The following content displays a map of the jobs location - North Northamptonshire Council
Private Sector Housing Business Support Officer
Job Reference Ref/4471/5679
Our benefits
Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.
You’ll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!
Why choose us?
We offer a vibrant working environment with:
- a competitive salary
- a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
- lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
- generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
- hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.
We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.
About the role
Purpose of the job:
-
Business and administrative support for Private Sector Housing functions to allow for an effective and efficient delivery of statutory services, for all end users.
-
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) Licensing administration processes and provision of high-quality customer service to applicants and their representatives, ensuring they receive correct advice and guidance in accordance with all relevant licensing regulation and procedures.
Principal responsibilities
- To manage the Private Sector Housing generic mailbox, respond to new enquiries, allocate and record new service requests on the database and give advice verbally from incoming phone calls.
- Support Private Sector Housing Officers with drafting and issuing out standardised letters.
- Advise potential licensing applicants on the correct application process for Houses in Multiple applications, processed by the unit via telephone, email, postal forms.
- To check and process applications for Licences in accordance with current procedures.
- To administer the consultation process for applications to include assimilation of all information and corresponding with relevant agencies and representatives.
- Interrogation of internal and external databases to support the maintenance of correct record keeping and document verifications, including accurate records for fees billing and supplier payments.
- Maintaining accurate records on the licensing database/register.
- Utilising online system(s) for electronic applications and fees.
- Production and issue of Licences to prescribed timescales.
- To provide excellent customer service when liaising with the public, the police, fire officers and other responsible authorities /regulatory bodies.
- Checking correct licensing fees are paid and receipted accurately.
- Accurate file maintenance and record keeping while being sensitive to the requirements of the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act
- Production and issue of any reports of data needed by any of the Private Sector Housing Managers.
- Supporting the maintenance of accurate and current application forms, guidance, information and notices on the unit’s website pages.
- To keep abreast of relevant changes to legislation and associated guidance.
- Assist with other Private Sector Housing team members, as and when required dependent on service needs, with issues such as energy enquiries and general administration of the wider service.
- Support continuous improvement of the service.
What will you be doing?
General responsibilities applicable to all jobs:
- Demonstrate awareness/understanding of equal opportunities and other people’s behavioural, physical, social and welfare needs.
- Comply with the Council’s policies and procedures including (but not limited to) safeguarding, financial regulations, promotion of equalities, customer care, agreed audit actions and health and safety (ensuring that reasonable care is taken at all times for the health, safety and welfare of yourself and other persons).
- Undertake learning and development as agreed in probationary reviews, personal development reviews or any such framework in order to meet corporate, service and individual targets. The post-holder must be prepared to gain, additional relevant technical qualifications as the demands of the service may require and will be expected to have a professional approach to the furtherance of his/her knowledge in all areas of the Council’s work and to promote personal and professional development.
- Act as a service representative on relevant working groups, as directed by the PSH manager.
- Ensure that feedback from customers is relayed to a PSH manager.
- Ensure that the website and intranet are kept up to date by providing information to content editors.
- Ensure that newsworthy events and achievements within the postholder’s remit are brought to the attention of the manager.
- The post holder must be willing to travel, must hold a valid, current UK driving licence and provide their own car.
- This job description is not intended to be inclusive nor exhaustive. The Council reserves the right to vary the duties within the responsibility of the grade of the post and the post-holder’s qualifications and experience in the light of changed circumstances. The post-holder will be required to adapt him/herself to changing situations and be prepared to keep abreast of all new developments affecting his/her duties.
About you
Person Specification:
|
Attributes |
Essential criteria |
Desirable criteria |
|
Education, Qualifications and Training
|
Educated to GCSE standard Grade C or above (or equivalent) in Maths and English, or equivalent experience. Minimum of 5 GCSEs. Experience in an administration/customer service environment and in dealing with enquiries and communicating with the public. |
Administration qualification. Licensing administration experience. Familiar with licensing legislation. Qualifications or training in customer care or customer service/NVQ Level 2 Business Administration/RSA II or equivalent. |
|
Experience and Knowledge |
Excellent communication skills. Excellent organisational skills. Ability to work to tight deadlines. Computer literate in the use of Microsoft Windows applications and the Internet. Database experience. Excellent Customer Service skills. Attention to detail. Ability to handle difficult situations. Ability to follow written procedures and processes |
|
|
Ability and Skills |
Able to analyse technical and financial information and make sound judgements Able to problem solve and develop appropriate solutions Able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and manage/prioritise own workload Ability to work to tight deadlines and be flexible in work approaches. Demonstrate excellent communication skills level of written and oral communication and IT user skill. Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with a wide range of customers, stakeholders, and partners. |
|
|
Equal Opportunities |
Ability to demonstrate awareness/understanding of equal opportunities and other people’s behaviour, physical, social and welfare needs. |
|
|
Additional factors |
Demonstrate an understanding of the safe working practices that apply to this role. |
|
About us
Our Values and Behaviours
Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:
Customer-focused
Respectful
Efficient
Supportive
Trustworthy
Our Key Commitments
Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.
We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.
North Northamptonshire Council re-signed the Armed Forces Covenant in June 2024 which highlights the Council’s pledge to support the Armed Forces community. The council obtained the silver status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) and we are now currently working towards achieving Gold status.
We aim to be a carbon neutral Council by 2030.
Further information can be found at Jobs and careers | North Northamptonshire Council (northnorthants.gov.uk)