Principle Housing Enforcement Officer

Southwark Council; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Southwark Council is seeking a Principal Enforcement Officer to lead private sector housing enforcement in the London borough. You will investigate breaches, guide colleagues, mentor staff, and represent the council in court and tribunals, driving enforcement action and service improvement.

You will collaborate with partner agencies, influence policy, and ensure safe, compliant housing for residents, delivering robust enforcement outcomes across Southwark.

Qualifications

• Experience in Private Sector Housing Enforcement.
• Knowledge of housing enforcement legislation and tenancy matters.
• Experience preparing legal documents and presenting in court.
• Strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to manage a demanding caseload and provide specialist advice.

Responsibilities

• Lead on complex housing enforcement cases and investigations.
• Provide expert guidance to colleagues and stakeholders.
• Mentor junior officers and trainees.
• Represent the council in court proceedings, tribunals and public inquiries.
• Contribute to service development, performance improvement and policy implementation.
• Help ensure the private rented sector within Southwark is safe, compliant and well managed.

Skills

Private Sector Housing Enforcement

Housing enforcement legislation

Investigations & enforcement action

Legal documentation & court evidence

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Job description

Do you see yourself using your housing enforcement expertise to protect residents and improve standards across the private rented sector?

Can you use your knowledge of housing legislation to tackle complex cases and deliver meaningful outcomes for local communities?

Does the idea of joining one of London's leading local authorities and helping shape a fairer, safer borough excite you?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

Our Housing Enforcement Service is looking for a passionate and dedicated Principal Enforcement Officer to join our amazing team and help make a difference today. Working within Regulatory Services, you will play a key role in protecting residents, improving housing standards, and supporting robust enforcement activity across the borough.

What You'll Be Doing

As a Principal Enforcement Officer, you will provide specialist expertise within the Private Sector Housing Enforcement and Licensing Team, taking a leading role in investigating breaches of housing legislation and ensuring appropriate enforcement action is taken where required.

You will:

• Lead on complex housing enforcement cases and investigations.
• Provide expert guidance and support to colleagues and stakeholders.
• Mentor and support junior officers and trainees.
• Work collaboratively with partner agencies, including the Police and London Fire Brigade.
• Represent the council in court proceedings, tribunals and public inquiries.
• Contribute to service development, performance improvement and policy implementation.
• Help ensure the private rented sector within Southwark is safe, compliant and well managed.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a knowledgeable and proactive enforcement professional with a passion for protecting residents and delivering excellent regulatory services.

You will have:

• Demonstrable experience within Private Sector Housing Enforcement.
• In-depth knowledge of housing enforcement legislation, including tenancy-related enforcement matters.
• Experience of undertaking investigations and taking enforcement action in accordance with relevant legislation and enforcement protocols.
• Experience preparing legal documentation and presenting evidence in court.
• Strong stakeholder management and partnership-working skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to manage a complex and demanding caseload effectively.
• The confidence to provide specialist advice and support to colleagues and partners.

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification located at the bottom of the advert.

• The duties of this post may involve working outside normal working hours.

Advert close date: 11:59pm on 27th September

Interview date: W/C 5th October

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Southwark Council will only contact candidates through official Council recruitment channels. We will not ask you to provide passport details, proof of address, National Insurance number, bank details or payment at application stage. These checks are only requested at the onboarding process, once an offer of employment has been made. If you're unsure whether a communication you've received is genuine, please contact the Resourcing team directly on [e-mail] before sharing any personal information.

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

Salary Range (Full time equivalent) £50,175 - £57,495