Eric Okunola

A multi-faceted specialist housing, health & social care, safety and safeguarding professional with substantial experience in delivering engaging and interactive training sessions in health and social care. Providing solutions to improve services. Takes ownership of operations, leads multi-schemes and services, functional teams and partnerships.

Policy oriented & delivers results. An accomplished housing, health, and social care professional with extensive experience in governance, leadership, safeguarding, and strategic service delivery. Proven track record of managing services across housing management, supported accommodation, safeguarding vulnerable residents, and stakeholder engagement.

Brings expertise in service compliance, policy development, financial oversight, and continuous improvement — aligned to good governance practices and sector best standards. Passionate about contributing at Board level to organisations championing social impact, resident well-being, and operational excellence.

Social Work Student at Change Grow Live (CGL) (2025-10 – 2026-03)

• Undertook assessments to identify risk, vulnerability, and safeguarding concerns, contributing to structured support and risk management plans
• Supported safeguarding processes, attended and presented reports at multi-agency meetings such as strat meetings, MARAC, Child Protection Conferences, and ensuring appropriate escalation and documentation
• Maintained accurate, audit-ready records and reports in line with statutory, organisational, and data protection requirements
• Worked collaboratively with external partners (health, police, local authorities) to ensure coordinated, compliant service delivery

Temporary Accommodation Manager at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH) (2025-05 – 2025-09)

• Managed placements and allocations into temporary accommodation, ensuring efficient use of units
• Conducted risk assessments and implemented mitigation plans for all new placements
• Delivered client support through home visits, tenancy guidance, budgeting advice, and welfare signposting
• Liaised effectively with Housing Options (Huntingdon District Council), social workers, and external support agencies
• Oversaw property standards, including inspections, maintenance coordination, and compliance monitoring
• Managed rent accounts, monitored payments, and addressed rent arrears proactively
• Supported residents with move-on planning, ensuring smooth transition into permanent and independent housing

Social Work Student at Compas Charity (2026-01 – 2026-04)

• Provided strengths-based support to children, families and migrant communities
• Delivered tenancy advice and housing guidance to prevent homelessness
• Identified safeguarding risks and participated in multi-agency discussions
• Supported advocacy and early intervention to reduce barriers to services

Ofsted Nominated Individual (Part - Time) at INNOVATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES (2024-08 – 2025-08)

Appointed on a contract basis to provide Responsible Individual leadership through the Ofsted pre-registration process for supported accommodation services for young people aged 16–17, in line with the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023.

• Led end-to-end pre-registration readiness, acting as the principal Ofsted contact and engaging directly with inspectors to ensure accommodation, safeguarding, staffing, leadership, and governance arrangements met approval requirements
• Developed, reviewed, and quality-assured the full suite of Ofsted-compliant documentation, including policies, procedures, statements of purpose, safeguarding frameworks, and quality assurance systems
• Provided independent oversight of safeguarding, safer recruitment, DBS compliance, mandatory training, and risk management to ensure inspection-ready compliance
• Advised directors and senior leadership on regulatory risk, governance, and sustainability, embedding systems to support successful registration and post-approval compliance

Service Manager at JULIAN SUPPORT (2024-08 – 2024-10)

• Oversaw 24/7 supported accommodation for individuals with mental health and complex needs
• Led staff in delivering person-centred, recovery-focused support plans
• Ensured safeguarding compliance and quality assurance monitoring
• Managed accommodation-based service supporting individuals with complex needs
• Facilitated stakeholder engagement and drove continuous service improvement

Housing Services Manager at LANGLEY HOUSE TRUST (2023-08 – 2024-05)

Leading a multi-service providing housing management, care and support services in five local authorities to ex-offenders leading to successful move on and resettlement to independent living and crime free lives

• Managing services budget and utilise resources to enable effective service in line Langley's Mission and Values
• Ensuring safety management plans and support are in place, in date and reflect individual needs
• Identifying and reviewing suitability of referrals
• Ensuring support staff understand and meet the agreed financial standards on voids, arrears and re-lets
• Responsible for compliance, inspections, and safety management of the services
• Taking lead in the provision of an efficient and effective service managed under MAPPA arrangements, accommodated via Ministry of Justice contract

East of England / South Central Lead at NACRO - CAS2 (2023-03 – 2023-07)

Managing and leading a team of dispersed Team Leaders, providing housing support/management, move on and resettlement to vulnerable people within the criminal justice system such as young people, people mental health issues, complex needs, homelessness, prison leavers and substance misuse issues.

• Ensuring safety management plans and support are in place, in date and reflect individual needs
• Identifying and reviewing suitability of referrals
• Ensuring support staff understand and meet the agreed financial standards on voids, arrears and re-lets
• Working with other internal and external agencies such as statutory and other support services
• Promoting the service, managing the rota and on-call arrangements
• Regular effective team meetings and monitoring through regular one to ones
• Collation of health and safety checks undertaken and necessary remedial action implementation
• Management of safeguarding alerts/incidents
• Keeping track of team goals and KPIs

Housing Services Care Support Manager at METROPOLITAN THAMES VALLEY HOUSING (2021-09 – 2023-03)

Overseeing and Provision of Housing Management advice and guidance to Care Team Leaders & Senior Housing officers for residents over the age of 55 in Extra Care Scheme regulated by CQC

• Ensuring adherence of services to meet with Statutory, Regulatory and Contractual compliance
• Responsible for the overall budget management, preventing overspends and providing value for money services
• Positively promoting tenants independent living, maintaining knowledge and links with community resources
• Identifying and reviewing suitability of accommodation at Housing allocation panel meeting with multi-disciplinary agencies

Safeguarding and Tenancy Sustainment Manager at LEWISHAM HOMES (2022-01 – 2022-04)

Safeguarding Lead for Lewisham Homes, ensuring provision of an excellent, person-centred response to safeguarding and tenancy sustainment concerns

• Develop and maintain effective collaborative working with partner organisations, ensuring vulnerable residents receive high quality support services, are supported to sustain their tenancies, live independently and access services
• Monitoring and auditing cases, ensuring data on vulnerable residents is adequate and accessible
• Responsible for arranging and facilitating the Internal Safeguarding Panel. Proactively identify safeguarding and tenancy sustainment cases, arrange and chair professional

MA in Social Work – Anglia Ruskin University (2026-05)

Postgraduate Diploma in Health and Social Care – Middlesex University (2008)

Advance Diploma in Social Care, Supported Housing and Disability Management – Trans Atlantic College (2004)

Diploma in Information Technology

Diploma in Secretarial Administration