Communities Project Officer

Fox Morris Group Ltd; Rugby; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A local council organization in Rugby is seeking a Communities Project Officer for a 3-6 month full-time contract. This role involves leading the Navigation Way Phase 2 project, coordinating lease offers, tenant support, and compliance checks. Ideal candidates possess strong project coordination skills, a background in housing management, and excellent communication abilities. The position requires on-site work at the Town Hall in Warwickshire, offering a competitive hourly rate and a chance to contribute to building community foundations.

Qualifications

• Strong project coordination and organisational skills.
• Experience in housing, income collection, allocations, tenancy management and support.
• Excellent communication and data handling abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Navigation Way Phase 2 project to let new properties.
• Coordinate tenancy support, rent collection, and tenant settlement.
• Ensure sign-up documentation and information packs are complete.
• Coordinate with Housing Services for property offers and tenancy visits.

Skills

Project coordination

Communication skills

Problem-solving abilities

Organisational skills

Experience in housing management

Job description

Communities Project Officer – Housing, Rugby Borough Council – CV212RR

3 - 6 Months Contract – Full time – £24.78 per hour UMB – 5 days on site – Based at Town Hall, Evreux Way, Warwickshire, CV212RR.

Overview

Lead the Navigation Way Phase 2 project to let 49 new properties, coordinate sign‑ups, tenancy support, rent collection and tenant settlement to build a new community.

Key Accountabilities

• A. Phase 2 Delivery & Project Coordination
  • Lead day‑to‑day coordination for Phase 2, ensuring timely and efficient delivery.
  • Monitor programme timelines, identify risks or delays, and help drive solutions across services.
  • Attend regular project meetings and multi‑team briefings, providing updates on progress and outstanding actions.
  • Undertake site visits pre‑ and post‑handover to track readiness, defects and emerging issues.
• B. Lettings, Allocations, and Household Moves
  • Work with the Allocations Team to analyse applicant data and support the Local Lettings Plan.
  • Coordinate property offers in collaboration with Housing Services, ensuring suitability checks are completed.
  • Liaise with Housing Services to conduct tenancy visits for prospective transferees and support planned moves.
  • Lead on tenancy sign‑ups for Phase 2 units as they become available.
• C. Tenant Support & Onboarding
  • Ensure sign‑up documentation and information packs are complete, including guidance on property features such as energy‑efficient systems.
  • Provide early tenancy support where required (utilities, setting accounts, accessing services).
  • Ensure benefit take‑up, change of address for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit and develop good payment practices and income maximisation.
  • Help ensure tenants receive a positive welcome and smooth transition into their new homes.
• D. Property Setup, Systems & Compliance
  • Ensure Phase 2 properties are added to relevant contracts (cleaning, grounds maintenance, compliance checks, fire safety, etc.).
  • Coordinate with internal teams to ensure accurate setup on housing management systems, repairs and mobile working systems, and asset management databases.
  • Conduct basic data quality checks once properties are added.
  • Communicate with Out‑of‑Hours services to keep them updated and provide correct defect handling instructions.
• E. Repairs, Defects & Handover
  • Work with Repairs and Asset teams to ensure properties are correctly established on operational systems and recorded with defect liability details.
  • Identify and escalate outstanding build issues, snagging or follow‑up works that may impact tenant move‑ins.
• F. Community & Resident Engagement
  • Deliver welcome events, community engagement activities and early tenant‑involvement programmes.
  • Support initiatives that promote community cohesion and the long‑term sustainability of the neighbourhood.
• G. Communications & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Coordinate with Communications Team to provide accurate messaging for councillors, partners and the public.
  • Update internal and external stakeholders, highlighting achievements such as growth of social housing stock.

Key Outcomes for Phase 2

• Successful and timely handover of remaining Navigation Way properties.
• Smooth, efficient tenant onboarding and support.
• Accurate and compliant set‑up of all units across housing, asset and repair systems.
• Effective communication with residents, professionals, stakeholders and partners.
• Continued contribution to increasing the Council's social housing stock and improving local housing outcomes.

Requirements

• Strong project coordination and organisational skills.
• Ability to work confidently across multiple teams and disciplines.
• Experience in housing, income collection, allocations, tenancy management and support or related fields.
• Excellent communication, data handling and problem‑solving abilities.
• Commitment to high‑quality tenant experience and service improvement.