Technical Officer Housing Standards

North East Combined Authority; Blyth; Hybrid; GBP 37,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible and hybrid working

Generous annual leave

Job summary

Northumberland County Council's Environmental Health Housing Standards Team is seeking a Technical Officer to support housing standards, enforcement and private rented sector compliance across the county. The role is based in Blyth at Eddie Ferguson House, with a fixed-term of 2 years.

You will undertake property inspections, assist with HHSRS hazard assessments, help prepare case files and liaise with landlords, tenants and partner organisations.

Qualifications

• Experience in housing standards, environmental health, housing management, or property inspection.
• Knowledge of housing legislation and enforcement processes.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage priorities.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Undertaking inspections of residential properties.
• Assisting with hazard assessments using HHSRS.
• Supporting enforcement with case files and evidence.
• Liaising with landlords, tenants, agents and partners.
• Providing advice to property owners and occupiers.
• Assisting with licensing, empty homes and wider housing standards.
• Maintaining records and contributing to performance monitoring.

Skills

Housing standards experience

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Teamwork

Job description

Technical Officer (Environmental Health Housing Standards)

Strategic Housing Service

Based at Eddie Ferguson House, Blyth

Fixed term for 2 years

The Team

Northumberland County Council's Environmental Health Housing Standards Team is continuing to expand and develop its regulatory role across the private rented sector. Following the successful growth of the service since its transition into Strategic Housing in April 2025, we are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and motivated Technical Officer to support the delivery of our housing standards, enforcement and private rented sector compliance functions, including the Council's emerging responsibilities under the Renters' Rights Act.

The Housing Standards Team is based in Blyth and forms part of the Council's Strategic Housing Service, which also includes responsibility for homelessness, asylum and refugee support, empty homes, selective licensing, travellers and wider strategic housing functions

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and ambitious team committed to improving housing conditions and delivering positive outcomes for residents across Northumberland.

The Role

Reporting to the Environmental Health Manager (Housing Standards), the successful candidate will support the delivery of the Council's housing standards service through a wide range of technical, investigative and enforcement-related activities.

The role will involve:

• Undertaking inspections of residential properties across the county.
• Assisting with the assessment of hazards using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
• Supporting the enforcement of housing legislation, including the preparation of case files and evidence.
• Liaising with landlords, tenants, managing agents and partner organisations.
• Providing advice and guidance to property owners and occupiers.
• Assisting with licensing, empty homes and wider housing standards initiatives.
• Maintaining accurate records and contributing to service performance monitoring.

The post offers a varied workload within a fast-paced environment, reflecting the diverse mix of urban, rural and coastal communities across Northumberland.

About You

We are looking for an individual with:

• Experience of working in housing standards, environmental health, housing management, property inspection or a related field.
• Knowledge of housing legislation and enforcement processes, or a willingness to develop this expertise.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• The ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• A commitment to delivering high-quality services and positive outcomes for residents.

Why Choose Us

• A salary of £36,581 to £40,444
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• A wide range of employee benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• Ongoing training, professional development and career progression opportunities.
• The opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of Northumberland residents.

Northumberland County Council is committed to supporting the development of its employees and offers excellent opportunities for training, professional development and career progression within a growing and ambitious service.

If you are passionate about improving housing conditions, protecting residents and contributing to the future development of housing enforcement in Northumberland, we would welcome your application.

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.