Housing Officer - REQ001000

Job title: Housing Officer

Salary: £31,067 - £32,654 pro rata

Hours: Various

Contract: Permanent / Temp

Location: Hybrid working – various locations

As a Housing Officer you will thrive on providing quality housing management services to meet the needs of customers, making a positive contribution to the social and physical environment of the area managed.

You will be customer focused and motivated to give the best possible service in the communities we serve.

You will strive to deliver an efficient customer focused service, ensuring maximum performance levels and continuous improvements in all areas of housing management services, supporting Housing Leeds’s ambition to be the best local authority housing provider in the UK.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Housing Officer, you will bring to the role:

Take ownership and responsibility for the social and physical environment of a defined geographical service area.
Ensure that the estate environment is maintained to a high standard.
Be responsible for the achievement of performance targets within a defined geographical area.
Be responsible for maximising various income streams to the authority and our tenants, including housing and other benefits.
Deal with issues of anti-social behaviour, nuisance and work with other agencies to help create safe and sustainable communities.
Enforce tenancy conditions where appropriate.

About the role

The role delivers of housing services for a geographical area or citywide strategic housing function, ensuring that tenancy management services including rent collection, lettings, tenancy and estate management and resident engagement are delivered to an exceptional standard.

As our next housing officer you’ll also be responsible for managing relationships with other council services, e.g. environmental teams, Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team and key external partners, e.g. health, police, third sector to ensure that the wider needs of residents and communities are met.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Apply for this job online by completing the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description

Job Purpose:

To provide quality housing management services to meet the needs of customers, making a positive contribution to the social and physical environment of the area managed.

Customer focused and motivated to give the best possible service in the communities we serve.

To deliver an efficient customer focused service, ensuring maximum performance levels and continuous improvements in all areas of housing management services.

Principal Responsibilities:

To take ownership and responsibility for the social and physical environment of a defined geographical service area.
To ensure that the estate environment is maintained to a high standard.
To be responsible for the achievement of performance targets within a defined geographical area.
To be responsible for maximising various income streams to the authority and our tenants, including housing and other benefits.
To deal with issues of anti-social behaviour, nuisance and work with other agencies to help create safe and sustainable communities.
To enforce tenancy conditions where appropriate.
Supervise and manage staff as required
Provide appropriate advice and support to customers.
To ensure the Councils safeguarding procedures are followed where appropriate.
To actively develop and promote tenant engagement and involvement through a variety of different approaches.
To work with partner services, elected members and local communities to deliver and develop services and improvements in a defined area.
To work within Council policies and procedures including data protection and financial regulations.
To ensure the Council’s health and safety policies and legal requirements are adhered to.
To contribute to the development, review and improvement of policies and strategies in line with current legislation and best practice.
To support the achievement of equality and diversity in both employment and service delivery including the promotion of equality of opportunity
Promote and deliver the priorities, values and objectives of Leeds City Council at all times
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade
Participate in appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills
Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and development programmes.
To work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.

Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview or Certificate.

Qualifications and Knowledge

Knowledge of the role of the Council Housing Service and its responsibilities in managing homes and communities.
Knowledge of current housing issues, legislation, policies and local strategies and initiatives.
Awareness of customer engagement opportunities, enabling customers to help design and evaluate services.
A good understanding of equality issues in the day to day delivery of services.
Knowledge of the Council’s Allocations and Lettings procedures.
Knowledge of effective income management practices.
Knowledge of effective anti-social behaviour remedies and best practice.
Awareness of how social and environmental conditions affect quality of life.

Specific Skills and Competencies

To be able to communicate effectively with customers, colleagues, elected members and all other partners
Able to supervise and manage colleagues
Able to use a wide range of communication tools appropriate to the customers preferred method.
Able to show empathy, act tactfully and sympathetically with customers over a range of issues
Able to manage competing demands and priorities to meet deadlines.
Able to make objective decisions in the interests of achieving local priorities.
Able to input, maintain and retrieve information accurately from a variety of sources.
Able to objectively investigate and clearly report (in writing or verbally) on a range of issues.
To work within budgets.
Able to adapt behaviours to achieve positive outcomes

Experience

Experience of working with other agencies to achieve positive outcomes for customers.
Experience of supervising colleagues
Experience of taking and responding to a broad range of customer enquiries.
Experience of playing a key role within a community.
Experience of the working with the public.
Experience of working to deadlines and adapting to competing priorities
Experience of working in a busy customer focused team.
Experience of working with a range of computer software packages including Microsoft Office

Behavioural

Committed to continuous improvement.
Ability to understand and observe Leeds City Council Equal Opportunities Policy.
To carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health & Safety Policies.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development.
Understand and embrace our values, behaviours and codes of conduct.
Commitment to personal learning and development

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