Localities Housing Officer

Birmingham City Council; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Birmingham City Council is seeking a customer-focused Housing Officer to deliver a proactive housing management service to residents. You will handle complex tenancy issues, enforce tenancy rules, support residents with welfare benefits and access to services, and work with partners to resolve housing problems.

Join a team committed to improving tenancies, preventing homelessness and sustaining vibrant neighborhoods across Birmingham.

Qualifications

• Experience in housing management and tenancy legislation.
• Ability to handle complex cases and maintain accurate records.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex housing management cases, including escalations from Neighbourhood Officers, ensuring issues are investigated thoroughly and resolved in accordance with Council policies and procedures.
• Investigate and respond to complaints, enquiries and tenancy breaches, taking appropriate action to address anti-social behaviour, potential housing fraud and other tenancy management concerns.
• Provide advice and guidance to residents on tenancy matters, housing options, welfare benefits, budgeting and income maximisation, helping them sustain their tenancies and access relevant support.
• Work collaboratively with statutory, voluntary and community organisations to resolve complex housing issues, participate in multi‑agency meetings and make appropriate safeguarding referrals where required.
• Engage with residents and community groups, encouraging participation and providing clear information on housing options, including social housing, private rented accommodation, mutual exchanges and other available solutions.
• Maintain accurate case records and management information, monitor performance against agreed targets and contribute to reports, recommendations and service improvement activities.
• Ensure all work complies with relevant housing legislation, Council policies, equality and diversity requirements, data protection, safeguarding and health and safety procedures.

Job description

We're looking for a customer-focused and experienced Housing Officer to deliver an effective, responsive housing management service for Birmingham City Council's residents. You'll manage a varied caseload, including complex tenancy issues, complaints, escalated enquiries and breaches of tenancy. Using prevention, early intervention and enforcement approaches, you'll work to sustain tenancies, address anti-social behaviour and ensure council homes and neighbourhoods are managed in line with relevant legislation, policies and procedures. Working closely with residents, colleagues and external partner agencies, you'll help resolve housing-related issues, provide practical advice and support residents to access appropriate services. You'll also contribute to improving service delivery, maintaining accurate records and achieving positive outcomes for individuals and communities across Birmingham.

• Manage complex housing management cases, including escalations from Neighbourhood Officers, ensuring issues are investigated thoroughly and resolved in accordance with Council policies and procedures.
• Investigate and respond to complaints, enquiries and tenancy breaches, taking appropriate action to address anti-social behaviour, potential housing fraud and other tenancy management concerns.
• Provide advice and guidance to residents on tenancy matters, housing options, welfare benefits, budgeting and income maximisation, helping them sustain their tenancies and access relevant support.
• Work collaboratively with statutory, voluntary and community organisations to resolve complex housing issues, participate in multi‑agency meetings and make appropriate safeguarding referrals where required.
• Engage with residents and community groups, encouraging participation and providing clear information on housing options, including social housing, private rented accommodation, mutual exchanges and other available solutions.
• Maintain accurate case records and management information, monitor performance against agreed targets and contribute to reports, recommendations and service improvement activities.
• Ensure all work complies with relevant housing legislation, Council policies, equality and diversity requirements, data protection, safeguarding and health and safety procedures. Experience working within a housing management environment, with an understanding of tenancy management, relevant housing legislation and associated policies and procedures.
• Experience managing a varied caseload, including complex tenancy issues, complaints, customer enquiries and breaches of tenancy.
• Strong communication and customer service skills, with the ability to engage professionally with residents, colleagues and external stakeholders, including when dealing with sensitive or challenging situations.
• Excellent organisational and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands, manage deadlines and maintain accurate case records.
• Experience of partnership working and multi‑agency collaboration to resolve housing‑related issues and support residents with complex needs.
• The ability to provide clear, practical advice and guidance on housing options, tenancy sustainment and relevant support services, recognising safeguarding concerns and making appropriate referrals.
• A proactive and inclusive approach, with a commitment to delivering high‑quality housing services, promoting resident involvement and achieving positive outcomes for Birmingham's communities. Please upload an up‑to‑date CV and Supporting Statement via the attachments part of your application. The Supporting Statement should outline how you meet the criteria for the role through your personal qualities, skills and experience and include your motivation for applying to the post. Note the Personal Statement should be no more than 1500 words. Unfortunately, we cannot consider any applications without a CV and Personal Statement attached

• A Prosperous Birmingham: through a focus on inclusive economic growth, tackling unemployment, attracting inward investment, and maximising the benefits of the Commonwealth Games.
• An Inclusive Birmingham: through a focus on tackling poverty and inequality, empowering citizens, promoting diversity and civic pride, and supporting and enabling all children and young people to thrive.
• A Safe Birmingham: through a focus on making the city safer, safeguarding vulnerable citizens, increasing affordable housing, and tackling homelessness.
• A Healthy Birmingham: through a focus on tackling health inequalities, encouraging physical activity and healthy living, supporting mental health, and improving outcomes for adults with disabilities and older people.
• A Green Birmingham: through a focus on street cleanliness, improving air quality, continuing the route to net zero, and becoming a city of nature.

Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people. We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application.

Working for Birmingham City Council is more than just a job; it's about making life better for the 1 million plus people who live and work in the city.

The Council is a fantastic place to work. You will find an organisation that is both challenging and supportive; with a leadership impatiently adventurous in its pursuit of excellence. There is a clear vision which is ensuring that the Council is working for communities today and building for tomorrow, we focus our resources on five key priorities:

We see the Council's role as providing strategic leadership - that's being able to visualise a new future for the city and equipping others to share our vision. We want to ensure the provision of services for all, so we can support those least able to support themselves by working with partners and putting citizens and neighbourhoods at the heart of our decision‑making. We are always looking for people who put the customer at the centre of their approach, with a commitment to excellence to help us achieve our vision. We will support you to develop and thrive in your role, building a pathway for long‑term success, with lots of development opportunities, such as apprenticeships.

In return, we offer you excellent terms and conditions, generous annual leave, a great pension scheme, well‑being support, annual travel passes and discounts at a number of city centre establishments.