Housing Enabling Officer

Inside Housing Management; East Devon; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - GBP 43,000; Full time

Job summary

A local governmental organization in Sidmouth is seeking a proactive Housing Enabling Officer to enhance affordable housing in East Devon. This role involves maximizing development opportunities, negotiating agreements, and providing community support. The ideal candidate should have knowledge of housing and planning, along with strong communication and negotiation skills. Flexible working options are available. Join a forward-thinking team dedicated to shaping innovative housing solutions for local communities.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Opportunities for professional development

Supportive and collaborative environment

Health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Candidates must have knowledge of housing, development, viability or planning.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills are essential.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.

Responsibilities

• Maximise affordable housing through the planning process.
• Negotiate S106 agreements and manage commuted sums.
• Identify development and acquisition opportunities.
• Support community‑led housing and advise on affordable home ownership.
• Work with partners to deliver high quality homes.
• Use Right to Buy receipts effectively.

Skills

Knowledge of housing, development, viability or planning

Strong communication skills

Negotiation skills

Ability to juggle priorities

Work independently

Job description

Housing Enabling Officer
£36,363 - £42,839 per year
Permanent
Full-time with a range of flexibilities, including hybrid working, aligned to our Worksmart arrangements
East Devon

“Shape Homes. Shape Futures.”

Are you passionate about delivering real solutions to the housing challenges facing communities today? Do you want a role where you can directly influence affordable housing delivery, unlock development opportunities, and collaborate with partners to make a lasting difference?

We’re looking for a proactive and motivated Housing Enabling Officer to help us deliver the right homes, in the right places, at the right price for East Devon.

What you’ll do:

• Maximise affordable housing through the planning process
• Negotiate S106 agreements and manage commuted sums
• Identify development and acquisition opportunities
• Support community‑led housing and advise on affordable home ownership
• Work with partners to bring forward deliverable, high‑quality homes
• Use Right to Buy receipts effectively to support new supply

What you’ll bring:

• Knowledge of housing, development, viability or planning
• Strong communication, negotiation and partnership skills
• Ability to juggle priorities and work independently
• A valid driving license and own car are essential (reasonable adjustments may be possible according to the Equality Act).

Why join us?

You’ll be part of a forward‑thinking team committed to increasing affordable housing across East Devon. Your work will have a direct impact on local residents, helping deliver homes that genuinely meet community needs. You’ll also benefit from:

• Flexible working arrangements
• Opportunities for professional development
• A supportive and collaborative environment
• The chance to shape innovative housing solutions and lead exciting projects.

Our recent Local Government Association Peer Challenge highlighted that ‘EDDC is a great place to work, with engaged staff and members’ and that’s certainly true! You will be part of a Gold Investors in People (IiP) organisation which works together with local people to create great value services and an outstanding community, economy and environment in which people want to live, work, visit and enjoy now, and for future generations. And with our wide range of health and wellbeing benefits, our highly flexible and collaborative hybrid Worksmart working arrangements as well as our commitment to continuous learning and development, you can be confident of joining a dedicated community of colleagues who are Happy, Healthy and Here.

Join us and play a key role in shaping the future of housing in East Devon.

For more about working for East Devon District Council, visit https://eastdevon.gov.uk/careers/working-at-eddc/

For an informal discussion, please contact Liam Reading, Assistant Director – Programmes, Investment & Development on 01395 517419 or email [e-mail]; or Tim Laurence‑Othen, Housing Projects Officer on 01395 571615 or email [e-mail]

To apply online, please visit https://jobs.eastdevon.gov.uk/itliveeddc_webrecruitment/wrd/run/etrec179gf.open?WVID=4869826SR6&LANG=USA&VACANCY_ID=146697Btj0

Closing date: 10 March 2026 at midnight.

Interviews will be held during week commencing 23 March 2026.