May 2017

Dear Applicant

Housing & Community Engagement Officer

Thank you for your interest in this position. Enclosed is the information you will require to assist you incompleting your application.

To apply please can you:

  • Complete the Application Form
  • Complete Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
  • Indicate on the Application Form if you cannot attend any of the interview dates.

Please note that applications can only be considered if all the above documentation is completed.

It is not mandatory to complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form. The informationrequested is for monitoring purposes in line with our commitment to equality and diversity, and will notaffect the outcome of your application.

Once complete, please send your application, preferably in MS Word format, by email to

The closing date for completed applications is 5pm on Thursday, 15 June 2017. Any applications received after this time cannot be considered.

It is your responsibility to ensure that we have received your application. If you do not receive

confirmation of receipt of your application from us within 24 hours of sending, please call 01387 321300 and ask to speak to the OD/HR team to ensure it has arrived. You should also ensure that you use a secure email address from which to send your application, as our system will filter out emails if it believes them to have been sent from unsecured sites that are often used to send spam emails. In order to avoid last minute IT issues, we also ask that you allow yourself ample time to submit your application in advance of the

deadline.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing.

If you require any further information, or would like a discussion about the role, please contact me on 01387 321350 and I will make the necessary arrangements with our Regional HousingManager(East).

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Kirsty Robertson

HR Assistant

Welcome

Launched in 1982, Loreburn now owns around 2,500 properties located throughout Dumfries & Galloway,from Langholm in the east to Stranraer in the west, with many developments in the rural communities of the Region. We operate in one of the most beautiful areas of Scotland and our Vision is to Create Great Places to Live.

Loreburn has been providing both housing and support since it was formed in 1982. We employ around 100 members of staff, with office bases in Dumfries and Stranraer. Our Chief Executive, Lorraine Usher, joined us in March 2015 and since then we have undergone a full strategic review. With a refreshed vision, mission and strategic objectives we restructured our business in the autumn of 2015 and in spring 2016 the new Loreburn was launched. We have a small subsidiary D&G Homes which will be reviewed in 2016/17.

Loreburn is led by a Management Committee of committed volunteers who work collaboratively with the Executive Management Team to shape a business that can deliver great results for our customers. We hold Investors in People Gold and we are keen to build on our success and continue to develop our enthusiastic and energised employees.

Our vision is to Create Great Places to Live with a mission of working together to achieve that. Our strategic priorities are:

  • Great Homes
  • Great Services
  • Great People
  • Great Results

We are ambitious for our business and looking for an exceptionally talented individual to join us as Housing & Community Engagement Officer. You will be people focussed, resilient and able to manage change. If you believe you have the skills and values to contribute to our business then please continue reading.

Good Luck with your application.

From,

Everyone at Loreburn

Management Committee

  • John McNaught Convener
  • Brian Pattinson Vice-Convener
  • Derek Rodgers Secretary
  • Maureen Farrell
  • Jim Hogg
  • Ronald Jardine
  • Lynda Cameron
  • Mike Jones
  • Robin Wishart
  • Iain Fergusson
  • Russell Brown
  • Peter Ward
  • Jane Connechen

Executive Management Team

  • Chief Executive Lorraine Usher
  • Director of Operations Amanda Yellowley
  • Director of Finance & Corporate ServicesAlison Anderson

Management Team

  • Supported Housing Manager Becky Shields
  • Customer Engagement Manager Joanne Gordon
  • Housing, Income & Community EngagementJoanne Weir (East)

ManagersDonna McCulloch (West)

  • Asset Manager Pete Paton
  • Head of Partnership & New InitiativesMoira Charters
  • Head of Continuous ImprovementFiona Neilson
  • ICT Manager Simon Macdonald
  • Head of Organisational Development & HRLindsay Lauder
  • Project Manager (Interim)Katie Russell
  • Finance & Procurement ManagerGary Alison
  • Development ManagerGraham Robertson

Role Profile

Reporting to: Housing and Community Engagement Team Leader

Salary band:E

Scope of work:Housing and Community Engagement service delivery across general needs properties across the east / west of the region. This role carries no line management or budget responsibilities.

Purpose of job:

  • To support the Housing and Community Engagement Team achieve the corporate vision Creating Great Places to Live by developing an exceptional community engagement wraparound service offer that enhances the traditional housing service.
  • To work as part of community based team driving Loreburn’s corporate vision and delivering measureable outcomes which contribute to our strategic ambitions of Great Homes, Great Service, Great People and Great Results
  • As part of the Housing and Community Engagement Team to adopt a holistic approach to engaging customers through a range of opportunities around learning, wellbeing, health and independence.
  • As part of the Housing and Community Engagement Team develop and sustain strong relationships with key strategic partners and likeminded agencies

1.0 Community Engagement

1.1Encourage and enable customers to become active participants in community engagement activities especially those that promote learning, wellbeing, health and independence.

1.2Adopting a flexible and responsive culture supporting people to get the most from the place they live.

1.3Work effectively with colleagues and commissioned partners, local authorities, partner agencies and other stakeholders developing relationships which help deliver organisational goals and ambitions.

1.4Work proactively to secure external funding that expands and improves Loreburn’s community engagement wraparound offer.

1.5Deliver excellent community engagement opportunities that contribute to the strategic ambition Creating Great Places to Live.

1.6Working as a team build and develop strong relationships with key partners engaging them in collaborative working to enhance our internal customer offer around social inclusion, employability, training, health and wellbeing.

1.7Foster and maintain collaborative relationships with colleagues across teams, ensuring effective liaison building a culture of continuous review.

2.0Partnership Working

2.1Build and develop strong local relationships with key partner agencies engaging them in collaborative working to provide services that enhance and expand our internal customer offer.

2.2Foster and maintain collaborative relationships with external agencies and colleagues across teams to maximise the impact of our wraparound service.

2.3Adopt a proactive and innovative approach to creating new opportunities that continuously improve our wraparound service offer.

2.4Working as a team identify and source additional external funding streams that enhance the holistic / wraparound customer offer and wherever possible match investment from Loreburn

3.0 Neighbourhood Services / Housing Management

3.1Working as a team deliver an exceptional community based housing management serviceensuring customer enquiries are resolved at first point of contact.

3.2To provide a customer focused housing service including sign ups, NTV, estate inspections, void management, ASB management and resident involvement, all in line with best practice and up to date legislation

3.3Deliver a consistent and reliable customer focused, value for money, proactive service that contributes to the achievement of key strategic targets and goals.

3.4Adhere to Housing Management quality assurance guidance and government standards.

3.5Work collaboratively with the Customer Services Team to encourage customer engagement and involvement in service improvements.

3.6Working as a team maintain a strong performance management culture, achieving high levels of customer satisfaction and ensuring agreed targets and quality standards are met.

4.0Value for Money and Budgets

4.1 Utilising information provided by the Finance Team, ensure a value for money approach is adopted making best use of financial resources.

4.3Working as a team identifying and planning effective use of internal and external resources that enhance the wraparound offer.

5.0 Community Engagement and Funding

5.1Working as a team encourage and enable customers to become active participants in community activities especially those that promote learning, wellbeing, health and independence.

5.2Work with the Customer Service Champion to ensure that the engagement and involvement structure works in practice.

5.3Working as a team develop relationships with commissioned partners, local authorities and partner agencies to enhance community engagement and leveraging any potential community funding

5.4 Contribute to corporate strategies ensuring community based service delivery is at the heart of Loreburn’s wraparound service offer

5.5 Develop and maintain effective partnerships with local service providers and take an active role in relevant forums and local network groups, encouraging volunteering

5.6Working as a team, develop mechanisms to ensure customers are actively engaged and involved in shaping service delivery and new initiatives.

6.0Health and Safety

6.1To be responsible for health and safety in the field – making sure that tenants are safe through e.g. fire safety procedures, safeguarding, carrying out of risk assessments. Also to make sure that colleagues are safe by adhering to the lone working policies of Loreburn.

  • To act as a role model for Loreburn HA encouraging all employees to deliver a high-quality service, right first time, visibly demonstrating our GREAT values.
  • To ensure that all areas of safeguarding are in place within areas of responsibilities that are relevant to this post.
  • Contribute to strategies, new initiatives, policies and procedures to meet the aims of the organisation.
  • Take a proactive and key role in projects, including effective planning and monitoring of projects, managing risk, issues and benefits and contingency planning; in line with the annual planning process.
  • To take responsibility for own personal development and update knowledge and skills, with support from Loreburn, to perform the role at an effective level. To undertake such training as is deemed necessary to improve personal performance and knowledge.
  • Comply with policies, procedures, codes of practice and initiatives relating to Equality and Diversity, Customer Service, Risk Management, Health and Safety, Data protection and Information Technology, Financial Regulations, Standing Orders and the Code of Conduct and Probity Policy.
  • To take responsibility for own wellbeing and safeguarding in the duties to be carried out for this post.
  • To provide the highest quality services incorporating best standards and practice, promoting Loreburn to its tenants, clients and customers.
  • To respect the diverse backgrounds and needs of our customers and sensitively and when necessary adapt our approach accordingly.
  • To complete any other duties required by management, commensurate with abilities and nature of the post.
  • Implement and monitor audit recommendations/action plans in accordance with agreed timescales.
  • Work with colleagues in the management team to identify areas for quality assurance checks and service reviews.

This is how we do things here.

Value / Expected behaviours
Go Getter / 1. High expectations of self and team
2. Works hard to achieve goals
3. Celebrates achievements with team
4. Goes the distance without giving in
5. Learns from feedback and mistakes
Respect / 1. Values colleagues
2. Considerate, honest and tactful
3. Good listener and communicator
4. Strong integrity and sense of what’s right
5. Willing to speak out
Entrepreneurial / 1. Determined strives to achieve.
2. Focussed on getting the job done
3. Highly adaptable and embraces change
4. Looks for opportunities
5. Isn’t afraid of a challenge
Accountable / 1. Delivers
2. Takes personal ownership of a task
3. Acknowledges when things haven’t gone well
4. Proud to work for Loreburn
5. Strives to achieve targets
6. Works in a way that ensures value for money
Together / 1. Strong team player
2. Effective cross team worker
3. Shares information, knowledge and skills
4. Makes a positive contribution to a collaborative, positive, work environment
5. Is tenant focused and uses tenant feedback to shape services

This section summarises the skills, knowledge and experience required for this role.

Skills, knowledge and experience / Essential / Desirable
  • Experience of working in social housing or a community development role
/
  • Commitment to an excellent personal landlord service to customers. This includes regular communication and meetings with each resident at home (at least annually), and being responsible for ensuring that any issues they have raised are resolved appropriately
/
  • Commitment to a welcoming, customer led approach to service delivery i.e. new residents, including a personal meeting in their homes, ensuring any issues are sorted out and their level of customer satisfaction is increased and maintained.
/
  • Experience of using customer feedback to identify common issues and develop plans to meet their individual and neighbourhood needs, thus improving their satisfaction levels.
/
  • Commitment to ensure properties are maintained in a good condition by diagnosing, ordering and managing necessary repairs. Seek appropriate support from the Asset Management Team where necessary; and take responsibility for ensuring repairs are delivered quickly, effectively, economically and to the residents satisfaction
/
  • Experience of letting homes and manage re-lets, recognition that empty homes should be let as soon as possible and to a standard that suits customer needs.
/
  • Experience of working collaboratively with other teams (i.e. Asset Management) to ensure issues / tasks (such as the gas compliance) are always maximised and targets achieved.
/
  • An understanding of anti-social behaviour issues and an awareness of how to deal with them appropriately and quickly, liaising with external agencies where necessary.
/
  • Commitment to collaborative working with a track record of building strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders both internal and external e.g. grant funders, reporting bodies and local authorities
/
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including negotiation and influencing
/
  • Excellent, organizational/time management skills and the ability to work calmly and professionally under pressure.

  • Proven track record of delivering a customer-focused, community based housing / resident involvement services.
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  • Experience of working to targets and performance monitoring
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  • Evidence of successfully involving customers in service developments
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  • Experience of community based service delivery via mobile and agile solutions and paperless working
/
Qualifications and Education
  • Educated to a good standard e.g. SVQ Level 3 / 4, HND or GCSE/O Level including Maths and English or the equivalent level of knowledge acquired from on-the-job training or experience.
/
  • Evidence of continuous development linked to relevant subject.
/
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE JOB
A flexible approach to working hours and location is essential owing to the occasional need to attend evening or weekend meetings/ events/ work from our Stranraer / Dumfries office. In occasional emergency situations there may be a requirement to assist managers and team leaders during out of office hours.A driving license and access to a car is essential.

Key Dates

Closing Date 5pm Thursday, 15 June 2017

Formal Interviews Monday, 26 June 2017

Loreburn reserve the right to undertake any required background checks on applicants to assess their suitability ahead of any offer of employment being made.