Private Rented Sector Officer

Manchester City Council; Manchester; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Essential Car Allowance

Generous holiday allowance

Job summary

Manchester City Council is recruiting Private Rent Sector Officers in the PRS Team within the Homelessness Directorate. The role involves managing a varied caseload and working with service users both face to face and by phone to secure accommodation.

You will negotiate with landlords, inspect properties for safety and standards, and complete training in line with housing, health & safety requirements. Excellent communication and negotiation skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication, written and verbal.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Strong negotiation and property inspection abilities.

Responsibilities

• Manage a busy caseload of homeless households in the private rented sector.
• Source accommodation by meeting landlords/letting agents locally and beyond.
• Inspect properties for health and safety standards and ensure decency before lets.

Skills

Communication skills

Planning & organising

Creative thinking

Problem solving

Administrative skills

IT literacy

Job description

Working Hours: 35 Hours Per Week

Contract Type: Full-Time Permanent

Additional Payments: Essential Car Allowance

Closing Date: 07 October 2026

Closing time: 11.59pm

Interview Method: Face to Face

Applicants must have existing right to work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

This role is subject to:

• 2 References - where possible we require 3 years' history.
• Essential Car Documentation - This post is a designated Essential Car User. Therefore, you must always hold a full valid driving licence and provide your own car for use at work. You will receive the Essential Car User Allowance.

Driving Licence – The successful candidate should hold a full clean driving licence as you will be required to drive a vehicle adhering to council regulations.

DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance - this post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended in 2013). Appointable candidates will be required to apply for an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Information provided by you or the DBS will be dealt with in a confidential manner and in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice which can be viewed here. We have a policy on the Employment of Ex-Offenders and it is available upon request.

We are looking to recruit Private Rented Sector Officers in our PRS Team within the Homelessness Directorate. You will work in a busy team, managing a varied caseload. You will be required to work with a variety of service users, both face to face and over the telephone. The role will involve looking for accommodation for households who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. You will be required to source accommodation to resolve clients homeless journey within the private rented sector. This role will involve meeting landlords / letting agents inside and outside of Manchester to secure accommodation. You will require excellent communication skills both verbally and written. The ability to negotiate effectively is an essential requirement of this role. You will be required to inspect properties to ensure they are health & safety compliant and are to a decent standard ahead of lets being arranged full training will be provided in line with Housing, Health & Safety System requirements (HHSRS).

You must have good communication skills and have the ability to negotiate successfully.

Essential requirements for the role:

• Communication Skills: Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, accurately and in ways that promote understanding.
• Planning and Organising Skills: Demonstrate the ability to organise multiple tasks in the most effective way and allocate time and energy according to task complexity and priority.
• Creative Skills: Ability to think creatively and provide innovative solutions to problems. Has ability to develop new approaches to finding solutions outside of existing parameters.
• Problem Solving and Decision Making Skills: Ability to analyse situations, diagnose problems, identify the key issues, establish and evaluate alternative courses of action and produce a logical, practical and acceptable solution. Ability to make effective decisions on a day-to-day basis, taking ownership of decisions, demonstrating sound judgment in escalating issue where necessary. Be logical in thinking and explain reasoning behind decisions or actions taken.
• Administrative Skills: Good level of literacy and numeracy skills to undertake calculations and produce letters and other documentation.
• IT Skills: Skills to use ICT systems to obtain and analyse data and present it effectively through a variety of ICT channels

We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities.

Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer

• Generous holiday allowance- Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
• A buzzing pension- You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave- Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
• Brilliant perks- Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow- We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
• A Good Employment Charter member- We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave- Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panels minimum shortlisting requirementS for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long-term condition

When You Join Us

We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email [e-mail].

What we will need from you if you're successful

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement ofemployment.This is not arole we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.

Pre-Employment Checks

If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for. As a guide, these checks may include:

• Proof of Right to Work: You’ll need to provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the UK.
• References: We’ll require references from your current and previous employer(s).
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: A criminal record check may be necessary, depending on the role.
• Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) Clearance: BPSS clearance is primarily used for roles that involve access to government data, systems, or assets. It ensures that individuals meet basic security requirements and can be trusted with sensitive information
• Driving Licence: If the role requires driving, we’ll need evidence of your valid driving licence.

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.

Other relevant information

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

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