Housing Assistant

Leeds City Council; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Hybrid working

West Yorkshire Pension Fund

Career development

Job summary

Leeds City Council's Housing Leeds service is seeking a Housing Assistant to deliver high quality housing management support across council homes in Leeds. You will handle customer contact, admin tenancy tasks and contribute to a positive customer experience for residents and communities.

The role requires experience in a customer-facing environment, strong communication, data entry and teamwork, with flexible and hybrid working arrangements and a clear career development path.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a customer facing environment.
• Strong customer focus, putting customers at the heart of everything you do.
• Able to communicate effectively and sensitively with customers and colleagues.
• Able to follow relevant procedures and use systems to record and maintain information.
• Work effectively as a team to ensure tasks are completed.

Responsibilities

• Provide high quality housing management services to meet customer needs.
• Support tenancy management activities for council housing tenants.
• Be the first point of contact for visitors and customers, in person and on the phone.
• Maintain accurate records and monitor progress of work.
• Input and retrieve data using computerised systems and IT packages.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Teamwork

Procedures and systems

Data entry

Tools

Word/Excel

Databases

Job description

Job title: Housing Assistant
Salary: B3 £26,403 - £28,142
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent & Temporary
Location: Various locations

As a Housing Assistant you’ll thrive on providing high quality customer care and making a difference for residents and communities of Leeds, supporting Housing Leeds’s ambition to be the best local authority housing provider in the UK.

Housing Leeds is part of Leeds City Council, managing 54000 Council homes across Leeds. Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About You

As a Housing Assistant, you will bring to the role:

• Experience of working in a customer facing environment
• A strong customer focus, putting customers at the heart of everything you do
• Be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with customers and colleagues
• Be able to follow relevant procedures and use systems to record and maintain information
• Work effectively as a team to ensure that tasks are completed

About The Role

The Housing Assistant role is responsible for supporting tenancy management activity for Council Housing tenants, including managing customer contact and administering tenancy management procedures for one of our housing offices or teams. As our next Housing Assistant you’ll be responsible for working as a team to ensure that a range of customer contact and administration tasks are completed on time and to a high standard.

What We Offer You

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is ranked 70 on the Stonewall Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age friendly employer, a Mindful employer and a Disability Confident leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description

Job Purpose:

To provide quality housing management services to meet the needs of customers and communities, making a positive contribution to the social and physical environment of the area.

Principal Responsibilities:

• In liaison with the manager/senior officer, to be responsible for ensuring delivery of a high quality and efficient services.
• To assist in providing a range support services for internal and external customers.
• To work as part of a team of housing advisors to provide customer focused services.
• To liaise with colleagues in order to prioritise work to meet conflicting deadlines.
• To maintain accurate records and track progress of work.
• To assist with the induction of new staff including the demonstration of duties.
• Ordering and monitoring stock supplies.
• Preparing routine correspondence and standard letters and forms.
• Managing meeting rooms and dealing with hospitality and signing-in of visitors.
• Assist with the arrangements for conferences, forums and other events.
• Act as the first point of contact for visitors and customers – both in person and on the telephone.
• Provide an excellent customer service to customers, colleagues and visitors.
• To use IT applications and databases effectively to deliver tasks. Operate relevant equipment/ICT packages e.g. word, excel, databases, spreadsheets, Internet.
• To input and retrieve data using computerised systems.
• To collate and prepare information from a variety of sources.
• Operate relevant equipment/ICT packages e.g. word, excel, databases, spreadsheets, Internet.
• Undertake general financial and administration duties.
• Attend and participate in relevant meetings as required and to take notes at meetings.
• Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to safeguarding, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• Understand and abide by the Council’s equal opportunities policy in the duties of the post and as an employee of the Council.
• Participate in training and other learning activities and performance development as required.
• To gather information from service users to assess the service required.
• Make appropriate referrals for housing support as and when required.
• Contact with tenants using various forms of communication, including visits to tenants in their own homes.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:

It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities:

Skills Required

• Ability to deal with the general public in a responsive manner.
• Ability to deal with high volumes of enquiries both at the public counter and over the telephone.
• Ability to demonstrate patience and understanding with service users.
• Ability to deal with relevant procedures and maintain standard documentation.
• Ability to advise service users on relevant procedures.
• Ability to work within a team.
• Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively both face to face in writing and by telephone.
• Ability to demonstrate customer care.
• To adhere to LCC Financial Rules and Regulations and Standing Orders.
• To handle cash accurately.
• Ability to use computerised systems.
• Ability to record and maintain information received from all sources accurately.
• To provide a welcoming environment to service users.
• To assist other members of staff with duties when required.
• A good level of numeracy and literacy skills.

Knowledge Required

• An awareness of customer care.

Experience

• Of working in a customer facing environment.
• Of working as part of a team.

Behavioural & Other Related Characteristics Require

• Demonstrate a commitment to Council Values.
• Positive and flexible approach to change.
• Commitment to maintaining a healthy and safe environment.
• Willing to support and promote equality and diversity.
• Commitment to providing excellent service to customers.
• Commitment to personal learning and development.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS:

It is desirable that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates are not required to meet all the Desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.

Skills Required

• Of working in an office environment.

Knowledge Required

• Knowledge of the role of the Council Housing Service and its responsibilities in managing homes and communities.
• Knowledge of current housing issues.
• Awareness of customer engagement.
• An understanding of equality issues.