Homeless outreach manager job description

Homeless outreach managers manage and oversee teams of outreach workers who identify homeless individuals and offer them support, help, and guidance, with the aim of moving these individuals into permanent housing.

This detailed guide includes a full homeless outreach manager job description and everything else you need to know about homeless outreach managers, including salaries, skills, qualifications, typical employers and more.

 

Guide contents

  • Homeless outreach manager job description
  • How much do homeless outreach managers earn?
  • What does a homeless outreach manager do?
  • Requirements, skills, and qualifications
  • Who employs homeless outreach managers?
  • Which junior jobs progress to homeless outreach manager roles?

 

Homeless outreach manager job description

Homeless Outreach Manager | Sleep Tight Charity

 

About Sleep Tight Charity

Sleep Tight Charity is the UK’s largest provider of specialist homelessness support services, supporting over 5000 men, women and children escape homelessness across our national network of services.

 

About the role

We are recruiting a Homeless Outreach Manager to lead a team of Outreach Workers with the goal of identifying and helping homeless and vulnerable men, women, and children to find decent homes, build supportive relationships and lead fulfilling lives.

 

Responsibilities

  • Oversee a service supporting approx. 60 clients who are homeless/at risk of homelessness
  • Line management of 4 Outreach Workers who manage caseloads of approx. 15 clients each across areas including Chorlton, Wilmslow, and Altrincham
  • Support and provide feedback to the Outreach Service Manager
  • Support clients into their own self-contained accommodation and ensure a sufficient support network is in place
  • Take the lead on complex issues and casework
  • Manage and motivate staff to achieve the aims of the service in line with best practice
  • Develop staff through support and supervision, identifying relevant training needs
  • Oversee front line duties including support plans and risk assessments
  • Advise on welfare benefits, ensuring clients are aware of what benefits they are entitled to
  • Direct clients to additional internal or external agencies if they require extra support

 

Location & commitments

  • Permanent, full-time position
  • Working 37 hours per week Monday to Saturday, between the hours of 07:00 and 20:00
  • Based at our Manchester office, with travel to meet clients required

 

Candidate requirements

  • Significant previous experience providing direct emotional, practical and welfare support to rough sleepers and those at risk of homelessness
  • Experience identifying and responding to the risks to and needs of homeless individuals
  • Demonstrable commitment to addressing rough sleeping with a passion to make a difference
  • Extensive knowledge of homelessness legislation
  • Extensive knowledge of welfare and housing benefits
  • Due to the vulnerable nature of the clients we work with, you will require an enhanced DBS
  • A full UK driving license is preferred

 

Contact us to apply

If you are passionate about helping Manchester’s vulnerable homeless population, please send your CV and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience to HR@sleeptightcharity.com

 

How much do homeless outreach managers earn?

Homeless outreach managers are paid an average salary of £28,000.

 

Homeless outreach manager salaries in the UK

  • Low: £21,000
  • Average: £28,000
  • High: £37,500

Source: Total Jobs

 

Homeless outreach manager salaries will vary depending on;

  • The size of the employer – e.g. does the homeless outreach manager work for a large nationwide charitable organisation
  • The type of employer – e.g. does the homeless outreach manager work for a charity, a local authority, a housing association etc.
  • General salary factors – such as level of candidate experience and location

For example, a senior homeless outreach manager working for a well-known homeless charity is likely to be offered a higher salary than a homeless outreach manager taking their first managerial role in a small local authority.

Remember, these are average figures taken from job advert samples, and they do not include extra benefits such as overtime, and non-financial benefits such as healthcare.

 

What does a homeless outreach manager do?

candidate requirements

Breaking down the job description jargon, here are the typical tasks and responsibilities that homeless outreach managers will carry out;

  • Line management – Managing a small team, including motivating the team, overseeing their workload, highlighting training requirements, approving holiday, managing absences etc.
  • Supporting clients – Providing emotional support to clients using the service, ensuring they feel safe and that they have somewhere to turn and someone to rely on.
  • Case work – Overseeing each client’s case including conducting interviews, studying family and personal circumstances, and liaising with other professionals such as the GP to identify how best to support the client.
  • Support plans – Creating and overseeing individual support plans for each client, ensuring they include how the client would like to be supported through finding housing and moving into their new home.
  • Risk assessments – Assessing the risks clients pose to themselves, their potential new property and anyone else that may live in the property with them.
  • Facilitating client’s moving into their new homes – Assisting clients to complete any paperwork, applying for funding to buy basic furniture for the home, and arranging help to move belongings if applicable.
  • Benefits advice – Advising clients on what government benefits they are entitled to and helping them complete benefit applications.
  • External agency contact – Liaising with other social care agencies, such as social services and drug rehabilitation services.

 

What do homeless outreach managers need?

Homeless outreach managers need a range of skills, experience, knowledge, and qualifications to carry out their role effectively.

Exact requirements vary depending on the employer and the seniority of the role, but generally this is what’s required.

 

Experience

Junior community outreach manager jobs will usually require candidates to have some experience working in a social care management position, and it is useful if this is in a similar field such as homeless prevention, housing support or housing benefits.

Intermediate to senior community outreach manager roles will usually require candidates to have significant previous experience leading a team of outreach workers to support the homeless population.

 

Homeless outreach manager skills

Homeless outreach managers need a variety of skills to successfully support their team and their clients, including:

  • Administrative skills: keeping accurate financial records and writing detailed case reports
  • Communication: written and verbal communication with a variety of people including vulnerable homeless individuals, solicitors, social workers etc.
  • Leadership: successfully leading a team of homeless outreach workers and volunteers to achieve positive results
  • Negotiation: working closely with vulnerable people and housing providers to ensure they are placed in the most appropriate housing for their circumstances
  • Organisation: working accurately under pressure to ensure all work remains legislatively and organisationally compliant and meets deadlines
  • Problem solving: reacting to unforeseen circumstances and problems, adjusting plans including making last-minute changes and managing roadblocks, identifying solutions that meet the homeless individual and organisations’ needs
  • Teamworking: working collaboratively with employees and volunteers of all cultures, ages, and sexes

And the more industry specific “hard skills” include:

  • Service provision: A deep understanding of the services available to help homeless people and how to apply for them
  • Conflict resolution: liaising with individuals in emotionally charged or difficult situations, calming down tense situations, and coming to a resolution
  • Empathy: reacting compassionately and sensitively to the needs and circumstances of a wide range of vulnerable homeless individuals in a variety of difficult circumstances
  • Homelessness legislation knowledge: maintaining an up to date and accurate knowledge of UK homelessness legislation and how to apply that to a wide variety of cases

 

Homeless outreach manager qualifications

Qualifications are not essential to work as a homeless outreach manager as a proven commitment to the issues surrounding homelessness is more important than academic qualifications.

Although specific qualifications are not required, it is beneficial to have attained one of many courses that are accredited by the Chartered Institute of Housing for example a Level 3 Certificate in Housing Practice, Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Homeless People or a Level 5 Diploma in Housing.

Alternatively, you may have attained a general Health and Social Care qualification at Level 3 and be working towards (or willing to work towards) the Level 4 or 5 qualification.

 

CIH courses

  • CIH Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Homeless People – provides the knowledge and understanding required to support homeless people at an operational level.
  • CIH Level 3 Certificate in Housing Practice – provides a broader knowledge and understanding of key areas in delivering housing services.
  • CIH Level 4 Certificate in Housing – enables students to become effective housing practitioners and provides a deeper understanding of how organisations and the housing industry work.
  • CIH Level 5 Diploma in Housing – provides knowledge and understanding across key areas of housing policy and practice at a recognised professional standard, and the knowledge and skills required to perform in a senior management role.

 

Health and Social Care courses

  • NVQ Level 4 Health and Social Care – designed for social care workers that are looking to formalise their work within the health and social care sector and have relevant practical experience. It supports individuals to move into a more senior/managerial position.
  • NVQ Level 5 Health and Social Care – designed for individuals working in managerial positions in the social care sector, providing guidance, knowledge, understanding and skills to effectively manage a team of social care professionals.

 

What is expected of homeless outreach managers?

Typically, homeless outreach managers are expected to commit to the following;

  • Full time hours – typically 40hrs per week with occasional overtime required when deadlines are imminent, or the department is busy
  • Evening/weekend work – where work needs to be carried out outside of the employer’s core business hours, such as meeting with homeless individuals out of hours
  • Location – normally based at the employer’s office
  • Risk acceptance – Outreach workers often have to work in dangerous areas and are often exposed to alcohol abuse, drug abuse and other risky situations.
  • Local travel – to local areas to support homeless individuals

 

Homeless outreach manager benefits

As homeless outreach managers often work for charities, local authorities, and housing associations, they will often receive a good benefits package – charities want people to work for them and stay working for them, so they try to offer an attractive benefits package. These benefits include things like:

  • Pension
  • Healthcare
  • Flexible working
  • Study support – to complete relevant Level 3+ qualifications
  • Car allowance – when travel is a requirement for the position

 

Who employs homeless outreach managers?

Employers

The major employer of homeless outreach managers are charities, but there are also jobs available with other employers including:

  • Homelessness charities – across the UK there are many charities working at a local and national level to fight homelessness and help the homeless. These charities provide help and advice for people who are rough sleeping, in temporary, insecure, or unsuitable accommodation, or at risk of becoming homeless
  • Citizens Advice – not-for-profit organisation that offers confidential advice, knowledge, and practical support to the public, whatever their problem
  • Local authorities – local councils that are officially responsible for all the public services and facilities within a particular area
  • Housing associations – not-for-profit organisations that own, let, and manage affordable rental housing, which is generally cheaper than privately rented housing and usually offers long-term tenancies
  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – a government organisation designed to create great places to live and work, and to give more power to local people to shape what happens in their area

 

Which junior jobs progress to homeless outreach manager roles?

There are several roles which support the progression into a homeless outreach manager position, including:

 

Homeless support worker

Working with members of the homeless community and those in temporary accommodation to support them to move into independent living and accommodation.

Homeless outreach coordinator

Building relationships with the homeless population and those at risk of homelessness, providing tailored advice, guidance and support including liaising with other social care agencies.

Housing advisor

Providing dedicated and impartial advice, casework, and advocacy to homeless individuals around housing, debt, and welfare benefits, including conducting interviews, developing case plans, and making referrals to other social care agencies.

 

Which senior jobs do homeless outreach managers progress to?

Although the homeless outreach manager is a highly rewarding position, it can lead to other opportunities such as:

 

Outreach service manager

Responsible for the management of a social care support service, ensuring that the service provided is of an exceptionally high standard and continuing to lead and grow projects within the service.

Outreach director

Build and strengthen the relationship between a social care organisation and the community, including communicating information to the public or employees, organising outreach campaigns, coordinating events, and budgeting.

Registered manager

Management of a homeless shelter or temporary housing, supporting teams of staff and volunteers alongside the day day-to-day management and administration of the site.

 

Homeless outreach manager job description – conclusion

Homeless outreach managers have the power to make a tremendous difference to the lives of the homeless population. They lead their team to provide practical support and guidance, help with benefits and healthcare, and create and deliver support plans to reduce the number of homeless individuals on the street.

The position pays an average salary and offers many altruistic benefits, alongside a variety of attractive career progression opportunities.