Housing Assistant in Leeds

As a Housing Assistant you’ll thrive on providing high quality customer care and making a difference for residents and communities of Leeds, supporting Housing Leeds’s ambition to be the best local authority housing provider in the UK. Housing Leeds is part of Leeds City Council, managing 54,000 Council homes across Leeds.

About you

• Experience of working in a customer facing environment
• A strong customer focus, putting customers at the heart of everything you do
• Be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with customers and colleagues
• Be able to follow relevant procedures and use systems to record and maintain information
• Work effectively as a team to ensure that tasks are completed

About the role

The Housing Assistant role is responsible for supporting tenancy management activity for Council Housing tenants, including managing customer contact and administering tenancy management procedures for one of our housing offices or teams. As our next Housing Assistant you’ll be responsible for working as a team to ensure that a range of customer contact and administration tasks are completed on time and to a high standard.

What we offer you

• 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

Apply for this job online by completing 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 Peter Wajdner by phone on 0113 378 5638 or by email peter.wajdner@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 Purpose:

To provide quality housing management services to meet the needs of customers and communities, making a positive contribution to the social and physical environment of the area. 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. 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’s 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, including visits to tenants in their own homes.

Personal specification

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.

Knowledge required

• An awareness of customer care.

Skills required

• 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.
• To handle cash accurately.
• 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.
• A good level of numeracy and literacy skills.

Desirable requirements

• Skills of working in an office environment.
• Knowledge of the role of the Council Housing Service and its responsibilities in managing homes and communities.