Blackpool Coastal Housing manages almost 5,000 social housing properties across Blackpool, providing related services to its tenant and leasehold customers and regenerating areas to create opportunities for our local residents to thrive.
We currently have two fantastic opportunities to join our Neighbourhoods Team, as a Neighbourhood Officer and you might be exactly who we’re looking for!
The role - Ref: 24/227
Neighbourhood Officer x 2
Neighbourhood Officers provide a high-quality, customer-focused, holistic housing management service to residents and partner agencies, dealing with resident enquiries on a range of housing related issues, from an office base and also through visiting residents in their homes.
The role of Neighbourhood Officer combines elements of enforcement (around anti-social behaviour, tenancy fraud or other breaches of tenancy), community safety (keeping residents safe in their neighbourhoods), housing management and community engagement (working with residents to identify priorities for change and supporting them to realise these ambitions), in their homes and out within the community.
This role will involve investigating and reviewing cases of anti-social behaviour, offering advice and support to tenants while responding to issues in line with BCH’s policies, procedures, service standards, and national legislation. You will also be responsible for proactively identifying safeguarding issues, managing cases, and providing support by working with agencies to ensure that all follow-up actions are recorded and completed in accordance with BCH’s Safeguarding Policy.
You will be required to actively engage with the local community to understand their priorities and aspirations for their neighbourhoods. Consult on proposed initiatives, organise and attend meetings, and involve residents in the decision-making process. Identify preferred methods for local residents to participate and offer appropriate opportunities for involvement within the community.
The successful applicants will carry out neighbourhood walkabouts to support and enhance the daily identification of issues within estates and communal areas, including coordinating and conducting block, garden, and site inspections, as well as participating in estate walkabouts with other agencies and residents. Neighbourhood Officers have responsibility for managing all neighbourhood-related tasks in their designated area, including property inspections and taking appropriate actions, such as enforcement when required, to ensure properties are maintained to acceptable standards. This will include handling all estate management tasks within your assigned caseload.
Applicants must possess good verbal and written communication skills, including the ability and confidence to instigate difficult conversations, being clear on reasons, objectives whilst remaining empathetic and being able to record information in appropriate formats effectively, accurately and concisely between tenants, colleagues and external agencies. Liaising with other departments within BCH, such as the Rents and the Repairs Teams, alongside developing links with other outside agencies, such as social services and mental health services is essential.
Experience of assisting individuals with a wide range of challenging needs, a commitment to working with vulnerable people and the ability to work in a supportive and empathetic manner whilst empowering and promoting independence is essential, along with experience of working in a customer service role.
Applicants must possess 3 GCSEs (or equivalent) at Grade C/4 or above, to include Maths and English. Possession of a BTEC Level 3 Advanced Award in Community Safety, Crime and Nuisance Management for Practitioners, or if not held, the ability and willingness to work towards this qualification within 3 years of commencement is also an essential requirement of the role.
Any offer of appointment will be subject to satisfactory clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as a CRB check).
About Blackpool Coastal Housing
Blackpool Coastal Housing was set up by Blackpool Council in 2007 to manage their housing stock of almost 5,000 properties. Our goal is to create an organisation that delivers quality services, first time, every time, within a culture that puts people at the heart of everything we do.
BCH continues to expand its services across many areas and we currently employ just under 200 committed and valued staff.
Our services include an Operations Service providing responsive repairs to our valued tenants, empty homes management and refurbishment/capital works across Blackpool. Supported Housing; including supported living in Sheltered Schemes, Young People’s Resettlement Schemes including Care Leavers and Emergency Housing for those that find themselves homeless. Our Care and Repair Service allows Blackpool residents to remain in their own homes through the Adaptations team providing the necessary aids/adaptations for this to be achieved. The More Positive Together (MPT) and MPT Steps Programmes help provide support to local residents in accessing the employment market, as well as BCH providing typical Housing Service functions of Rents, Lettings, ASB and Neighbourhoods.
BCH is a dynamic, ambitious and forward-thinking organisation who strives to be the best at everything we do, whether that's repairing a boiler or building a new home.
We know that our people are our most valuable assets, and we want to find and nurture the best people to help us deliver excellent customer service. By working together, we can make a real difference – Inspiring People to Build Sustainable Communities.
If you have a strong customer focus and want to join an ambitious, growing organisation, we will help you to develop skills and achieve your own personal goals.
BCH is a great place to work.
Every member of staff comes to work here with one vision in mind, “Inspiring People to Build Sustainable Communities” and our values help guide the way we all work towards this.
Our 5 core values that reflect the PRIDE that our workforce displays on a daily basis, also guide our conduct and our relationship with customers, partners and stakeholders:
1. Positivity
2. Respect and Compassion
3. Integrity
4. Dynamism
5. Energy
BCH is a great place to work and has recently received two prestigious Awards at the 2022 Northern Housing Awards for the Best Approach to Employee Wellbeing and the Best Approach to Diversity and Inclusion.
We can offer you a friendly and inclusive working environment where you can develop yourself and really can make a difference to people’s lives across Blackpool.
We also offer a fantastic reward and benefits package which includes:
1. Competitive rates of pay
2. 26 days paid annual leave per annum, in addition to 8 bank holidays
3. Attractive and flexible membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme, with excellent employer contributions
4. An in-house wellbeing program of wellbeing, social and charitable initiatives with BCH colleagues
5. Vivup - the employee benefits scheme for discounts on various high street retailers and cycle to work
6. Option to join BHSF - a voluntary salary sacrifice Health Cash Plan Scheme for help with medical costs such as physiotherapy, optical, osteopathy etc.
7. Option to join the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Credit Union for preferential rates on financial services
8. 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and access to counselling services
9. Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay schemes
10. A wide variety of training and learning and development opportunities
11. Staff Suggestion Scheme
12. Free annual flu vaccinations and Occupational Health Support
How to apply
This is a great time to join an ambitious, thriving and expanding organisation. If you like what you’ve read and think you’ve got what it takes to join our team then take action – apply now!
For further information about this position please email Deborah Scanlan, ASB & Neighbourhoods Team Leader on deborah.scanlan@bch.co.uk or Mitch Walsh, ASB & Neighbourhoods Team Leader on mitch.walsh@bch.co.uk.
To apply, please visit our website https://www.bch.co.uk/work-with-us to complete an online application, where a full job outline and person specification are available.
Please ensure your application/CV clearly demonstrates your suitability for this position.
Closing date for applications: Monday 6th January 2025, Midnight*
Interview date: Wednesday 15th January 2025.
*BCH reserves the right to close this vacancy before the specified closing date if sufficient suitable applications are received to progress to interview. Therefore, applicants are advised to apply as early as possible.
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