Senior Homes Complaints Officer

6 Months Fixed Term Contract

Here at Stonewater, we’re proud to make things personal. If it matters to our customers, it matters to us. We’re recruiting two Senior Homes Complaints Officers, to join us on an initial 6 months fixed term contract, with the potential for the term to be extended.

Working within our Customer Relations Team, this role has responsibility for the investigation and resolution of complex stage two received in connection to our repairs and planned investment services. Critically, you’ll have a strong understanding of social housing providers’ repairs obligations and experience of resolving complaints in line with the Housing Ombudsman Service’s Complaint Handling Code.

In this role, you’ll investigate our customers’ stage two repairs complaints. Your passion for customer service will ensure you put our customers at the heart of your investigation, working hard to understand their concerns and how they’d like any problems to be resolved. You’ll then liaise directly with contracting partners, utilizing systems as well as building positive relationships, to identify service failure and to resolve any outstanding issues.

You will have a keen attention to detail and be a very effective communicator verbally and in writing, including drafting letters communicating complex responses to customers in a clear and easy to understand style. You’ll prioritise customer satisfaction, working to improve our customers’ experience of our complaints service. This will include working with our Homes service to identify and share learning from complaints, supporting service improvement.

The ideal candidate will:

• Have significant experience of complaint handling in social housing, including investigating and responding to complex stage two cases.
• Demonstrate an understanding of repair obligations for social housing providers, Housing Health Safety Rating System (HHSRA), Awaab’s Law, Legal Disrepair and Homes Fitness for Human Habitation Act and Tenant Satisfaction Measures
• Experience of critically analysing cases in order to negotiate with contractors and stakeholders as part of resolution
• Ability to constructively lead cross departmental and external meetings to present complex cases and solutions.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Homes team and contracting partners to prioritise complaints within their own caseload, and the wider workflow, and act as a champion for complaint resolution.
• An ability to coach and upskill colleagues
• Excellent communication and written skills, utilising Stonewater’s ‘tone of voice’
• An ability to work in a very fast paced environment, managing competing priorities and deadlines
• Commitment to customer service and Stonewater’s Customer Promise
• Ability to use and interrogate housing and repairs management systems, CRM and other IT systems to inform and fully document complaint investigations
• Have experience in dealing with complaints about equality, diversity and inclusion
• Experience of peer reviews and delivering feedback and coaching

Appointment to this role will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check, satisfactory references and possession of a valid Right to Work document.

Discover Stonewater:

Stonewater is a leading housing provider. We manage around 36,000 homes, serving 78,000 customers across our portfolio of affordable properties for general rent, shared ownership and sale, alongside specialist accommodation, with an ambitious house-building programme.

Our mission is to provide quality homes and services for people whose needs are not met by the open market.

We’re looking for like-minded people to join our team of over 800 talented colleagues who embody our values of being ethical, ambitious, passionate, agile and commercial, as well as people who want to make a difference and transform people’s lives.

Stonewater supports equality of opportunities and are dedicated to being a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace. We are a Disability Confident employer.

Are you ready to #DiscoverStonewater?

Stonewater reserve the right to bring the closing date forward should enough quality applications be received prior to the current closing date.