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Dear Applicant

RE:Operations Manager Tenancy Services Post Ref:

Thank you for your interest in the above post. Please find enclosed in this application pack the following documents:

  • Job Description
  • Person Specification
  • Structure Chart
  • Service Overview

Application Form:

The application form plays a key part in our selection process. We use the information you provide to shortlist for interview.

You are urged to ensure that all the information contained in your application is relevant and that you demonstrate how you meet the criteria on the person specification. Please use the person specification for guidance when filling in the application form.

Relocation

A Relocation package is available for expenses up to £8,000 subject to terms and conditions of Ipswich Borough Councils Policy

If you have any recruitment queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01473 433402. Please leave your name, number and brief details of your question and a member of the recruitment team will call you back.

Ipswich Borough Council

Job Description: J25

Operations Manager - Tenancy Services

Main Purpose of Job

To lead, manage and be accountable for the operational area, reporting directly to the Head of Housing Services.

Main Duties

  1. To develop, coordinate, implement and review the annual Operational Plan for the Service, incorporating the Council’s risk management procedures.
  1. To lead and develop operational area employees using delegated powers authorised by the Head of Service. To manage and supervise employees in accordance with Human Resources policies and procedures and management competencies including a positive duty to promote diversity and equal opportunities.
  1. To be responsible and accountable for the operational areas budget/s including monitoring and reporting and the preparation of estimates as required by the Head of Service and in accordance with the Council’s financial procedures.
  1. To identify, coordinate and promote new and innovative opportunities to develop the service for the future including alternative methods of service delivery, external funding and partnership working.
  1. Contribute to the development and implementation of corporate projects and policies.

Main Duties Operational

  1. Formulate, organise, co-ordinate and carry out the effective operational management of the service area, including neighbourhood management teams, community caretaker scheme and estate and tenancy management functions including tenant support and dealing with anti-social behaviour.
  1. Provide effective performance management to all direct reports and their teams to ensure excellent service delivery across all areas of responsibility.
  1. Primary responsibility for financial control of assigned cost centres in assigned areas of Tenancy Services.
  2. Advising the Head of Housing Services on appropriate performance targets and ensuring accurate and timely monitoring information is produced.
  3. Co-ordinate the effective management of specific functions, aspects of Housing work including corporate projects, e.g.: crime & disorder; community development, best value, supported housing, race issues, information technology, garages, rent collection etc.
  4. Identify and report to the Head of Housing Services issues and projects requiring capital resource input. Facilitate maximum utilisation of all borrowing approvals, funding opportunities and identification of options for any supplementary approvals, new financial initiatives.
  5. To attend area forums as appropriate and to assist in all aspects of tenant and resident involvement.
  6. To supervise capital projects and project staff as required.
  1. To be responsible for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in own specialist/ professional area in order to remain abreast of new developments, local and national issues, case law and relevant legislation, also maintaining comprehensive CPD records.
  1. Such variations as may be required from time to time without changing the general character of the duties shown above or the level of responsibility entailed.

/ Ipswich Borough Council

Person Specification – J26

OPERATIONS MANAGER - TENANCY SERVICES

Section 1: Generic Requirements

ATTRIBUTES

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ESSENTIAL

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DESIRABLE

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METHOD OF ASSESSMENT

Qualifications / Knowledge

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  • Degree level education and/or 5 years qualitative/organisational experience in a relevant housing field.
  • Knowledge of appropriate regulation, legislation and practice
  • Evidence of continuing professional development
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  • Membership of a relevant professional body as required for the post
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  • Application
  • Certificates

Work Related Experience / Job Related Skills /
  • Management experience within a comparable organisation
  • Proven ability to develop, co-ordinate, implement and review the annual Operational Plan in accordance with Transforming Ipswich
  • Experience of management and control of budgets including monitoring, reporting and preparation of estimates
  • Proven success in establishing and maintaining a performance-orientated culture which delivers efficient and effective customer services
  • Demonstrate ability to use technology to improve business effectiveness
  • Proven ability to successfully deliver projects in terms of time, cost and quality
  • Previous and demonstrable success in delivering innovative and creative solutions to service delivery
  • Proven ability to understand and promote the Council’s vision and priorities as it applies to Housing Services
  • Proven ability to identify and manage risks within the remit of the job
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  • Experience in establishing and developing strong working relationships with a range of people from relevant organisations including professional bodies
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  • Application with supporting documentary evidence
  • Presentation
  • Interview

  • Demonstrate ability to provide cover in other Operations Managers absences, taking full responsibility for key business and resource issues.

Personal Skills

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  • Proven ability to communicate with confidence with people at all levels, including the media, representatives from external organisations, central and local government and senior council members
  • Proven ability to deliver presentations to wide range of audiences in a confident and persuasive manner
  • Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop staff in a performance-focussed culture
  • Demonstrate a sound understanding of equal opportunities and diversity issues in relation to employment and service delivery
  • Proven ability to work collaboratively building trust, mediating, conciliating, negotiating and delegating
  • Proven ability to adopt an approach of joint ownership of initiatives to improve service and to focus on customer outcomes at all levels
  • Demonstrates a customer-focussed and responsive approach that improves service delivery
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  • Application with supporting documentary evidence
  • Presentation
  • Interview

Special Working Conditions /
  • Will be required to work outside of normal working hours and to attend evening meetings
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  • Application
  • Interview

Section 2: Job Specific Requirements

ATTRIBUTES

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ESSENTIAL

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DESIRABLE

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METHOD OF ASSESSMENT

Specialist Knowledge /
  • In depth understanding of legislation, policies and working practices relating to social housing including allocations, secure tenancies, antisocial behaviour, landlord and tenant law and homelessness
  • In depth understanding and proven experience of managing tenancy services within a portfolio of several thousand properties of both general needs and supported housing.
  • Demonstrable experience of working with other internal and external housing service providers and a range of stakeholders to deliver innovative methods of and improvements to service delivery
  • Demonstrable experience of delivering improvements to business processes to improve service quality and / or reduce costs
  • Experience of working with tenants and other stakeholders in delivering services
  • A basic Disclosure from Disclosure Scotland is required for this post
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  • Understanding of the issues relating to the provision and management of accommodation for Gypsies and Travellers
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  • Application with supporting documentary evidence
  • Presentation
  • Interview

Ipswich Borough Council

Tenancy Services

Tenancy Servicesis one of four groups within Housing Services. It manages the Council’s 8,000 tenancies in partnership with both internal and external partners. As can be seen from the attached structure chart there are three teams within this operational group. These are:

Neighbourhood Management

This team is based together in Grafton House on Russell Road. It is split into three geographical teams; East, North West and South West. There are three Neighbourhood Team Managers and a team of 20 Housing Officers. They provide a proactive tenancy management service which is quite diverse. The priorities are rent collection and arrears recovery, re-let of vacant properties and ensuring that annual gas safety checks are completed on time. The focus for the team is on knowing their tenants and providing advice and support to help them when needed. We do use introductory tenancies to ensure that those tenants, who have not held a secure tenancy before, demonstrate that they are able to keep to the terms of a tenancy agreement.

Sheltered Housing Service

This team provides support for the 15 sheltered housing schemes within the town. There are 550 sheltered housing units which provide self-contained independent living with access to communal lounges and a garden. Scheme Managers provide support to all sheltered housing tenants and provide home welfare checks where requested. There is also a weekend visitor scheme for those tenants who want to have checks on Saturdays and Sundays.Allocations to sheltered housing are restricted to those over the age of 60 although those over 55 in receipt of a disability living allowance are eligible.

Tenancy Support and Enforcement

This team provides specific support to the neighbourhood and sheltered teams. This includes management of anti-social behaviour cases, provision of short term tenancy supportand facilitating active tenant involvement. There is also a dedicated Court Enforcement Officer who represents the Council at rent possession cases, provides data analysis on rent recovery and is responsible for managing warrant applications.