Job Description

:

Job Title: Early Intervention Officer
Contract Type: Permanent.
Salary: \xc2\xa324,323.73 per annum (\xc2\xa326,778.75 is achieved after 12 months successful performance in the role)
Working Hours: 35 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday 9am - 4.30pm
Location: Carlisle, Cumbria

For your application to be considered please attach a current CV and cover letter.

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Why Riverside?

We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.

Working with us, you\'ll enjoy:

• Competitive pay & generous pension
• 28 days holidays plus bank holidays
• Flexible working options available
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

The difference you will make as Early Intervention Officer

In this role you will support our customers over the phone offering money advice and helping them set up payment plans for their rent. Riverside pride ourselves in providing affordable homes for people across England and Scotland and we want to ensure, even through difficult times our customers can manage their rent and payments. In this role you will be key in helping prevent our customers falling into arrears and offer them the support and advice they need to get back on track. This could be by providing advice on claiming universal credit and processing claims in the DWP portal, encouraging our customers to pay rent in advance or helping them to set up payment plans and digital payment methods. You will be proactive in contacting customers offering guidance and ensuring they understand how to clear their arrears.

About you

We are looking for someone who is customer focused with great communication skills, both verbal and written as you\'ll be talking to and supporting lots of different customers.
Negotiation skills and the ability to manage conflicting priorities are important as you will need to manage business and customer requirements to reach outcomes that work for both. Although not essential as we recruit people with transferable skills, experience of working in a housing environment or in a debt collection call centre, would be an advantage.

Role Profile

In this role you will be:

• Manage a caseload of low-level arrears, using early intervention and prevention methods to minimise arrears escalating. Ensure prompt and effective outcomes in accordance with policy and procedure, applying the right intervention at the right time, working in collaboration with Income Officers, Housing Services and Tenancy Sustainment Services.

• Manage other low level sundry debts caseloads owed to Riverside which could include garages, recharges, court costs etc

• Manage proactive customer contact delivered via a variety of digital and traditional methods including telephone, letter, e-mail, and text.

• Discuss cancelled/expired payment arrangements making affordable agreement which take into account customer income and expenditure. Promote digital payment methods including direct debits and recurring card payments.

• Advise on how to claim benefits and grants which will support residents to make rent payments.

• Monitor the timely receipt of payments for new tenancies and make contact with customers as early as possible to discuss payment options and identify any customer or tenancy support needs, making referrals where appropriate to tenancy sustainment services and other third parties.

• Work in partnership with Income Collection Officers and Housing Services, providing support where required to successfully deliver the right outcomes.

• Carry out account administration including balance transfers, tenant refunds, and write-offs in accordance with legislation and our policies and procedures.

• Support income collection targets and campaigns including, direct debit promotion, static arrears campaigns, rent in advance, text, and e-mail campaigns.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of processes and procedures.

• Respond flexibly to any necessary changes in work priorities and undertake other duties when required to support the effective operation of the service.

• Ensure that all data protection requirements are met in accordance with the Group\'s policy, procedures, and statutory requirements.

• Ensure that health and safety requirements are met in accordance with the Group\'s policy, procedures, and statutory requirements.

Person specification

Essential

• \xe2\x80\xa2 Customer focused with excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, showing the ability to meet the needs of a varied customer base.
• \xe2\x80\xa2 Effective negotiation skills, managing business and customer requirements to a mutually agreeable solution.
• \xe2\x80\xa2 Proven track record of problem solving.
• \xe2\x80\xa2 Ability to remain calm in a pressurised environment.
• \xe2\x80\xa2 Excellent attention to detail with the ability to work under pressure, deliver to strict deadlines and manage conflicting priorities
• \xe2\x80\xa2 Excellent team player who can work flexibly to meet business requirements

Desirable

• \xe2\x80\xa2 Experience of working in a housing environment.
• \xe2\x80\xa2 Experience of working in a debt collection call centre.
• \xe2\x80\xa2 Knowledge of Universal Credit

About Us:

Riverside is one of the UK\'s leading not-for-profit social housing and regeneration organisations, owning or managing around 75,000 homes from Irvine to Kent. We are a leading provider of supported housing services, particularly for those affected by homelessness, and our track record of transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods dates back over 90 years. We have plans to build over 15,000 affordable homes over the next decade.

Riverside