Maintenance Contract Officer

Overview

Maintenance Contract Officer – Leeds City Council. Location: Print Unit, Leeds, LS14 1NH. Salary: PO4 £46,142 – £49,282. Hours: 37. Contract: Permanent.

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 Maintenance Contract Officer you will bring to the role:

• Extensive experience of leading a team.
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities whilst delivering on a range of projects and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities.
• To be able to drive a culture through the team that is focused on customers and quality.
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex and conflicting information and report to a wide range of audiences.
• Managing large programmes of work within defined budgets.

About The Role

We are recruiting to a Maintenance Contract Officer post to work alongside repair teams. The post holder will lead a team of technical staff responsible for managing complex repairs cases to council homes, predominantly damp related, through to successful resolution. The team will support the day-to-day repairs service with responsibility for coordinating repairs activity across a range of repairs and maintenance teams and developing and leading on preventative measures to target common problems across the Council’s housing stock.

A strong leader with excellent communication skills is required who has extensive experience and knowledge of managing building maintenance contracts and diagnosing and designing solutions to complex building repair problems.

The post holder must hold a valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle to be used during working hours.

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 application form. Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Ashleigh Driscoll at 07851101889 or email Ashleigh.driscoll@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 £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose: Operational lead and accountability for the delivery of a customer focused repairs service to council owned houses and assets, in-line with all council and departmental performance standards, policies and priorities. Leading and managing a team to ensure the effective day to day management of contractors and Internal Service Providers and appropriate maintenance of council housing assets. Coordinating activity in relation to complex and damp related repair problems and ensuring effective monitoring of asset conditions and the development and delivery of programmes of preventative measures. Ensuring the service delivers excellence and driving innovative, continuous improvements in line with best practice and the Council’s vision and values. Ensuring the repairs service is delivered within available resources and provides overall value for money.

Principal Responsibilities

• Operational lead for the delivery of reactive and planned repairs programmes in-line with all council and departmental performance standards, policies and priorities.
• Manage the service area in compliance with legal, regulatory, contractual and internal requirements.
• Coordinate repairs activity across a range of teams.
• Develop and deliver service plans in collaboration with stakeholders to ensure the continuous and on-going innovation and improvement of the service in-line with council objectives in-order to achieve excellence.
• Develop a value for money, customer focussed service.
• Take ownership for and manage relationships with elected members to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
• Assist with the preparation of individual budgets and the management of spend in-line with agreed budget profiles, including the prioritisation and planning of work.
• Take accountability for the outputs of the service area ensuring adequate and robust audit and risk management procedures are in place.

Leadership Responsibilities

• To lead, manage, motivate and develop team members in accordance with council policies and employment laws, and ensure that relevant procedures are understood and followed.
• To ensure that the team work professionally, competently, and in a forward thinking and customer focused way whilst embracing collaborative partnership working in order to achieve excellence.
• To demonstrate and embed the council Values and Manager Habits to lead, support and drive cultural change.

Essential requirements

Candidates will be shortlisted if they meet all of the following essential requirements.

• Degree Level qualification in Building / Construction or equivalent experience.
• Detailed knowledge of building defects / construction techniques.
• Landlord’s responsibilities in relation to repairs & maintenance.
• Up to date knowledge of social housing and issues affecting the sector.
• Detailed knowledge of construction Health & Safety including asbestos management procedures.
• Considerable knowledge of standard forms of building contracts.

Specific Skills And Competencies

• Experience of negotiation on complex issues within a political environment.
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities whilst delivering on a range of projects and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities.
• Developing and maintaining strong and effective relationships with stakeholders.
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex and conflicting information and report to a wide range of audiences.
• Extensive experience of using Microsoft packages and IT systems.
• Chairing meetings at a senior level.
• To be able to drive a culture through the team that is focused on customers and quality.
• Completion of reports to senior officers in a diligent and accurate manner.
• Extensive experience of project management.
• Appropriate delegation of workload based on skills and experience.
• Extensive experience of problem solving involving complex issues.
• Lead on engagement with managers and contractors in order to effectively progress change.

Experience

• Managing large scale construction contracts.
• Leading on partnership and multi-agency working.
• Extensive experience of managing medium-large projects.
• Managing large programmes of work within defined budgets.
• Extensive experience of leading a team.
• Extensive experience of working within social housing.
• Extensive experience of working within a complex political environment.

Essential Behavioural & Other Characteristics

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon.
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
• Willingness to actively participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements

Not required to meet all the following, but may be used to distinguish between candidates.

• Membership of a professional body, e.g. RICS building surveying.
• Ability to diagnose and develop solutions to complex repair problems.
• Extensive involvement in the procurement of works/services.
• Working with and negotiating with trade unions.
• Working with an Internal Service Provider.
• Undertaking complex service reviews.

We are an equal opportunities employer and value diversity.