Housing Assistant (Former Tenant Arrears) - #1792007

Job title: Housing Assistant FTA

Salary: B3 *GBP*25,584 - *GBP*27,269

Hours:37 Hours

Contract: Permanent

Location: Merrion House

Do you have what it takes to contribute to our collection of Former Tenants arrears?

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Former Tenants Arrears Team at an important and challenging time. You will contribute to collecting Former Tenants Arrears following processes and working closely with colleagues across Housing Management and external partners. You will ensure that we maximise the collection of arrears of former tenancies and offer support and advice.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions .

About You

As a Housing Assistant, you will bring to the role:

• You will work within a small team of officers working in relation to rental income.
• You will have good communication skills and be able to develop and maintain strong relationships with colleagues across the council and with partners within the housing and benefits sectors.
• Experience of Debt collection practises and managing methods of repayment
• To use IT applications and databases effectively to deliver tasks. Operate relevant equipment/ICT packages e.g. word, excel, databases, spreadsheets, Internet
• Ability to work on own initiative and to meet conflicting deadlines
  
  
  

About The Role

As a Housing Assistant within FTA, you will be a valuable part of a small Team that is crucial in maximising the recovery of Former Tenancy Arrears debts to LCC; ensuring a professional and satisfactory conclusion.

What We Offer You

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
  
  
  

How To Apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Jo-Anne Arnett. Tel: 3784225 or email: jo-anne.arnett@leeds,gov.uk

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least *GBP*38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose Debt Recovery for Former Tenant Arrears

To deliver an efficient customer focused service by ensuring maximum performance levels towards continuous improvements in all areas of housing management services

To contribute to providing a responsive and sensitive service to customers by processing customer enquiries to a satisfactory conclusion.

To provide administrative support to the team.

Responsibilities

• In liaison with the manager/senior officer, to be responsible for ensuring delivery of a high quality and efficient services.
• To assist in providing a range support services for internal and external customers
• To work as part of a team of housing advisors to provide customer focused services.
• To liaise with colleagues in order to prioritise work to meet conflicting deadlines.
• To maintain accurate records and track progress of work.
• To assist with the induction of new staff including the demonstration of duties.
• Ordering and monitoring stock supplies.
• Preparing routine correspondence and standard letters and forms.
• Managing meeting rooms and dealing with hospitality and signing-in of visitors.
• Assist with the arrangements for conferences, forums and other events.
• Act as the first point of contact for visitors and customers both in person and on the telephone.
• Provide an excellent customer service to customers, colleagues and visitors.
• To use IT applications and databases effectively to deliver tasks. Operate relevant equipment/ICT packages e.g. word, excel, databases, spreadsheets, Internet
• To input and retrieve data using computerised systems.
• To collate and prepare information from a variety of sources.
• Operate relevant equipment/ICT packages e.g. word, excel, databases, spreadsheets, Internet
• Undertake general financial and administration duties.
• Attend and participate in relevant meetings as required and to take notes at meetings.
• Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to safeguarding, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• Understand and abide by the Council equal opportunities policy in the duties of the post and as an employee of the Council.
• Participate in training and other learning activities and performance development as required.
• To gather information from service users to assess the service required.
• Make appropriate referrals for housing support as and when required.
• Contact with tenants using various forms of communication.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
• Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and appropriate CPD programmes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards, and equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol, and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
  
  
  

Economic Conditions: Hybrid working.

Annual Leave: 24 days plus 5 days pa for 5 years local government service pro rata plus statutory holidays

Hours: 37 hours per week

Flexitime: Eligible to participate in flexi-time scheme

Conditions of Service: NJC Conditions apply.

Qualifications Personal Specification

Method of assessment will be through one or more of the following application form, test, interview, and certificate.

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.

• Basic knowledge of the role of the Council Housing Service and its responsibilities in managing homes and communities.
• Basic knowledge of current housing issues.
• Debt Recovery awareness and confident to request payments.
  
  
  

Skills required

• Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
• Ability to deal with the general public in a responsive manner.
• Ability to deal with high volumes of enquiries both at the public counter and over the telephone.
• Ability to demonstrate patience and understanding with service users.
• Ability to deal with relevant procedures and maintain standard documentation.
• Ability to advise service users on relevant procedures.
• Ability to work within a team.
• Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively both face to face in writing and by telephone.
• Ability to demonstrate Customer Care
• To adhere to LCC Financial Rules and Regulations and Standing Orders.
• Ability to use computerised systems.
• Ability to record and maintain information received from all sources accurately.
• To provide a welcoming environment to service users.
• To assist other members of staff with duties when required.
• To work unsupervised
• A good level of numeracy and literacy skills
  
  
  

Knowledge required

• Knowledge of Debt Recovery practises
  
  
  

Experience required

• Of working in a customer facing environment
• Of working as part of a team
  
  
  

Behavioural and other Characteristics required

• Committed to continuous improvement.
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills, and continuous professional development
• Understand and embrace our values, behaviours and codes of conduct.
  
  
  

Desirable requirements It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates. Skills required

• Basic awareness of customer engagement
  
  
  

Knowledge required

• An awareness of Social Housing
  
  
  

Experience required

• Of working in an office environment
• Of working in a Debt collection environment
  
  
  

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