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About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Council's Housing Allocations Team. As a Housing Allocations Officer, you will collaborate within a team to deliver the Council's housing allocations scheme, ensuring fair and efficient allocation of social and affordable housing in North Northamptonshire. Your role will involve assessing applications, providing guidance to applicants, and liaising with internal and external stakeholders to match housing applicants with available properties. You will also contribute to policy implementation, maintain accurate records, and uphold high standards of customer service, while supporting the team to achieve shared goals and meet key performance targets.

We currently have one position available:

• Full Time (37 Hours Per Week, Monday to Friday)

What will you be doing?

• You will investigate, interview, analyse, and respond to customer enquiries in writing, verbally, or in person and take any appropriate action necessary.
• You will ensure that an accurate, comprehensive record is kept of all interactions with applicants and partner agencies (written and verbal) and that all files are maintained to a high standard to assist monitoring, decision-making and effective case management.
• You will attend training and keep your knowledge updated on any IT software required to carry out the role including the participation of any upgrades and user testing.
• You will assist in the production of information leaflets, delivery of public events in the community to promote the housing allocations service and ensure that information relating to the service is kept up to date on the customer housing portal and Council website.
• You will work closely with the Housing Options Team to assist with the effective prevention and resolution of homelessness.
• You will develop and maintain close working relationships and ensure effective communication with partner registered providers, private landlords, Council services and a wide range of other stakeholders that are involved in the functions of housing need, allocations, lettings and the management of social housing.
• You will ensure that housing applicants experience a seamless and well-coordinated allocations service.
• You will assist in training internal and external partners, voluntary and statutory agencies.
• You will ensure the accurate collection of data and information to assist performance monitoring, forecast future need for the service and implement agreed service improvements.
• You will contribute to reviews (including consultations) of the housing allocations scheme and associated procedures.
• You will maintain professional competence and a working knowledge of housing allocations legislation, guidance and developments.
• You will comply with the Council's full range of policies and procedures including the Council's housing allocations scheme.
• You will represent the Council on a variety of meetings, forums and multi-agency panels, as required, and ensure that the information required to assist those meetings is communicated in an appropriate and timely manner.
• You will contribute to the ongoing development and efficiency of the scheme and service.
• You will provide support to the Senior Housing Allocations Officer, Housing Allocations Team Leader and Housing Allocations Manager by undertaking other tasks to enable the efficient and high-quality delivery of the housing allocations service, as and when required.

About you

• You will have demonstrable experience in a housing related role within a local authority, housing association or voluntary organisation.
• You will have knowledge of housing legislation and associated subjects particularly an understanding of Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996 as amended.
• You will have experience of working efficiently in partnership with a range of stakeholders.
• You will have experience in delivering measurable improvements in service delivery.
• You will have the ability to prioritise and manage your own workload whilst being an effective problem solver.
• You will have excellent oral and written communication skills and can speak English fluently.
• You will be able to prepare and present reports and compile and interpret complex information.
• You will have excellent IT skills, including an ability to use web-based software, Excel and Word and a willingness to undertake further training as required.
• You will have the ability to relate to individuals at all levels of the Council and other organisations, including Members and be an effective, motivating, and supportive team player.
• You will have the ability to undertake research and consultation exercises and interpret statistical information for performance management purposes.
• You will have the ability to effectively manage and oversee service improvement projects.
• You will be able to work under pressure and public scrutiny and deliver results to tight deadlines.
• You will have excellent negotiation and advocacy skills, and the drive and commitment to achieve positive outcomes.
• You will have the ability to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of equal opportunities and other people's behaviour, physical, social and welfare needs.
• You will have a full driving licence and access to your own transport for work purposes.
• You will be willing to work outside normal office hours as necessary.

This post will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.

You can find more details about this post in the job description and person specification attached.

Our Benefits

Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.

You’ll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!

Why choose us?

We offer a vibrant working environment with:

• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
• lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
• generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.

We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.

About us

Our Values and Behaviours

Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:

Customer-focused
Respectful
Efficient
Supportive
Trustworthy

Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

Disability Confident Employer

We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Our Employment and Disability Service provides bespoke support to individuals facing barriers to employment, helping them work towards their goals to start, stay and succeed in employment. For further information please click here The Employment and Disability Service (EADS) | North Northamptonshire Council

Armed Forces Community

The council obtained the Gold status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).

Further information can be found at Jobs and careers | North Northamptonshire Council (northnorthants.gov.uk)