Referrals & Assessment Team Leader

Job purpose

To ensure voids are kept to a minimum and that clients referred by partner agencies receive the best possible customer service during the referral process.  

Actively seek out, receive and assess referrals, allocating accommodation on the basis of a comprehensive needs & risk assessment.

Develop and maintain positive working relationships with referral partners, promoting the profile of CLHT.

Duties and responsibilities specific to the role

1. Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of CLHT provision across the organisation, including the remit and referral criteria for each service and each individual project.
2. Develop and maintain in-depth knowledge of the expectations of commissioners and local authority Housing Benefit services.
3. Engage fully with other departments, the Head of Operations and Team Leaders, to establish an intelligence-led void management system, putting in place a real-time process for identifying where voids are likely to arise.
4. Line-manage a Referral & Assessment Coordinator, ensuring an up-to-date referral administration system is in place
5. Promote the use of CLHT intensive housing management services to current and prospective referral partners
6. Proactively seek out referrals from partner agencies
7. Embed a culture of mutual trust with referral partners, being clear about referral criteria and any exclusions
8. Carry out in-depth desk-based assessments of initial referrals, identifying any gaps in information provided and seeking further detail when required
9. After appropriate desk-top filtering, arrange and conduct comprehensive needs and risk assessment referral interviews with clients, either at CLHT offices or at partner agency settings
10. At the assessment interview stage, foster a culture with prospective clients of working towards independence - ensuring prospective clients and referral partners understand the ethos of CLHT and the rehabilitative purpose of the placement
11. Ensure prospective clients understand their rights and responsibilities as residents of a registered provider under an Excluded Licence
12. Ensure prospective clients understand the likely move-on options they will be able to access once they have completed a programme of support with CLHT
13. Make sound decisions about the suitability of clients for placement, in collaboration with Team Leaders, considering the current profile and mix of client needs within each house
14. If a decision is made not to offer a placement with CLHT, give full and open feedback to the client and the referral partner, offering advice on alternative housing options
15. Where a placement is agreed and identified, ensure a smooth handover into the identified placement with Team Leaders, Maintenance department and Project Worker colleagues
16. Hold and regularly update a waiting list of clients for access to future placements, as suitable voids become available
17. Troubleshoot reasons and agree solutions for unduly lengthy voids at weekly void management meetings
18. Identify trends in referral activity and feed these back to the Head of Operations to agreed timescales

General duties

1. Support management in reviewing and amending processes to improve quality and performance.
2. Keep up to date with changes in policy/legislation/contractual requirements to ensure service delivery is effective and complies with appropriate regulations, quality standards and service level agreements.
3. Support other projects within CLHT if necessary.
4. To always act in a professional manner, maintaining excellent records and communicating effectively with colleagues and partners, always maintaining appropriate relationships with service users, colleagues and partners and complying with Safeguarding policies and procedures.

Person specification

Knowledge

1. Working knowledge of the welfare benefits system, particularly in relation to clients accommodated in intensive housing management settings
2. Working knowledge of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, particularly in relation to clients’ eligibility to access CLHT accommodation
3. Knowledge of pan-London services for CHAIN-verified clients, such as No Second Night Out
4. An understanding of the common reasons for homelessness amongst single homeless people with support needs
5. Knowledge of other key partner agencies, such as Probation, Community Mental Health Teams , Local Authority homelessness services , the Refugee Council

Skills

1. Advanced ability to analyse desktop referral paperwork
2. Able to carry out comprehensive in-person needs and risk assessments
3. Able to develop a quick rapport with clients, particularly those who may be mistrustful of services and reluctant to engage
4. Able to ask clients probing questions in a highly sensitive manner
5. Negotiation skills
6. A quick learner - able to proactively participate in a comprehensive induction to the organisation and the services provided
7. Coaching/Mentoring skills
8. Facilitate collegiate problem solving & collaboration
9. Able to cope under pressure, using initiative to manage time and to meet deadlines
10. Ability to work within a team, promoting open communication skills and creative thinking
11. Proficient IT skills, including Excel and Word and basic keyboard skills.
12. Confident dealing with people at all levels; displays appropriate verbal and non-verbal behaviour 
13. Excellent numeracy & literacy - able to produce clear written records
14. Integrity, sensitivity and understanding.
15. Approachable, adaptable and assertive.
16. Negotiating & influencing skills - with clients, colleagues and referral partners
17. Ability to produce clear written records.

Experience

1. Experience of carrying out comprehensive needs and risk assessments
2. Experience of working with single homeless clients with support needs
3. Experience of working in partnership with other agencies to achieve effective outcomes.
4. Experience of effectively prioritising your workload in a fast-paced environment
5. Experience of independent decision-making without the immediate supervision of a line manager

Other

1. DBS Check.
2. Strong empathy with homeless people, demonstrating a non-judgmental approach
3. Commitment to the aims & objectives of the service.
4. Knowledge of and commitment to the principles of the Equalities Act
5. A commitment to undertake training and development as required.
6. Willing to travel across London to undertake assessments, sometimes at short notice

Education and Qualifications

1. Minimum 5 GCSE’S (A*-C) or equivalent – Including Maths and English.
2. Evidence of a commitment to ongoing professional development

Application deadline: Thursday 3rd April 2025