Senior Housing Standards Officer

Senior Housing Standards Officer

Fixed Term until 31 March 2023, Full-time (37 hours per week), Flexi-time scheme, Local Government Pension Scheme

Salary scale H £27,741 to £30,451 per annum

Are you motivated to work for an ambitious Organisation, here to empower and inspire our communities to thrive?

Here’s some information about us

We are here to empower and inspire our communities to thrive.  Every staff member plays a part in our success and achievement through challenging what we do, how we do it and how we can do it better. Ideas are continuously encouraged, new ways of working are trialled and we apply learning through experience. Through our ‘one team’ approach, we work in an agile way to empower our staff to be able to make decisions that place our customers at the heart of what we do.

We are delivering our innovative and forward thinking Customer Connect Programme which is transforming the way we deliver services by maximising digital technology and putting customers at the heart of everything we do. The programme is improving services, enabling valued customers to do business with us in a simpler way. Our new operating model will see traditional roles working very differently. Continued development of our people is central to our success.

We are proud of South Lakeland District and we serve communities across a rural area that includes two national parks, with the majority of the stunning Lake District National Park in our district, as well as western parts of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. With friendly communities, low crime rate, cultural attractions and excellent motorway and West Coast Mainline links to the North West, South Lakeland rightly promotes itself as the ‘best place to live, work and explore.’

We Are South Lakeland.

Some Detail about the role

This is a key role in the regulation and enforcement of private sector housing standards and disabled facilities grants process; also contributing towards strategy and policy development aimed at improving standards in the private rented sector.

You will be pivotal in ensuring that the Council meets its statutory duties in relation to: Housing Health and Safety Ratings System & Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. You will assist in the delivery of all aspects of the private sector housing service including undertaking housing inspections and enforcement action, immigration visits, licensing of HMO, grant applications and approvals, providing specialist support and advice to both internal colleagues and external stakeholders.

You will be working closely with; our case management colleagues, landlords, tenants and agents, as well as liaising with the Fire Service, Social Services, and Environmental Protection amongst others to improve housing standards in the area.

What we are looking for in you; high level of customer care, enthusiasm, forward thinking, innovation, collaborative working, excellent communication skills.

You will be responsible for your own casework working closely with the housing standards case managers and assist in developing and delivering projects, interventions and initiatives together with strategy teams in line with corporate and business plans. You will be required to have a willingness to work flexibly across the council when service demands. You will develop and maintain accurate and up to date records, use Flare and Integra software, be fully proficient in the use of Microsoft Office software and Excel.

In addition you will:

• Demonstrate experience in; using the HHSRS, inspections and enforcement under the Housing Act 2004. Including drafting schedule of works where necessary.
• Independently travel across the district inspecting homes.
• Ideally be a member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.

What we offer

• Being part of an innovative, forward thinking, supportive and solutions focused team
• Smart working – Working in a ways that gets the best outcomes 
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Generous Annual Leave Entitlement (23 days holiday per annum + Bank Holidays (raising to 28 days after 5 years service))
• Flexi time – being able to accrue up to 13 additional flexi days + 5 additional banked flexi days per annum
• An attractive pension scheme

Equality of opportunity

We are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want this to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and identities including from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as these groups are under-represented at SLDC, particularly at senior level. As part of our commitment to employing disabled people, all disabled candidates who meet the minimum requirement for vacancies will be guaranteed an interview.

Would you like to join us, share and develop the experience and above all, make a difference…?

For further information including the Role Profile and details of how to apply, please visit us at https://www.southlakeland.gov.uk/your-council/job-vacancies/

To accompany your application, please upload a CV summarising your employment history, qualifications and relevant experience. Please note, we are unable to accept CVs alone for job vacancies.

For an informal discussion about the role, please do not hesitate to contact Amanda Pharaoh, in the first instance by e mail – Amanda.pharaoh@southlakeland.gov.uk

Candidates that are shortlisted for interview will be informed by email.

Closing date for application: Sunday 12 December 2021

Interviews will be held:  Week Commencing 04 January 2022