OLDHAM COUNCIL

Principal Housing Strategy Officer – Allocations

Ref: G9/OL-82683

Contract: Permanent – Full Time

Salary: £42,503 - £46,549 per annum

Location: Hybrid working with some working from home and some office-based work at the Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham OL1 1AN

Role Overview:

The role will make a significant impact on the borough's Housing Strategy by leading the implementation of housing projects, ensuring timely delivery within budget and in line with guidelines.

The role will also take charge of strategic initiatives, including commissioning, planning, and development work - driving service re-design and meeting key objectives.

Managing the Tenancy Relations Team, the role will lead a team responsible for offering advice and support to tenants and landlords on what their responsibilities and legal obligations are in accordance with the law.

Key Responsibilities

• To lead, develop and deliver the Council’s Temporary Accommodation Strategy ensuring an effective supply of accommodation to be used as statutory interim accommodation and also longer term, move on accommodation to ensure housing needs are met, contributing to sustainable communities ensuring that the Council fulfils its statutory requirements at all times
•   To be responsible for the development of a broad range of strategic housing plans, projects and initiatives to help meet identified objectives in support of Oldham’s Housing Strategy and associated or linked corporate documents including the commissioning of identified services to meet those objectives and associated performance monitoring and management of associated contracts.
•   To account for assigned budgets, monitoring and reporting on income and expenditure as necessary, including directly influencing the budget setting and long-term financial planning, demonstrating value for money in the delivery of housing services
•   To be responsible for the operational delivery of the Tenancy Relations Team within the Housing Options Service including management supervision of the Tenancy Relations Officers, and Business Support Officers.

Key Requirements

To succeed in this role, you will need as a minimum:

• Experience of procuring and managing temporary accommodation placements ensuring value for money and effective move on ensuring the Council is fully compliant with its statutory obligations
• A good understanding of the housing market challenges locally and regionally.
• Experience of housing finance and the management and monitoring of revenue and capital budgets, e.g. Housing Revenue Account, General Fund, Housing Investment Programmes to set and manage budgets including financial forecasting.

Oldham Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like support with this application, an interview or interested in looking at any courses that could help with this position please get in touch with Get Oldham Working.

NB. - Any candidate that meets the criteria of our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme and meets the essential criteria of the role, will be guaranteed the first stage of assessment (whether that is an interview or another assessment, as appropriate).

Our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme supports candidates with disabilities, carers, those who are aged 24 or under and have previously been in or currently in care, and those whose last long term substantive employer was the Armed Forces.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Oldham Council, we are committed to creating a fair and inclusive workplace that is as diverse as the communities we serve. We aim to develop a culture of respect, where differences are recognised regardless of background. We aim to be an employer of choice by engaging in fair and open recruitment processes and Applications are encouraged from all communities across the borough to create a workforce that represents the diversity of our population.

About Us

Oldham is committed to developing a Co-operative future; one where citizens, partners and staff work together to improve the borough.  Anyone joining the council is coming into an ambitious organisation with big plans. We are working hard to build a brighter future for our borough, and we need people from a wide range of backgrounds to continue delivering the best for our communities.

The Council has a clear set of Values and Behaviours, our Values outline how we do business, and we share these borough wide with our residents, partners, and businesses.  Internally we have translated these values into five cooperative behaviours which outline the priority areas of focus for all staff at all levels.

Please note that should a vacancy that has been released for internal or external recruitment be deemed suitable for an at-risk employee, it can be pulled back at any point up to the post being formally offered to an external candidate or an internal candidate that is not at risk of redundancy.

Closing date: 23 November 2023.