1,200 homes brought back in use and counting…
We are a dynamic and passionate social enterprise committed to making a positive impact in the Leeds community. Our purpose is to help our clients turn their empty houses into homes. We are looking for a motivated and experienced Project Coordinator to join our small, dedicated team and help us achieve our goals.
You’ll find no two days the same in this role. Working in close partnership with a small group of key stakeholders, you’ll be coordinating new enquiries through mail outs and calls and completing house visits. You’ll liaise closely with Leeds City Council and others to assess owners’ needs and find the best solution to bring their properties back into use. You’ll be responsible for producing high quality reports and ensuring our systems remain accurate and up to date, whilst telling our story to the community using the power of our social media platforms.
You’ll be an excellent team player along with the ability to independently manage your own caseload. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are a must, together with strong research and analytical skills. We’re a small team, so problem solving and use of initiative is essential, along with a pragmatic, “can-do” attitude towards helping our owners. Your empathy, positivity and compassion will be an asset as we work to achieve our social aims.
In return, you’ll receive a competitive salary and benefits package including generous holidays, a pension scheme and a company health care plan. And of course, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the community from day one.
Please note, the role requires independent travel across Leeds, so a full driving license and access to a car is essential (mileage paid).
Job Title: Empty Homes Doctor Coordinator
Company: Social Business Brokers CIC
Reporting to: Social Business Brokers Director
Job purpose
The role of the Empty Homes Doctor Coordinator is focused on working with owners of empty properties to help them to bring their home back into use. The reasons for homes being empty are often complex – and the work we are required to do to support people is varied.
Role and responsibilities
Working in a small team you will support owners of empty homes to bring them back into use by:
1. Service Delivery
1. Initial fact-finding conversation with an owner – to gain a broad understanding of their situation, and what they would like to achieve.
2. Meeting with them at properties, to
+ understand the situation, so you can assess what may be required to bring their house back into use
+ understand in more detail what the owner would like to do, and understand what barriers they may need to overcome
3. Produce a Scope of Works letter – which outlines the terms on which we will work with the owner – ideally this will be produced and signed prior to the initial meeting.
4. Production of an Empty Homes Doctor Report. To produce a bespoke report, which outlines potential ways forward for the property, you will need to undertake research (into the local sales and rental market) and engage and meet with local property professionals (e.g. invite local estate agents, auctioneers and letting agents to visit and offer valuations). Depending on the situation, you may also need to gather other information, or undertake further research, into issues related to, for example, planning, probate, or council tax arrears.
5. Discuss the Empty Homes Doctor Report with the owner – so they understand all their options and are able to decide what they would like to do. We do not offer advice – our aim is to offer people clarity about the options that are available to them, so that they are able to choose a way forward that is right for them.
6. Outline to the owner how we can help. Building strong relationships with owners and offering them clarity about what we can and cannot do – and ensure that we genuinely do all we can to help.
7. Ongoing case management. Proactively managing each case – staying connected with owners and responding quickly when they require help. Some of our customers are vulnerable adults and have complex needs, therefore may need a greater degree of support.
8. Administration of the Customer Relationship Management system. It is vital that up-to-date records are kept of our contact with each empty home owner – so that we can provide a seamless service, allow all team members to pick up a cases at any time, and to provide a record of our contact with each owner, for if our work were to be challenged in the future. You will be required to regularly update our CRM system with all relevant information, documents, and images – and work with the administrator to produce reports as required.
9. Final sign-off – once a home is back in use, update our CRM and refer it to LCC for final confirmation, claim for any referral fees, and make a note of any additional social impacts that we have achieved which could be used in a case study for reporting purposes.
2. Developing strong relationships with our network of suppliers – and expand the network
1. Building and maintaining strong relationships, with clear communication, is key to ensuring we can deliver an excellent service to our empty home owners.
2. Work closely with a small group of trusted suppliers – including estate agents, conveyancers, letting agents and auctioneers. They all benefit from working with us – through getting work – but we also rely on them to “go the extra mile” for our empty home owners – whose circumstances are rarely straightforward.
3. Lead Generation
1. Scheduled letters including targeted letter: Identify “groups” of owners to contact – for example by postcode, length of time empty, reason that they are empty (e.g. probate issues) – and tailor a letter accordingly. Undertake further research as required, which can include visiting the properties and online research.
2. Response to letter telephone support. Provide telephone support to incoming callers, including signing them up to the EHD Service, sign posting to other services, council tax support and other council support referrals. All calls must be logged.
3. Respond to queries about empty properties that are reported to us.
4. Liaison with the Council and other stakeholders
1. Develop strong relationships with the Council’s Empty Homes Team, and with other departments in the Council, including Adult Social Care and Council Tax.
2. Work closely with organisations such as the Probate Registry, Land Registry, Leeds Registrar and West Riding Deeds Registry.
5. Impact Reporting
1. Show social and environmental impact as a result of the Empty Homes Doctor service.
2. Regular impact reporting and end of year impact report.
6. Administration
1. Process potential referrals and liaise with the Finance Manager regarding invoicing and payments.
2. Zoho management: editing and maintaining CRM platform.
3. LCC data processing and management – request and management of data, data conversion and preparation for letters, closed case data inputting.
7. Marketing/communications support
1. Social media and other marketing: use of Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to raise awareness of what we do – and share stories by Empty Homes Doctors. Also, use of short films to promote our work.
2. PR: aim to generate regular coverage in local media for our work.
Additional
Other tasks as and when required, to deliver and develop the service.
Our work is delivered by a small team, which in turn is part of a small social enterprise, Social Business Brokers CIC. If something needs doing, we need to work out how we will do that between us. As such, your role may expand to include other tasks as and when they need doing.
Person Specification
Essential/ Desirable?
Education, experience, and knowledge
Experience of working in the public sector and on contacted projects Desirable
Relationship building/stakeholder management experience Essential
Knowledge of the City of Leeds and surrounding areas Desirable
Skills and abilities
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
You will be required to communicate regularly with owners of empty homes and will often have to communicate complex issues in ways which help them to understand the current situation, and what their options are. This requires a high standard of verbal and written communication.
Essential
Problem Solving, Active Listening and the ability to Communicate effectively Essential
Strong research and analytical skills Essential
Effective communication, administrative and IT skills Essential
Personal attributes (all essential)
A compassionate and empathetic approach.
Ability to build strong, trusting relationships with a wide range of people.
Flexibility – particularly in relation to community engagement work to meet the needs of individuals with challenging personal circumstances.
Ability to work independently and part of a small team committed the social aims of our social enterprise.
Our social enterprise aims to bring people together to develop collaborative approaches to tackling complex social problems. We need to run as a business – efficiently, professionally, profitably – but ultimately, we judge our success on our ability to achieve social outcomes.
Other
Ability to travel around the city as required to help us to deliver projects in the local community. Access to a car is essential. Mileage will be paid. Essential
Please send your CV and a cover letter detailing your experience and why you are passionate about this role to info@emptyhomesdoctor.org.uk by 17th February 2025.
For information on our Empty Homes Doctor Service go to www.emptyhomesdoctor.org.uk.
We may close the application window earlier than the stated deadline if we receive an overwhelming number of applications. To ensure your application is considered, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
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