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Housing Standards & Assistance Manager
| Posting date: | 04 March 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £56,023 to £63,016 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 24 March 2025 |
| Location: | Sittingbourne, Kent |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 1 day per week |
| Company: | Swale Borough Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: |
Summary
About the Role
You will oversee the Housing Standards and Assistance Team, driving improvement across all tenures to develop and maintain decent and healthy homes in Swale. Ensuring compliance with the Council’s statutory duties and that the Council are ready for the implementation of the forthcoming Renters Rights Bill.
Leading the Housing Standards and Assistance team, you will ensure that the team is developing new ways of working, improving communication methods with residents and seeking out best practice and learning from complaints, to ensure the team is high performing and continuously improving.
You will provide expert technical and specialist advice on private sector housing matters, including substandard housing conditions, houses in multiple occupation and resulting health impacts. You will advise your team on matters relating to housing standards, including interpreting the Housing Act 2004 in compliance with the statutory provisions and government guidance. Ensure that relevant and professional advice, guidance, and information is available in an intelligible and timely fashion to Members and other stakeholders.
You will ensure the statutory licensing function for houses in multiple occupation is adhered to and instigate enforcement action when breaches occur. Keeping under review the Council’s enforcement activities in relation to the standards of Houses in Multiple Occupation
You will take accountability for managing a budget of up to £3 million, ensuring all expenditures comply with regulations and Council policies. Oversee grants and loans programs, such as Disabled Facilities Grants, coordinating with customers, contractors, and agents to ensure timely project completion within budget.
Building successful partnerships with private, voluntary, and public sector organisations you will ensure cost-effective and valued services.
You will be an integral part of the Housing and Communities management team, ensuring that your team contributes to the Council’s Corporate Plan and financial sustainability of the Council.
About Us
Swale Borough Council is a progressive and ambitious Local Authority, located less than an hour from Central London in an attractive and diverse part of Kent, involving urban royal and coastal areas. We believe that staff are our most valuable asset and we’re committed to ensuring and retaining the very best. In recent times, we have adapted and evolved to meet the current world by introducing a highly fixable hybrid working policy, along with a 34-hour week recognising that staff well-being and work life balance is higher now agenda.
About You
You will be a qualified Environmental Health Officer or Building Surveyor with proven experience in managing private sector housing services, including enforcement, grant administration, and home improvement services.
You will have in-depth knowledge of housing standards issues, including enforcement and taking legal proceedings, all relevant housing law, technical building construction knowledge, knowledge of provision of financial assistance including loans and relevant legislation.
You will have demonstrable experience in leading and managing multidisciplinary teams, with a track record of improving performance and outcomes. You will have experience of developing partnerships with appropriate internal partners and external organisations by forming effective relationships, for the benefit of the Council and the local community.
You will have experience of managing staff and developing the people and within the service to deliver efficient and effective services. With the ability to implement and manage change to deliver continuous improvement in the service.
Our Offer:
A range of benefits including:
• 34-hour full time working week with the offices closing at 1:30pm on Friday
• Hybrid working with 7am to 7pm flexi time for most roles
• Additional 3 days leave between Christmas and New year and leave purchase scheme
• Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate work life balance including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part-time
• Employee Assistance Programme which provides access to counsellors
• Local Government Pension Scheme with valuable life cover
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for pension members)
• Free Parking, Season Ticket Loans, Cycle to Work, Lease Car Scheme
• Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
Selection Process:
Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect job specific interview assessment, followed by an interview.
Swale Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to discuss this position, please contact Emma Wiggins, Director of Regeneration and Neighborhoods on 01795 417396.
Closing Date: 30th March 2025
Interview Date: 9th April 2025
You will oversee the Housing Standards and Assistance Team, driving improvement across all tenures to develop and maintain decent and healthy homes in Swale. Ensuring compliance with the Council’s statutory duties and that the Council are ready for the implementation of the forthcoming Renters Rights Bill.
Leading the Housing Standards and Assistance team, you will ensure that the team is developing new ways of working, improving communication methods with residents and seeking out best practice and learning from complaints, to ensure the team is high performing and continuously improving.
You will provide expert technical and specialist advice on private sector housing matters, including substandard housing conditions, houses in multiple occupation and resulting health impacts. You will advise your team on matters relating to housing standards, including interpreting the Housing Act 2004 in compliance with the statutory provisions and government guidance. Ensure that relevant and professional advice, guidance, and information is available in an intelligible and timely fashion to Members and other stakeholders.
You will ensure the statutory licensing function for houses in multiple occupation is adhered to and instigate enforcement action when breaches occur. Keeping under review the Council’s enforcement activities in relation to the standards of Houses in Multiple Occupation
You will take accountability for managing a budget of up to £3 million, ensuring all expenditures comply with regulations and Council policies. Oversee grants and loans programs, such as Disabled Facilities Grants, coordinating with customers, contractors, and agents to ensure timely project completion within budget.
Building successful partnerships with private, voluntary, and public sector organisations you will ensure cost-effective and valued services.
You will be an integral part of the Housing and Communities management team, ensuring that your team contributes to the Council’s Corporate Plan and financial sustainability of the Council.
About Us
Swale Borough Council is a progressive and ambitious Local Authority, located less than an hour from Central London in an attractive and diverse part of Kent, involving urban royal and coastal areas. We believe that staff are our most valuable asset and we’re committed to ensuring and retaining the very best. In recent times, we have adapted and evolved to meet the current world by introducing a highly fixable hybrid working policy, along with a 34-hour week recognising that staff well-being and work life balance is higher now agenda.
About You
You will be a qualified Environmental Health Officer or Building Surveyor with proven experience in managing private sector housing services, including enforcement, grant administration, and home improvement services.
You will have in-depth knowledge of housing standards issues, including enforcement and taking legal proceedings, all relevant housing law, technical building construction knowledge, knowledge of provision of financial assistance including loans and relevant legislation.
You will have demonstrable experience in leading and managing multidisciplinary teams, with a track record of improving performance and outcomes. You will have experience of developing partnerships with appropriate internal partners and external organisations by forming effective relationships, for the benefit of the Council and the local community.
You will have experience of managing staff and developing the people and within the service to deliver efficient and effective services. With the ability to implement and manage change to deliver continuous improvement in the service.
Our Offer:
A range of benefits including:
• 34-hour full time working week with the offices closing at 1:30pm on Friday
• Hybrid working with 7am to 7pm flexi time for most roles
• Additional 3 days leave between Christmas and New year and leave purchase scheme
• Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate work life balance including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part-time
• Employee Assistance Programme which provides access to counsellors
• Local Government Pension Scheme with valuable life cover
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for pension members)
• Free Parking, Season Ticket Loans, Cycle to Work, Lease Car Scheme
• Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
Selection Process:
Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect job specific interview assessment, followed by an interview.
Swale Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to discuss this position, please contact Emma Wiggins, Director of Regeneration and Neighborhoods on 01795 417396.
Closing Date: 30th March 2025
Interview Date: 9th April 2025
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.