Salary and grade: £32,367 per year, Grade 4
Duration of role: Fixed term contract for 18 months
Hours per week: 37 – full time
Location: The designated office base is Abbey House, Abingdon. The councils operate in a truly flexible, and hybrid way where the focus is on outcomes not where you work.
Closing date: 11 April 2025
Interviews: w/c 28 April 2025
About the role and what we’re looking for
The successful applicant will be joining a team helping to improve housing standards for residents across Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire.
Each year the councils approve more than 300 applications for grants and loans to adapt and repair homes. The Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) Administrator is overseeing the administration of the councils’ housing assistance grants and loans in conjunction with the council’s Home Improvement Agency (HIA) contractor.
The post holder will also provide business and administrative support for the Private Sector Housing Team.
Main duties and responsibilities
Provide advice and guidance on the application process for Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) and other housing grants and loans offered by the councils.
• Act as the main point of contact for the public, the councils’ Home Improvement Agency (HIA), housing associations for DFGs and other housing grant and loan applications, from initial enquiries through to case completion.
• Provide support to applicants and professional agents for those who choose to self-manage their grant applications.
• Maintain an understanding of relevant legislation, policies, guidance, and best practice in relation to the housing grants and loans.
• Process, monitor and report on grant and loan applications and grant and loan spend.
• Process grant payments (invoicing and purchase orders) and deal with enquiries relating to payments.
• Keep accurate records using grant administration software, maintain confidentiality and updating and refining procedures and processes where needed.
• Responding to Freedom of Information requests, subject access requests and providing local government statistics.
• Assisting with project work as required.
• Organising, attending and participating in meetings and events as required.
• Providing support to the Private Sector Housing Team with administrative and financial tasks.
• Undertaking any other reasonable duties relating to the work of the Private Sector Housing.
About you
Your essential skills, knowledge and experience
• two years’ experience in administration in a busy work environment
• experience of working successfully with partner organisations
• experience of financial processes (invoicing, purchase orders, payments)
• proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams
• excellent attention to detail, organisational skills and competent with figure work
• good oral and written communication skills
• good interpersonal skills
• experience of working well in a team
• ability to adapt to using different databases and systems
• able to be adaptable, patient and diplomatic
• ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• ability to multitask
Your essential qualifications
• 5 GCSE’s grades A-C or equivalent to include English and Maths
• RSA level II, NVQ Level 2 or equivalent in MS Word and Excel.
If you have the following experience or qualifications – it’s a bonus
• Experience of Disabled Facilities Grants
• Experience of Home Improvement Agency processes
• Experience of housing assistance grants and loan
• Local Government experience
• Experience or understanding of home repairs, improvements, maintenance, construction.
The benefits we offer
• A basic 25 days annual leave per annum, rising to 30 days after five years. You also have all the bank holidays to look forward to and time off between Christmas and New Year.
• Flexible working and annualised hours – a flexible approach to work that our employees love!
• Salary pay awards
• A generous career average pension scheme which includes life insurance of three times your salary
• Various schemes to keep you healthy (reduced gym membership, free swims, free eye tests for DSE users and more)
• We give you two days per year to volunteer within the local community.
• A range of resources, support, and activities to help you maintain your wellbeing including a monthly wellbeing hour in addition to annualised hours and annual leave.
You may have experience of the following: Housing Grants Administrator, Grants and Loans Administrator (Housing), Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) Coordinator, Home Improvement Grants Officer, Housing Assistance Administrator, Grants and Adaptations Case Officer, Housing Support and Grants Coordinator, DFG and Housing Financial Support Officer, Housing Assistance Programmes Officer, Housing Projects and Grants Administrator, etc
REF-(Apply online only)