Technical Officer

Soha Housing Limited; East Hagbourne; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Soha Housing is seeking a Technical Officer to support the management of repairs and maintenance across residential properties. The role offers hybrid working with home, office, and site visits, and requires inspecting occupied homes, planning repairs, and coordinating contractors.

You will liaise with residents and internal teams, ensure health and safety compliance, and prepare detailed reports, specifications and schedules of work. A UK driving licence is essential.

Qualifications

• ONC or recognised qualification in Building, Construction, Surveying or a related discipline.
• Experience diagnosing building defects and specifying effective repair solutions across residential properties.
• Knowledge of responsive repairs, property maintenance and contract management, ideally within a social housing environment.
• Experience inspecting occupied homes and managing repair works from identification through to completion.
• Good understanding of housing, health and safety and landlord legislation, with knowledge of HHSRS, damp and mould management and Awaab's Law advantageous.
• Experience collaborating with contractors and internal teams to deliver high-quality repair and maintenance services.
• Strong customer focus, with experience handling enquiries, complaints and challenging situations professionally.
• Ability to manage a varied workload, prioritise and meet deadlines.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to build relations with residents, colleagues and contractors.
• Ability to prepare clear technical reports, specifications and schedules of work.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and Soha housing management systems (QL).
• Proactive, solution-focused approach with attention to detail and commitment to service.

Responsibilities

• Assist in managing repair and maintenance of Soha properties per policies and contracts.
• Carry out inspections of occupied properties, identify defects and specify repair solutions.
• Plan, coordinate and monitor repairs to meet deadlines and budgets.
• Collaborate with Soha Response and internal teams to deliver high-quality repairs.
• Respond to repair enquiries and complaints with excellent customer service.
• Undertake stock condition surveys of Soha properties.
• Prepare specifications and schedules of work, obtain quotations and tender when needed.
• Support disrepair claims management from expert reports to completion and post-inspection.
• Coordinate with HHSRS Surveyors to address hazards per regulations.
• Provide technical advice to colleagues across Customer Services, Planned Maintenance, Housing and Soha Response.
• Assist with other Property Services tasks to ensure safe, well-maintained homes.

Skills

Building defects diagnosis

Contract management

Customer service

Communication

Time management

Report writing

Team collaboration

Driving licence

Education

ONC or equivalent in Building/Construction/Surveying

Tools

Microsoft Office

Soha housing management systems

QL

Job description

This is a full-time role (8.30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday) within Soha's Property Services team, delivering a high-quality responsive repairs and maintenance service to our residents. The role offers hybrid working, combining home working, office-based collaboration and site visits.

As a Technical Officer, you will assist in the management of the repair and maintenance of Soha's homes, carrying out inspections, coordinating repairs and providing technical advice. Working closely with residents, Soha Response and other internal teams, you will help ensure homes are safe, well maintained and that customers receive an excellent service.

Key Duties

• Assist in the management of the repair and maintenance of Soha’s properties, ensuring all works are delivered in accordance with organisational policies, procedures and contractual requirements.
• Carry out technical inspections of occupied properties, identifying defects and specifying appropriate repair solutions.
• Plan, coordinate and monitor repair works to ensure they are completed on time, within budget and to the required quality standards.
• Work closely with Soha’s in house contractor, Soha Response, to support the effective delivery of a high-quality responsive repairs service.
• Respond to repair enquiries and complaints, providing excellent customer service and keeping residents informed throughout the repair process.
• Undertake stock condition surveys of Soha properties.
• Prepare detailed specifications and schedules of work, obtaining quotations and tendering works where required.
• Support in the management of disrepair claims by coordinating and monitoring works identified within expert reports, from instruction through to completion and post-inspection.
• Work collaboratively with HHSRS Surveyors to coordinate and deliver remedial works arising from identified property hazards, ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical advice and support to colleagues across Customer Services, Planned Maintenance, Housing and Soha Response.
• Assist with other Property Services activities, projects or tasks as required, helping to deliver safe, well-maintained homes and excellent services to residents.

What you will need;

• ONC or recognised qualification in Building, Construction, Surveying or a related discipline.
• Experience of diagnosing building defects and specifying effective repair solutions across a range of residential properties.
• Knowledge of responsive repairs, property maintenance and contract management, ideally within a social housing environment.
• Experience of inspecting occupied homes and managing repair works from identification through to completion.
• A good understanding of relevant housing, health and safety and landlord legislation, with knowledge of HHSRS, damp and mould management and Awaab's Law being advantageous.
• Experience of working collaboratively with contractors and internal teams to deliver high-quality repair and maintenance services.
• Strong customer focus, with experience of handling customer enquiries, complaints and challenging situations sensitively and professionally.
• The ability to manage a varied workload, prioritise competing demands and meet agreed deadlines.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive working relationships with residents, colleagues and contractors.
• The ability to prepare clear technical reports, specifications and schedules of work.
• Good IT skills, including experience of using Microsoft Office and Soha housing management systems, QL.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach with strong attention to detail and a commitment to delivering excellent customer service.

A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use

The Company

Soha Housing is a successful, award winning, community-based mutualised housing association working in and around Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties. Our team help to provide homes and services for affordable rent and properties for shared ownership.

With exciting changes in the way we’re working, we are now expanding our team. If you are interested in joining a friendly, supportive organisation and you share our vision for strong, vibrant and sustainable communities, where everyone can find a home, then we’d like to hear from you.

• Residents First

We put people at the heart of our decisions, which are made with humanity.

• Constantly Learning

We are constantly learning and restless about excellence. We incentivise curiosity, and act to make things better, as we learn from every experience.

• One Team

We take ownership of our work and lead from the front.

• Kindness in Truth

We strive for honesty, clarity, and kindness in all our relationships and we treat feedback as a gift, wanting to see staff, residents and communities fulfil their potential.

• Fewer Better Rules

We operate with fewer, better rules as we value simplicity, expecting everyone to solve problems, exercise good judgement and take responsibility.