Private Housing Standards Team Leader

Connected Local Government; Richmond; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A local governmental agency in Richmond is seeking a Team Leader (Environmental Health Officer) to oversee the Private Housing Standards Service. This role involves managing a team, conducting inspections, enforcing housing regulations, and ensuring safety standards in privately rented accommodations. The ideal candidate will possess a degree in Environmental Health and substantial experience in management and housing legislation. This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a local government pension scheme and employee discount programs.

Benefits

Local government pension scheme with 18.1% contribution

Salary sacrifice schemes

Employee discounts

Travel loans

Confidential wellbeing support

Qualifications

• Degree in Environmental Health and registration as an Environmental Health Officer.
• Experience supervising staff and managing conflicts in housing.
• Knowledge of housing and environmental health legislation.

Responsibilities

• Manage a team of Officers to improve housing standards.
• Conduct inspections of accommodation and enforce regulations.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders to build effective relationships.

Skills

Management experience

Excellent communication skills

Knowledge of housing legislation

Investigative and analytical skills

Education

Degree in Environmental Health (BSc or MSc)

Job description

Are you someone who has a passion for helping others? Are you looking for a role that can make a real difference to the lives of our residents?

If so, you are just what we are looking for!

Our Service

The purpose of our Private Housing Standards Service is to improve housing standards, ensuring all privately rented accommodation is well managed, properly maintained, safe and habitable. This is achieved by providing advice and guidance and where necessary by enforcing relevant legislation to deliver the Councils statutory Housing functions.

The role

As a Team Leader (Environmental Health Officer), you are fundamental to ensuring the successful delivery of the Private Housing Standards Service. The role manages a team of Private Housing Standards Officers and Environmental Health Officers across various locations within North Yorkshire.

You will be required to provide a proactive, expert, and timely approach to raising housing standards in the private sector. As well as carrying out the following duties yourself, you will also support officers to provide high-quality support and a full range of effective interventions including advice and education, undertaking inspections of accommodation, investigating complaints and where appropriate take necessary enforcement action to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of our residents.

You will also:

• Provide supervision and management oversight to staff within the team, undertaking the allocation of workload, monitor performance and resolve workload issues as they arise.
• Carry out people management processes such as recruitment, development, and absence management, setting targets, providing feedback on performance and effectively addressing development and learning issues.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders, building effective relationships with partner organisations, public agencies, and the private sector.
• Carry out a range of interventions including advice and education, inspection/audit of accommodation using a risk-based system (HHSRS) investigating complaints.
• Ensure that residential accommodation is to a safe and decent standard and where necessary take enforcement action.
• Taking the lead in enforcement and regulation, preparing, and serving legal notices in accordance with the Council’s Private Housing Standards Enforcement Policy.
• Support staff with collating evidence and preparing cases for legal proceedings.
• Assist in maintaining selective/additional licensing areas, mandatory HMO inspections and licensing in accordance with the Housing Act 2004 and associated legislation.
• Deliver an excellent customer focused service.

For more details, please see the attached job description.

What you will bring

You will have a Degree in Environmental Health (BSc or MSc), be a qualified Environmental Health Officer registered by the Environmental Health Registration Board and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.

The successful applicant will also have:

• Experience of management, supervision or support of staff.
• Experience of working within housing and of managing conflict and complaints informally and formally.
• Knowledge of current housing and environmental health legislation and practice and of the relationship with other public agencies, knowledge of Police and Criminal Evidence Act and experience of court proceedings.
• A high level of investigative, analytical, and interpretative skills and have the ability to make fast paced decisions based upon evidence presented within an ever-changing environment.
• Excellent communication skills are a must, both written and oral with the ability to problem solve and find pragmatic solutions, and experience of working independently managing conflicts, complaints and a busy caseload.
• An understanding of the political context and the ability to operate sensitively and efficiently within a political environment.

Working for us

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of great benefits to help you financially and make life a bit easier.

These include:

• A local government pension scheme with 18.1% employer contribution
• Salary sacrifice schemes
• Employee discount benefits including shopping, supermarkets, gym discounts and more!
• Travel loans
• Health Assured – confidential help and support for your wellbeing

Click on our Total Rewards Brochure at the bottom of this advert to see the full range of benefits.

Contact and Apply

If you are interested in learning more about our opportunity, please contact Emma Jesper [e-mail] for an informal conversation.

To apply please click the Apply Now link below.