Income Advisor

We are looking for a dedicated Income Advisor to manage a caseload of debt cases with both compassion and determination - supporting financially vulnerable tenants through welfare guidance and partnership working, while overseeing high-arrears cases, initiating enforcement action where necessary and contributing to the financial stability of Freebridge Community Housing.

Our Freebridge Community Housing goal is to provide affordable, safe, and quality homes for current and future generations, for those who need a place to call home. Freebridge was set up in 2006, to receive the transfer of the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk’s housing stock. We now have over 7500 properties across West and North Norfolk, in addition to building new homes for social and affordable rent, and to support those who want to move into shared home ownership. We’ve had numerous achievements, including delivering our customers' promises and bringing homes to the Decent Homes Standard, affording our customers a much better quality of living. At Freebridge, we live by our values: Belong, Own It, Think Customer, One Team One Purpose, and Be the Change.

Outline of key responsibilities...

• Deliver a professional and customer-focused advisory service, maximising income and reducing customer debt in accordance with policies and relevant legislation
• Manage higher-level arrears cases from Notice of Seeking Possession stage and beyond, ensuring appropriate and supportive recovery action is taken in line with procedures
• Take enforcement action where required, attending court to represent Freebridge Community Housing and achieve the desired outcome in accordance with the Civil Procedure Rules and Pre-Action Protocol
• Attend evictions when necessary, acting in line with procedures and with sensitivity to the circumstances of those involved
• Build and maintain close working relationships with key stakeholders, external agencies and internal colleagues to deliver a comprehensive service tailored to each customer's individual circumstances
• Take ownership of your own professional development, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of income best practice and welfare and benefit advice, using this expertise to provide in-depth support to customers
• Assist with pre-tenancy assessments for prospective Freebridge customers, ensuring properties are financially suitable and promoting tenancy sustainment from the outset

We are looking for someone who has...

• Proven experience within a customer service environment working for a housing provider or other public sector organisation, including direct face-to-face interaction with customers
• Experience of managing accounts and recovering outstanding arrears, while providing empathetic and practical support to customers in financial difficulty
• A solid knowledge of debt collection processes and the agencies involved in supporting vulnerable customers, with the ability to apply this knowledge effectively in a case management setting
• Proven experience of working with a wide range of customers with varied and complex needs, including the ability to handle challenging and confrontational situations with professionalism and sensitivity
• A full UK driving licence and access to their own vehicle, as the role may require travel to court hearings, external meetings and other locations as needed

What’s in it for you?

At Freebridge, we’re appreciative of our team and you can enjoy the following benefits from joining us, among many more:

• An Annual Salary of: £33,078.07
• Generous Holiday Leave: Enjoy 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays, increasing to 30 days after 5 years of service
• Exclusive Employee Discounts: Access amazing deals through our Reward Gateway
• Comprehensive Leave Policies: Enjoy 6 months full pay for maternity leave and 2 weeks full pay for paternity leave
• Health and Wellbeing Support: Access physio and counselling services, along with an employee assistance programme
• Charitable Leave: One day per year to volunteer for a cause you care about
• Discounted Gym Membership: Stay fit with discounted membership at Alive Leisure
• Pension Scheme: A great pension scheme with generous employer contributions (up to 12%)

Diversity & Inclusion:

Diversity is key to our values and culture. We create a workplace where every voice is heard and respected, embracing diverse perspectives to drive innovation. Our inclusive environment empowers colleagues, ensuring equal opportunities for all. We don’t discriminate against employees or potential employees based on protected characteristics. We’re happy to accommodate reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process to enable you to perform your best. As part of this commitment, we also offer accessibility tours for candidates to help ensure an inclusive and welcoming experience from the outset.