Job Title: Tenancy Sustainment Officer - Galway / Roscommon

Location: Hotdesk in Tuam, Co. Galway and a hotdesk in Co. Roscommon with flexibility. There will be a requirement to travel to projects and services you are supporting and attend required meetings.

About Sophia

This offers a fantastic opportunity for someone who is self-motivated, to commence with this new initiative in supporting individuals/families to sustain their tenancies and become actively involved in their community.

Sophia is a national organisation that has been supporting people as they emerge from homelessness since 1997.

Sophia is a niche service provider for two reasons; Firstly, it sees the provision of home of one’s own as the primary response to homelessness and the intervention that Sophia is exclusively focused on. Secondly as an Approved Housing Body, its core mission is to provide homes for individuals, couples and families who not only need a home but also present with other support needs.

Reporting to: Project Manager based in Tubbercurry, Sligo

Contract: Fixed term – 3 years

Hours: 39 hours per week

Salary: Competitive Salary, available upon request

Benefits

Sophia offers the following additional benefits to employees:

• 25 Annual Leave Days
• Additional Long Service annual leave
• Further education and training support
• Employee assistance Programme
• Flexible working arrangements

Job Purpose

To provide support and be responsible for the settlement of, and ongoing tenancy sustainment supports, for tenants with mental health and other complex support needs.

Key Responsibilities

• To commit to the objectives and ethos of Sophia
• To ensure new tenants are supported in their existing homes or in settling into new homes and communities
• To support tenants, as appropriate, to help maintain their mental health recovery
• To complete needs assessment and devise support plans through the use of appropriate assessment and planning tools, with the tenant taking a central role in the process
• To decide on the appropriate level of contact/support for each tenant particularly those who need intensive support to deal with major issues and maintain that contact/support based on a regular assessment of the tenant’s needs
• To work in partnership with community mental health teams, to ensure that tenants can have the best possible outcomes in regard to their wellbeing
• To liaise and work in partnership with other agencies involved with tenants
• To ensure that each tenant is supported to access training, employment and avail of education opportunities identified through the support planning process
• To support tenants to meet responsibilities in regard to payment of bills
• To support tenants to maintain their home to a reasonable standard and that repairs/faults are reported by the tenant
• To support tenants to fulfil their responsibilities as detailed in their tenancy agreements
• To support each tenant to develop a full awareness of his/her potential, skills, interests and talents
• To support tenants to fully integrate in their community
• To develop and maintain positive working relationships with partner organisations such as Mental Health teams, Local authorities and other Housing Associations and Community Supports
• To create a professional relationship with tenants in order to provide a space where they feel comfortable talking about their concerns
• To work with the Sophia Development team in assessing the suitability of potential new homes for the client group in the area
• To undertake other work that may be assigned to you from time to time.

Communication:

• To attend relevant meetings as requested by funders and to participate in training as required.
• To travel to National meetings as required.
• To participate in the recruitment, induction and on-going training, support and direction of Volunteers, Students and Trainees of Sophia.
• To prepare monthly and quarterly reports and/or as requested by management and funders.
• To provide professional supervision to trainees as required.
• To liaise and work effectively with relevant personnel in Sophia Housing, and other relevant agencies; e.g. Local Authority, Health Service Executive etc.
• To adhere to Policy and Procedures within the service and direct assistants to do the same.
• To keep up to date with relevant legislation, policies and practice.

Finance:

• To adhere to the annual budget for the Project
• To adhere to the Service Level Agreements for the Project and to ensure the return of data and information agreed with funders.
• To provide information as required for grant applications to fund the services and costs of the service in your region. To provide information to funders on expenditure of grants.
• To promote networking with appropriate voluntary and statutory agencies.

Health & Safety:

• To ensure that necessary fire, health and safety policies and procedures are adhered to.
• To adhere to procedures those are in place for responding to emergencies within the projects

Person Specification

• A level 8 degree in a social care or a related discipline i.e. addiction, social work, psychology
• At least two years’ experience working with this client group
• An understanding of the issues affecting people who are homeless and sustaining a tenancy
• Knowledge around child protection issues, mental health issues and addiction
• The ability to work on own initiative
• Proficient IT Skills and knowledge with a database
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills both verbal and written are essential.
• To have excellent report writing and record keeping skills.
• A full clean driver’s licence and use of a car to visit service users in their homes.

Application Process:

Please forward a Cover Letter and CV to Recruitment@sophia.ie

The closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday, 3rd September 2025