Senior Private Sector Initatives Officer (Selective licensing)

Northumberland County Council; Blyth; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Northumberland County Council in Blyth is seeking a Senior Private Sector Initiatives Officer to drive the Selective Licensing Scheme within the Place and Regeneration directorate.

You'll combine enforcement expertise with partnership working and customer engagement to raise housing standards, support landlords, and improve outcomes for residents and communities across Blyth during the licensing period.

Qualifications

• NVQ level 4 or equivalent in Housing or Environmental Health.
• Recent experience in housing or environmental health to show thorough knowledge.
• Experience of selective licensing schemes or Housing Standards, including enforcement.

Responsibilities

• Administer and manage Selective Licensing applications, renewals, and variations.
• Undertake inspections of licensed properties to assess compliance with licence conditions and standards.
• Provide advice to landlords, agents, and tenants on legal requirements and best practices.
• Monitor compliance and take proportionate action where breaches are identified.
• Carry out enforcement activity from informal advice to formal notices, civil penalties, and legal proceedings.
• Maintain accurate case records and contribute to performance reporting.
• Prepare correspondence, notices, and reports as required.
• Liaise with internal and external partners to support scheme objectives.
• Undertake lone working and site visits in line with health and safety procedures.
• A full UK Driving Licence is required.

Skills

Team player

Housing enforcement experience

Selective licensing experience

Education

NVQ level 4 or equivalent in Housing or Environmental Health

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Eddie Ferguson House, Blyth

Senior Private Sector Initatives Officer (Selective licensing)

Job Reference ncc/TP/57/3413/MC

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Permanent

Working Hours:

37

Location:

Closing Date:

13/10/2026

Job Category:

Housing

Region / Division:

UK Region

Directorate:

Place and Regeneration

Job Introduction

Senior Private Sector Initiatives Officer

Are you passionate about raising housing standards and improving outcomes for tenants and communities? We're looking for a Senior Private Sector Initiatives Officer to play a key role in delivering Blyth's Selective Licensing Scheme. This is an exciting opportunity to use your housing enforcement expertise to drive positive change, support responsible landlords, tackle poor housing conditions, and help create a safer, better-managed private rented sector. Working within a dedicated and supportive team, you'll have the opportunity to make a visible impact on local neighbourhoods while helping to shape and develop the scheme throughout its licensing period.

This role is ideal for a housing professional who thrives on balancing enforcement, partnership working, and customer engagement, and who is committed to delivering high-quality services that benefit residents and communities across Blyth.

We are looking for:

• A highly motivated and enthusiastic person who is a great team player
• NVQ level 4 or equivalent in Housing or Environmental Health
• With recent experience in this field to show a thorough knowledge in the relevant context.
• Experience of selective licensing schemes or Housing Standards, including enforcement.

Key responsibilities:

• Administer and manage Selective Licensing applications, renewals, and variations
• Undertake inspections of licensed properties to assess compliance with licence conditions and statutory standards
• Provide clear advice and guidance to landlords, agents, and tenants regarding legal requirements and best practice
• Monitor compliance and take proportionate action where breaches are identified, in accordance with council policies and procedures
• Carry out enforcement activity, ranging from informal advice through to formal notices, civil penalties, and legal proceedings where necessary
• Maintain accurate case records and contribute to performance monitoring and reporting
• Prepare correspondence, notices, and reports as required
• Liaise with internal council services and external partners to support scheme objectives
• Undertake lone working and site visits in line with health and safety procedure
• A full UK Driving Licence is required

The post holder will be working in a small team based in Blyth. This is a full-time role on a permanent contract. The selective licensing scheme was approved in October 2024, and we require someone with knowledge and experience in the field to assist us to further develop and deliver the scheme for the duration of the licensing period.

Why Choose Us

• A salary of £41,177 to £45,529
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• A wide range of employee benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement.
• Ongoing training, professional development and career progression opportunities.
• The opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of Northumberland residents.

Further information

For guidance on completing your application and for information about our Equality and Diversity principles, please see the attached guidance notes.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format, please see the alternative methods below. This information will be treated as confidential and will only be used to check that you meet the essential requirements of the post.

Alternative application format:

British Sign Language: northumberlandcc-cs.signvideo.net

For those with speech difficulties or hearing loss: Text relay service dial 018001 01670 623930