Job title: Accommodation Manager (fixed term until 31 October 2020)

Post number:

Reports to:Assistant Head (Accommodation Services)

Department:Accommodation & Hospitality Services

Location:Moulsecoomb

Grade:6

Purpose of the role

  • To be responsible for the off campus provision of accommodation, including unihomes, studenthomes, and homestay
  • To manage the allocation process of university accommodation and house hunting service through the main student recruitment cycle and during the clearing period
  • To be responsible for Accommodation Service team in Brighton and Eastbourne, ensuring a consistent professional service and high levels of customer service are maintained at all times

Line management responsibility for:

  • Accommodation Coordinators, Accommodation Officers and Summer Accommodation Assistants

Main areas of responsibility:

  • Working closely with the Assistant Head (Accommodation Services) to be responsible for the management and day to day activities of the Accommodation Service team in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings delivering an efficient and customer facing service at all times
  • To manage, motivate and lead the Accommodation team carrying out one to one meetings, staff reviews, recruitment and induction of new staff, and training as required
  • To deputise in the absence of the Assistant Head and represent the Accommodation Services at meetings, conferences, events etc as required
  • To actively seek opportunities to increase the accommodation stock and options for students at the University
  • To develop close working relationships with owners/landlords and letting agents in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings to maximise the supply of accommodation for students and to help improve housing standards for the University’s student community
  • To inspect new properties for fitness standards, HMO/health and safety requirements, documentation, safety certificates and so on before advertising the property or taking onto the Head Lease scheme (unihomes), shared house scheme. Ensure that properties remain HMO complaint
  • Develop close links with Local Authority Officers with a responsibility for HMO’s and the private rent sector and other stakeholders in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings
  • Maintain positive relations with local communities and their representatives
  • To deal with issues/complaints that have been received within the accommodation service
  • Organise in accordance with the operational calendar the updating of the Accommodation Service documents, booklets, brochures, and reviews of processes/policies and procedures
  • Manage the provision of the Accommodation Service contribution to University Open Days and House Hunting events/services
  • To provide management information to senior colleagues within the department and university to further improve the provision of services within the team and meet strategic objectives of the University
  • Contribute to the review, design and developments of administration systems that support the delivery of the Accommodation Service functions and objectives (i.e. processing of accommodation applications, allocations, staff records)
  • Effectively manage delegated budgets and financial responsibilities throughout the financial year

General responsibilities

These are standard to all University of Brighton job descriptions.

  • To undertake other duties appropriate to the grade and character of work as may be reasonably required, including specific duties of a similar or lesser grade.
  • To adhere to the University’s Equality and Diversity Policy in all activities, and to actively promote equality of opportunity wherever possible.
  • To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act.
  • To work in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

The person specification focuses on the knowledge, qualifications, experience and skills (both general and technical) required to undertake the role effectively. Please ensure that your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria. You will be assessed by your completed application form (A), at interview (I) and in some instances through an exercise (E).

Essential criteria / A, I, E
Knowledge /
  • Good knowledge of the private rented sector and influencing market factors
  • Up to date knowledge of HMO, Housing Act, Health and Safety, Equalities, and other regulations relevant to student accommodation and the private sector
  • Good working knowledge of repairs and maintenance issues in residential properties
  • General knowledge of issues relating to, or affecting students
/ A, I, E
A, I, E
A, I
A, I
Qualifications /
  • No specific qualifications required

Experience /
  • Previous proven experience in a similar or related role either in the private rented sector or public sector
  • Strong communication and negotiation skills both verbal and written
  • Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise own workload and that of others and meet challenging deadlines
  • Ability to effectively resolve customer complaints quickly in a professional manner
  • Ability to make decisions using own initiative
  • High level of customer experience, able to deal with students/customers in difficult situations
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with internal and external staff/customers at all levels
/ A,I,E
A, I, E
A, I
A, I
A
A, I
A, I
Managing people /
  • Proven experience of managing people
  • Leaderships skills and the ability to motivate, advise and support a team
/ A, I
A, I
Technical/work based skills /
  • High level of IT competency, including MS Office, Word, Excel, Powerpoint
  • Experience of preparing detailed statistical information and reports
  • Excellent administrative skills with the ability to draft clear documentation and correspondence
/ A, I, E
A, I
A, I
Other requirements /
  • Willingness to work extra hours and Saturdays at busy periods and Open Days for example
  • Willing to travel to offices within Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings
/ A, I
A, I
Desirable /
  • Hold a current driving licence
/ A
  • Any appointment is generally made at the bottom of the salary range for the grade dependent upon experience and previous salary.
  • This is a full time post and is fixed termuntil 31 October 2020.
  • The University of Brighton welcomes job sharers. Job sharing is a way of working where two people share one full-time job, dividing the work, responsibilities, pay, holidays and other benefits between them proportionate to the hours each works, thereby increasing access to a wide range of jobs on a part-time basis. The advert for the post for which you are applying will indicate whether applications from job sharers can be considered (this may not be possible for a post that is already part time for example) and further information can be found on the ‘Balancing Working Life’ section here Benefits and facilities.
  • Annual leave entitlements are shown in the table below and increase after 5 years’ service. In addition, to the eight Bank Holidays, there are university discretionary days between Christmas and New Year. All leave, including bank holidays and discretionary days, is pro-rated for part time employees.

Grades / Basic entitlement per year / Grades / After 5 years’ service
1-3 / 23 days / 1-3 / 28 days
4-7 / 25 days / 4-7 / 30 days
8-9 / 27 days / 8-9 / 30 days
Band 10 and above / 30 days / Band 10 and above / 30 days
  • More information about the department/school can be found hereProfessional Services Departmentsor hereAcademic departments (schools and colleges)
  • Read the University’s 2016 - 2021 Strategy
  • The University has an attractive range of benefits and you can find more information about them on our website.

October 2017