Connect Victoria Park Inc’s mission is to collaborate with older people to increase wellbeing and support ageing in community.

We are a not-for-profit, registered provider of community housing for low income people aged over 60 years. Currently, we provide housing to 83 people in our 70 units in Victoria Park and 11 units in Town of Bassendean’s Hyde Retirement Village. We also operate the Village Hub, a community of more than 500 people aged 55+ interested in healthy ageing, social connection, lifelong learning and supporting each other to age in community. Connect is committed to expand the provision of affordable housing for older people.

Key Responsibilities:

The Community Housing Officer is the first point of contact for Connect Community Housing and is responsible for maintaining a professional and courteous rapport with our tenants and applicants for housing.

The Community Housing Officer is responsible for ensuring Connect adheres to a supportive landlord approach – working alongside tenants so they feel safe, connected and able to pursue a good quality of life – while maintaining a high level of compliance with regulatory requirements.

As an important part of small team, the Community Housing Officer will work collaboratively with other staff members, volunteers and service providers. Flexibility and team work are highly valued and a requirement for this role.

Computer skills, including proficiency in Excel and Word, are essential. Solid knowledge of Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), well-developed property management skills and excellent organisational skills are essential. Familiarity with the Retirement Villages Act and with Chintaro software is desirable.

SPECIFIC DUTIES INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO):

• Respond to enquiries about Connect Community Housing, receive applications and manage wait list;
• Perform reference and character checks to be able to select the best tenant to available properties;
• Interview prospective tenants, sign up tenancies in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and the Retirement Villages Act;
• Introduce tenants to Connect policies and procedures and to the Village Hub;
• Conduct Property Condition Reports and liaise with Maintenance Officers to maintain high quality of our properties;
• Liaise with tenants to address tenancy issues including rental arrears and property condition according to Connect policies and procedures;
• Report on a regular basis to the CEO and where directed liaise with family/next of kin and/or external agencies to address concerns about tenant wellbeing;
• Conduct annual rental inspections of all Connect rental properties and of Community Housing units in the Hyde Retirement Village in Bassendean;
• Perform annual rent reviews, liaise with Centrelink, support tenant engagement efforts;
• Work collaboratively with Maintenance, Accounts and Policy Officers to address areas impacting on the delivery of housing service and tenancies;
• Maintain tenancy documentation and data on Chintaro database, as well as paper record of tenancies;
• Other duties from time to time to suit organisational requirements and which are broadly consistent with your role.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Please provide a Cover Letter and a separate statement addressing the Selection Criteria below. Applications that do not meet this requirement will not be considered.  

Essential:

1. Significant experience working as a Housing Officer for a government or community housing provider or as a Property Manager in the residential real estate industry.
2. High level communication skills and demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively with people of all ages and backgrounds;
3. Experience working with the Residential Tenancies Act or demonstrated capacity to understand legislation and regulations;
4. Effective writing skills including the capacity to develop written reports and draft correspondence and other documents relating to tenancies;
5. Competent computer skills including email, software such as Word and Excel and ability to maintain and update databases;
6. High level organisational skills;
7. A National Police Clearance.

Desirable:

1. Experience working with the Retirement Villages Act and with Chintaro software.
2. Qualifications in human/community services or property management.
3. Knowledge of healthy ageing and supportive landlord frameworks.

A copy of the job description is attached below.