Complaint Investigation jobs in Birmingham

About the Role

Dawson Housing Ltd is seeking an experienced, highly organised and professional Housing Complaints Officer to manage the investigation and resolution of resident complaints while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and safeguarding responsibilities.

The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring complaints are handled fairly, consistently and within regulatory timescales, promoting accountability, resident safety and continuous service improvement.

Applicants must have demonstrable experience of the Housing Ombudsman complaints process and sound practical knowledge of safeguarding procedures.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and investigate formal Stage 1 and Stage 2 housing complaints in accordance with the Housing Ombudsman's statutory Complaint Handling Code.
• Prepare comprehensive, evidence-based complaint investigation reports, formal responses and outcome letters.
• Ensure complaints are acknowledged, investigated, escalated and resolved within prescribed regulatory timescales.
• Identify safeguarding concerns arising from complaints, including allegations of abuse, neglect, exploitation or risks to vulnerable residents.
• Escalate safeguarding concerns promptly in accordance with organisational safeguarding policies and relevant statutory procedures.
• Liaise with designated safeguarding leads, local authorities, managing agents, support providers and relevant agencies as required.
• Ensure safeguarding considerations, confidentiality and resident welfare are appropriately addressed throughout complaint investigations.
• Manage correspondence and cases referred to the Housing Ombudsman Service, including evidence submissions and responses to enquiries.
• Maintain accurate complaints registers, safeguarding-related records, investigation files and audit trails, ensuring appropriate information-sharing and access controls.
• Identify service failures, recommend proportionate remedies and monitor implementation of corrective actions.
• Analyse complaint trends, recurring safeguarding concerns and organisational performance.
• Produce complaints performance and lessons-learned reports for senior management, governance committees and the Board.
• Contribute to regulatory compliance, resident protection and continuous service improvement.

Essential Requirements

• Proven experience managing formal Stage 1 and Stage 2 housing complaints.
• Strong working knowledge of the Housing Ombudsman Service and its statutory Complaint Handling Code.
• Practical experience and sound knowledge of safeguarding adults, particularly vulnerable residents within housing or supported accommodation settings.
• Understanding of safeguarding referral pathways, recognising signs of abuse or neglect, risk assessment and appropriate escalation procedures.
• Knowledge of relevant safeguarding legislation, including the Care Act 2014.
• Experience investigating sensitive or complex complaints with professionalism, discretion and empathy.
• Understanding of complaint escalation, regulatory deadlines, appropriate remedies, compensation and Housing Ombudsman referrals.
• Excellent report-writing skills and the ability to produce clear, evidence-based investigation findings.
• Ability to manage sensitive information confidentially and comply with data protection requirements.
• Strong organisational, communication and problem-solving skills.

Desirable Experience

• Previous employment within a registered housing provider, housing association or supported housing organisation.
• Experience working with residents with complex needs or additional vulnerabilities.
• Safeguarding training or relevant professional certification.
• Experience liaising with local authority safeguarding teams and multi-agency professionals.
• Direct experience responding to Housing Ombudsman investigations and determinations.
• Knowledge of the Regulator of Social Housing's Consumer Standards.
• Experience producing regulatory compliance reports and implementing organisational improvements.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for a confident, impartial and proactive professional who understands that effective complaints handling is not simply about resolving dissatisfaction, but also about protecting residents, identifying organisational risks and improving service standards.

The successful candidate must demonstrate sound professional judgement, a strong understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and the ability to manage complex complaints independently.

Please note: Practical experience of housing complaints management and safeguarding knowledge are essential requirements for this role.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a brief supporting statement outlining your experience in:

• Managing Stage 1 and Stage 2 housing complaints.
• Applying the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code.
• Identifying, reporting and escalating safeguarding concerns.

Dawson Housing Ltd is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates from all backgrounds.

Pay: £26,000.00 per year

Application question(s):

• Please describe your practical experience managing Stage 1 and Stage 2 housing complaints in accordance with the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code, including any direct involvement with Housing Ombudsman investigations.

Work Location: In person