Housing Assistant, Pullar House, Perth - PKC13469

Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job; it's about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.

A new and exciting opportunity has arisen within the Central Arrears Team. We are looking for an energetic, driven, and innovative individual for the role of Housing Assistant. You will be responsible for monitoring rent accounts, providing advice and assistance to maximise tenants’ incomes, and arranging and monitoring repayment plans.

You will communicate with our customers by using various methods of contact including face to face, telephone, home visits, and through written correspondence. You will report to the Senior Housing Officer of the Central Arrears Team.

The standard hours of work for this role are Monday to Friday from 8.45 to 5pm, but due to the level and nature of the post, there will be an expectation that you will work flexibly, which could include evenings and weekends for attending public meetings/events or other business-critical tasks.

Skills & Experience Required

• You should have a good understanding of financial matters, with additional budgeting skills.
• We are looking for a good team player who understands the need to work collaboratively with colleagues across housing and our external partners, recognising and valuing other people’s strengths.
• You must be able to work on your own initiative in an organised and structured manner with minimal supervision.
• You will be able to identify and resolve problems independently, offer solutions, and work to a “Think YES” approach.
• You will be someone who wants to make a difference and is committed to providing a high-quality service to our customers.
• You should have a clear focus on the customer and ensure that you are committed to improving their experiences.
• You will have a non-judgemental attitude, be empathetic, and sensitive to the needs of our customers.
• You should be able to communicate effectively.
• We are looking for a highly organised and motivated individual who is enthusiastic, innovative, and creative.
• You should be someone who uses a coaching style to help others to find their own solutions.
• You should have the ability to have difficult conversations and resolve issues at an early stage rather than allowing them to develop.
• As this role will have its challenges, it is crucial that you are resilient to deal with these hurdles and that you have strength of character and are solution-focused to achieve the intended outcomes.
• A good basic knowledge of Housing Legislation and professional best practice is required, as well as a thirst for keeping your own learning up to date and being open to ongoing personal development.
• Knowledge of Health and Safety legislation is necessary, ensuring that this is factored into your own working practices and any dealings with customers.
• You will apply confidentiality appropriately, taking account of data protection and other legal and regulatory requirements.
• You must have experience of working in Housing or another customer service setting, particularly in debt recovery/income maximisation.
• You should have a good working knowledge of the benefit system and be qualified to CIH Level 3 Certificate/Diploma in Housing/willing to work towards this or hold an equivalent level in a relevant discipline.
• You will be computer literate with proven IT skills and competent in the use of all Microsoft packages.
• You must have a valid driving licence and access to a vehicle for work use to undertake this role, as this post requires you to travel to a variety of locations across Perth and Kinross.
• You will bring a positive energy, embrace change, and work with the business to ensure optimum service is always provided.

Working at Perth & Kinross Council

Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours.

Here's what we can offer you:

• A generous annual leave package
• 6 days public holiday and an additional discretionary day
• Eligibility to join our pension scheme
• Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering, and our Wellbeing Framework
• Flexi time
• Access to a range of benefits

We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this. You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager if this is of interest to you. A healthy work-life balance is important to us, and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

Next Steps

We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Leigh Thow, Senior Housing Officer on 01250 871308 to find out more.

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 referees, including email addresses. One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

Internal applicants applying for secondment must obtain line manager approval through the secondment form available under My Forms – Secondment Request Form on MyView. Please note that secondment requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post. Please contact the hiring manager above or the Recruitment Team on (01738) 475555 or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments.

Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements. That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

To comply with Baseline Personnel Security Standard, you will be required to complete a Disclosure Scotland check. If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.

A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the above-mentioned mandatory pre-employment checks (including references) and will also include eligibility to work in the UK, qualifications, and fitness to undertake the post.