Income Officer

Pinnacle Group provides people-first, integrated services across a range of community-facing assets and infrastructure - including multi-tenure housing, schools, open spaces, public buildings, utilities and broadband networks - as well as a range of complementary employment and wellbeing outcomes. Across the UK, Pinnacle supports over 300,000 homes, 200 schools and 80 public buildings creating value, providing stewardship and generating positive outcomes for our customers, our partners and our clients.
Our Homes business serves communities by providing trusted housing management solutions. We take a collaborative and commercially minded, yet socially principled approach across our portfolio of Affordable, Private Rented and Leasehold properties.
The Role
* GBP30,000 Per Annum Pro-rata (GBP24,000)
* 25hrs per week, days and hours are flexible
* Fixed term contract until 31/3/2022
The main purpose of the role is to undertake a range of income collection duties relating to rent and service charge income for PRS and social housing residents; to provide a coordinated, flexible and effective income collection service.
You will be responsible for achieving and maintaining lowest possible levels of current rent and former tenancy arrears and ensure we maximise income recovery. You will be guided by the Income Manager and work with the housing management teams to ensure delivery of the arrears targets.
Duties/Key Responsibilities
* To ensure excellent customer service standards are achieved and core business objectives and performance indicators are met.
* Carry out all tasks in accordance with the appropriate policies and procedures
* To be responsible for achieving individual targets and contributing to overall targets for the income service
* Effectively reduce all accounts in arrears to meet monthly targets. This will include producing arrears reports and letters, communicating with residents and drafting instructions for legal possession proceedings, serving Notices, home visits, applying for direct payments, attending court where required and providing appropriate advice and support to residents to enable them to sustain their tenancies.
* Identify residents requiring specialist welfare benefit and financial inclusion advice and make referrals to the Welfare Advice and Financial Inclusion Manager
* Communicate and liaise effectively with the Local Authority regarding Housing Benefit claims, with the DWP regarding Universal Credit Claims, with social services and any other relevant agencies
* To attend meetings as requested by the Income Manager or Head of Income & Performance
* To work effectively and efficiently, planning your own workload to ensure accounts are monitored on a weekly basis. Work with the Income Team and Income Manager to identify where improvements can be made and with colleagues to achieve organizational priorities and priority services.
* Ensure recording keeping is up to date and all recovery actions and correspondence are recorded on the appropriate housing management system
* Effective use of IT equipment and software including housing and property management software
* This role will involve working from home and other offices as determined by the Income Manager.
Skills Required
* Experience in using Qube and other housing management systems
* Professional housing qualification
* Understanding of the legal framework for housing and Pre-Action Protocols
* Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of welfare benefits specifically Universal Credit and Housing Benefit
* Experience of working in rent income collection for a housing association or local authority
* Knowledge of MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook)
* Able to communicate clearly (written and oral)
* Good numerical and reporting skills
* Strong team player
* Customer focused
* Ability to work on own initiative
* Self-motivated
* Strong negotiating skills
Pinnacle Recruitment (Services) strives to be an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from anyone regardless of ethnic origin, gender, disability, age, trade union activity, marital status, religious belief, or sexual orientation.
We are Armed Forces friendly. We welcome applications from ex-Armed Forces personnel, reservists, armed forces veterans, cadet instructors and military spouses/partners