums and partnership meetings and events.
· Contribute to strengthening local pathways and opportunities for service users.
· Promote a culture of safeguarding, safety and accountability across the service.
· Ensure safeguarding concerns are identified, recorded and reported in accordance with organisational procedures.
· Support effective risk assessment and risk management practices.
· Ensure incidents, accidents and near misses are appropriately recorded and reviewed.
· Maintain compliance with relevant legislation, policies and best practice guidance.
· Contribute to health and safety responsibilities across the service environment.
· Maintain accurate comprehensive records and contribute to data collection, reporting and monitoring requirements in line with funding criteria, legislative requirements, and organisational best practice.
· Monitor service outcomes and contribute to quality assurance processes.
· Produce reports and performance information as required by the Head of Service Delivery.
· Support audits, inspections and service reviews.
· Use data and feedback to support continuous improvement.
· Ensure the Hand Up Service environment remains safe, clean, welcoming and fit for purpose.
· Oversee the effective operation of the facilities, equipment and resources.
· Liaise with relevant colleagues and partners regarding building maintenance, repairs and operational concerns.
· Support the coordination of practical service delivery activities to ensure smooth day-to-day operation.
· Act as an ambassador for Northampton Hope Centre and its values.
· Participate in organisational meetings, training and professional development opportunities.
· Work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends, in line with service requirements.
· Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the nature and level of the role.
Person Specification
· Relevant qualification or experience in homelessness, housing, social care, community work, health, management or a related field.
· Commitment to continuing professional development.
· Willingness to undertake relevant training including Enhanced DBS clearance.
· First Aid qualification.
· Leadership or management qualification.
· Understanding of homelessness, rough sleeping and social exclusion.
· Understanding of trauma-informed and person-centred practice.
· Knowledge of safeguarding adults and professional boundaries.
· Understanding of partnership working within the statutory and voluntary sectors.
· Understanding of mental health, substance misuse and their impact on wellbeing.
· Knowledge of housing legislation and homelessness pathways.
· Understanding of recovery-oriented practice.
· Significant experience supporting vulnerable adults in homelessness, housing, substance misuse, mental health, criminal justice or adult social care settings.
· Experience of supervising, supporting or managing staff and/or volunteers.
· Experience of working collaboratively with partner agencies.
· Experience of managing complex cases and supporting individuals with multiple needs.
· Experience of maintaining professional records and managing confidential information.
· Experience of managing a homelessness or community support service.
· Experience of working within the charity sector.
· Experience of supporting student placements or volunteers.
· Strong leadership and interpersonal skills.
· Ability to build positive relationships with service users, colleagues and partners.
· Effective communication skills, both written and verbal.
· Ability to manage competing priorities and make sound decisions under pressure.
· Strong organisational and administrative skills.
· Ability to work independently and as part of a wider team.
· Competent IT skills including Microsoft Office applications.
· Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice.
Our Values
The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to Hope’s values that underpin all of our work:
Person-Centred - We focus our support on the needs, aspirations and strengths of every individual.
Empowerment - We encourage people to take ownership of their goals and achieve positive change.
Collaboration - We work constructively with colleagues, volunteers, partners and service users to achieve the best outcomes.
Honesty - We act with integrity, openness and accountability.
Personal Development - We support continuous learning and growth for staff, volunteers and service users.
Non-Judgemental Practice - We treat everyone with dignity, respect and compassion.
Applications Process:
Please submit your CV (preferably no longer than three pages of A4), alongside a covering letter by Friday 21st August
Interviews will be help W/C 24th August
Pay: £28,000.00-£32,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
