JOB APPLICATION PACK. Department: Neighbourhood. 1 P a g e

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1 JOB APPLICATION PACK Job Title: Directorate: Housing Officer Housing Department: Neighbourhood Location: Twickenham 1 P a g e

2 Dear Candidate Thank you for your interest in working for Thames Valley Housing. In this pack you will find the Job Description and Person Specification for the role you are applying for. We encourage you to read the guidance notes and fill in the application form carefully, giving all relevant information and in particular setting out the ways in which you meet the criteria to be assessed through the application form. The criterion set out in the person specification contains all the competencies for this role and will be assessed at different stages of the selection process. Please see the guidance notes for further information on this. Thames Valley Housing is a user of the government s two ticks disability symbol, which recognises organisations that are positive towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the short-listing criteria are guaranteed an interview. I hope that you find the job description interesting and decide to apply. I wish you success and we look forward to receiving your application form. Thames Valley Housing Recruitment Tel: recruitment@tvha.co.uk Web: 2 P a g e

3 CONTENTS About TVHA..4 Our Competency Framework 5 Equal Opportunities...6 Job Advert..7 Job Description..8 Person Specification.11 Guidance Notes for Applicants.13 Personal Statement Example Appendix P a g e

4 ABOUT TVHA We are a medium-sized housing association based in Twickenham, South West London. We own, manage or take care of loans for over 14,500 homes in London, Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Sussex. These include traditional rented housing, shared ownership, key worker and student accommodation. In order to generate a profit to help fund our social purpose, we also have a market rent business called Fizzy and a joint venture to build housing for sale. OUR CORPORATE VALUES Our vision and mission are what drives us. We could make it big and complicated, but it s really pretty straightforward. Our Vision For everyone to have the chance to build their lives from a base of a good home We believe that a good, safe, secure home is a critical foundation for successful people, families and communities. Without one, it s difficult to do well at school, hold down a job, or raise a family. Our Mission To provide good quality affordable homes and invest in communities The housing crisis is particularly acute in London & the South. We build good quality, new homes and manage them well. And we grow the social capital of the communities we work in. Stepping Up! They are five key values that we live by. Sometimes it s straight forward to live by them. Sometimes it s harder, it challenges us. But they re our guiding light. It s how we Step Up. Think forward Question how we do things. Think ahead. Innovate. Think We Lets work together to achieve our goals. Think Openly Lets be transparent and true to our work. Think with Compassion Offer your time and support. Act with empathy and understanding. Think Energy Be passionate about delivering great customer service and making things happen. 4 P a g e

5 OUR COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK What are Competencies and how are they used? A competency is an ability, skill, knowledge or trait that is needed for the successful performance of a job. It is often defined in terms of behaviours. Overall, competencies are a set of behaviours that an individual must possess in order to perform to the optimum level within that role. When used properly, and in conjunction with other working practices and procedures, competencies can ensure fairness, openness and equality in the way we recruit staff, select people for training, identify clear development paths and promote people. The Competency Framework contains a total of ten competencies and it is considered that to carry out a role at a particular level an individual should possess those competencies that are Core for that level. The depth of which these core competencies are required will vary according to each role. Core competencies are far broader in their application and apply to all jobs within TVH. This document details the core competencies which TVH recognises as necessary. The person specification highlights the competencies we want to assess as part of our recruitment process, but the following areas are important all of the time. 5 P a g e

6 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Equality & Diversity On fairness, openness, and welcoming of difference We want everyone to look forward to coming to work every day, so we encourage fairness, openness and welcoming of difference. We aim to treat everyone fairly. We won t have any harassment or discrimination. We re strong supporters of equality and diversity, and we employ people on merit and qualifications, according to how well they suit the role. We believe that no one should ever be treated badly because of their race, colour, ethnic or national origin, or because of their religion or faith, gender, sexuality, partnership status, age or disability. We do our best to make our workplace and facilities accessible for people with disabilities. We think we ve got it right, but if you find something that s not accessible, please let us know so we can fix it. 6 P a g e

7 JOB ADVERT HOUSING OFFICER Location: Contract type: Twickenham and Aylesbury Permanent Salary: starts at 28,200, rises to 31,300 Hours: 35 hours per week Closing date: Midday, 30 th November 2015 Interview Dates: 9 th December 2015 About Thames Valley Housing We are a medium-sized housing association based in Twickenham, South West London. We own, manage or take care of loans for over 15,000 homes in London, Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Sussex. These include traditional rented housing, shared ownership, key worker and student accommodation. Our vision is for everyone to have the chance to build their lives from a base of a good home. Our mission is to provide good quality affordable homes and invest in communities. We love to build. Not just housing and communities, but skills and careers too. About the role We have a permanent opening within the Housing Management Team for a Housing Officer. You will manage a patch of approximately 500 rented properties in the Aylesbury area. You will be expected to manage efficiently aspects of housing and tenancy management including ASB case management, estate management, low level rent arrears, voids and allocations, whilst providing high quality customer care. About you We are looking for experience of working with customers from diverse backgrounds, a good working knowledge of housing law and the ability to resolve problems. Experience of working in a housing related field is preferable. Applying process: Please apply online and submit a personal statement addressing: A) How your knowledge, experience & skills meet the essential and desirable requirements B) How you meet the technical and core competencies highlighted in Red. *You will rise to the full salary on successful completion of your probationary period Access to a car is essential for this role for which a car allowance will be paid This role may be subject to a DBS check 7 P a g e

8 JOB DESCRIPTION Job title: Directorate: Department: Location: Responsible to: Housing Officer Housing Neighbourhood Twickenham and Aylesbury Area Housing Manager Family tree (clearly showing the responsibilities for and to particular managers) Deputy Director of Housing Area Housing Manager Housing Officer Main purpose of the job To be the first point of contact for customers and take the lead on a patch of general needs rented properties including casework, tenancy issues, estate condition, voids and other related services. To deliver strategies which support and nurture communities within a dedicated patch. To deliver effective ASB work within the local area. 8 P a g e

9 To work with residents to deliver estate improvements. To work in conjunction with the Resident Involvement Team, to deliver the resident involvement strategy. To deliver the complete customer service pledge and performance indicators expected with the role. To liaise effectively with other internal departments and keep residents updated at all times. Main contacts which the post holder has within and outside the organisation Housing Directorate teams, Policy and Performance, Development directorate, Residents, Local authorities, support agencies, voluntary organisations, referral agencies, advice organisations, contractors and prospective residents Principal accountabilities expected of the post holder Responsibility for delivering the performance indicators on a patch of properties including: tenant satisfaction, estate condition, voids, ASB, new tenant and probationary visits and repairs visits. Managing a patch of properties including tenancy issues, service failures, internal and external repairs progression, estate services, anti-social behaviour, parking, external environment and other related items. Managing tenant repairs including pre-inspection visits, follow up repair visits, pre-inspection and ordering of communal repairs, and liaison with the Surveyors in Property and Asset Management when more technical support is needed. Carrying out Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) work including referring people to support agencies, attending court, liaising with solicitors, mediation visits and updating the ASB module. Taking the lead on estates within the patch including walkabouts, liaising with the Resident Estate Inspector and contractors. Responsible for managing voids progression including the assessment and lettings to new residents and management of voids works Progressing tenant moves by promoting and advising on options, visiting/assessing under occupiers and visiting mutual exchanges to make the 42 day decision. Managing low level arrears and attending evictions. Using arrears information to advise and sign post people with early signs of debt issues and working with the Revenues Team to increase support and engagement 9 P a g e

10 Preparing court papers/working with solicitors where required, dealing with service failures and drafting Stage One complaint responses Other To carry out other duties as may be reasonably assigned from time to time by the line manager for this post, such duties to be compatible with the level of this job description. Created by: Howard Dawson/Jonathan Ling Date: January P a g e

11 PERSON SPECIFICATION Role: Directorate: Housing Officer Housing Knowledge, Experience & Skills Essential Working knowledge of Housing Law Experience of dealing with customers from different backgrounds. Experience of using Microsoft Office and other IT packages Desirable Educated to A Level standard or equivalent Experience in a housing related field Understanding of key issues facing diverse groups Technical Uses knowledge of housing legislation to deliver an excellent service to residents Competencies (highlighted in Red assessed by personal statement and at interview) Core (refer to Competency Framework guidelines to determine appropriate definition) Results Focused (Vocational) Takes responsibility for achieving individual objectives and contributing to team targets Planning and Organising (Vocational) Contributes to the team/project objectives by effectively setting own work plan and prioritising key tasks Working Together (Vocational) Works Co-operatively with other members of the team and direct customers Customer Driven (Vocational) Delivers a high quality service Applied Thinking (Vocational) Solves basic problems within clearly laid out policies and procedures 11 P a g e

12 Initiative and Innovation (Vocational) Addresses current opportunities by improving and adapting existing approaches Managing Relationships (Vocational) Builds rapport with colleagues and direct customers/suppliers Continuous Improvement (Vocational) Drives self to deliver results and aspirations OTHER Good IT skills Commitment to Equal Opportunities and Health & Safety LIVING AND DELIVERING THE CORPORATE VALUES Think Forward Question how we do things. Think Ahead. Innovate Think We Let s work together to achieve our shared goals. Think Openly Let s be transparent and true to our word. Think With Compassion Offer your time and support. Act with empathy and understanding. Think With Energy Be passionate about delivering great customer service and making things happen 12 P a g e

13 GUIDANCE NOTES FOR APPLICANTS Introduction These notes aim to help you complete your job application form. Please read carefully before you start completing the application form. Completing your Application We will use the information you provide in your application to decide whether or not you meet the essential requirements listed in the person specification. Please note that if you don t give examples through your application how you meet the criteria, your application will not be taken to the next stage. The following sections below outline the contents of the job description and person specification and will be useful when completing your application. Thames Valley Housing has set out the performance and behaviour expectations for each role within the organisation. The job description sets out the family tree, main purpose of the job, contacts and key tasks for the role. The person specification contains the following: 1) KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS This is broken up as Essential & Desirable These are knowledge and outcomes required to perform effectively within the role and you are required to provide details of relevant experience for this role. 2) QUALIFICATIONS These are the qualifications which are essential or desirable for the job. 3) COMPETENCIES These are a set of behaviours an individual must posses in order to perform to the optimum level within that role. 4) OTHER Depending on the role, there may be other criteria that the job holder needs to demonstrate e.g. if a job involves travelling, you will need to have a full drivers licence. Short-listing The people short-listing will use information from your application and personal statement to determine whether you will be short-listed for assessments/interviews for this role. They will focus mainly on the essential criteria listed in the person specification. You should therefore show through your application form and your personal statement how you meet the essential criteria. 13 P a g e

14 Assessments/Interviews If your application is short-listed, you will be required to undergo some testing from a range of Ability Tests Written Exercise Job related tests Psychometric tests IT tests References We will need two good references. Your current employer. If you are unemployed, this will be your most recent employer. This will be someone senior to you who can assess your work for us, not a colleague or friend at work. A previous employer, or someone with a senior role who can vouch for you. Driving If the job needs you to drive, we will need to see your driving license DBS check For some jobs we will need to carry out a Disclosure & Barring Service check. We ll say so in the job description if that s the case. Eligibility to work in the UK It s against the law for us to take on people who do not have the right to work here. If we offer you a job, we will ask you to prove this to us. We ll send you a list of documents you can use for this. (Section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act.) Data Protection By law, we have to let you know that we keep the personal information about you that you put in a job application. When you sign and send an application in, we take this to mean that you are giving us permission to keep it, and to use it to get in touch with you, if we find a job we think would suit you in the following six months. Your Views We re happy to hear from you. We want to improve our recruitment, so please do let us know what you think about the process. 14 P a g e

15 PERSONAL STATEMENT [To download a Word version click here] Name of applicant: Role applying for: [Text here] [Text here] KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE Tell us about the knowledge and work experience that you ve had everything that makes you believe you are the right person for the job [Text here] SKILLS AND ABILITIES How do your skills match what we re looking for? [Text here] COMPETENCIES Please give real life examples of how you have demonstrated the competencies in bold listed on the Person Specification (Please refer to appendix 1 and useful examples) 15 P a g e

16 Appendix 1 Name Definition Level Descriptors 1 Applied Thinking Makes use of relevant information to resolve problems, identify Leader Identifies new business opportunities by evaluating company performance from a range of information opportunities and reach appropriate solutions. Expert Sets Directorate/Departmental priorities by developing solutions to support the business plan Professional Recommends improvements to processes and services at a team level by analysing patterns and trends from information Vocational Solves basic problems within clearly laid out policies and procedures 2 Results Focused Getting things done Achieves successful delivery of tasks and objectives by effectively Leader Sets the performance framework for the organisation to meet corporate goals, achieve results and champions improvements managing others or taking direct action. Expert Sets the performance framework for the Directorate/Department to meet objectives, KPIs and continuously seeks improvements in delivery Professional Uses Directorate/Department objectives to identify team KPIs to drive service delivery and meet goals Vocational Takes responsibility for achieving individual objectives and contributing to team targets 3 Planning and Organising Plans and organises work and activities to meet objectives whilst Leader Structures the business plan to deliver key objectives while allocating appropriate resources achieving quality and value for money. Expert Develops project plans and identifies departmental activities and resources required to meet organisational goals Professional Delivers the project plan/departmental objectives to plan and budget Vocational Contributes to the team/project objectives by effectively setting own work plan and prioritising key tasks 4 Initiative and Innovation Takes a creative approach to work by formulating new ideas or adapting Leader Develops ways of capturing innovation and creativity across the organisation and delivers through others existing ideas in a new or Expert Plans and implements new ideas in the long to medium term and takes the lead unexpected way to create in delivering change within Directorate opportunities. Professional Develops and implements initiatives at a local level Vocational Addresses current opportunities by improving and adapting existing approaches 16 P a g e

17 Appendix 1 Name Definition Level Descriptors 5 Working Together Works co-operatively and flexibly across cultures and organisational boundaries to achieve shared goals 6 Managing Relationships (Influencing, persuading and negotiating) 7 Continuous Improvement (Striving for Excellence) 17 P a g e Builds and maintains relationships to achieve positive outcomes for the Association Looks for opportunities to improve (self, products and/or services) 8 Customer Driven Provides an excellent service to all customers 9 Commercial Awareness Understands relationship of operational issues to wider business context 10 Leadership (Developing and Managing People) Inspires and motivates others to develop confidence and capability to Leader Expert Professional Vocational Leader Expert Professional Vocational Leader Expert Professional Vocational Leader Expert Professional Vocational Leader Expert Professional Vocational Leader Expert Creates a positive team working environment Builds the team to deliver a high quality service Involves others to work towards shared goals and objectives Works co-operatively with other members of the team and direct customers Extends networks and uses indirect influence to build external relationships to achieve long term strategic organisational goals Maintains networks and plans impact Builds positive and reciprocal relationships that benefit the Association Builds rapport with colleagues and direct customers/suppliers Creates a continuous improvement environment Drives Departmental activity to continuously improve systems and processes Delivers improvements at a team level Drives self to deliver results and aspirations Develops the strategy to meet the long term interests and aspirations of customers Champions and promotes the delivery of quality service to all customers Plans and organises delivery of customer service Delivers a high quality service Defines and develops TVH s commercial objectives to maximise the organisation s financial wellbeing Delivers the commercial objectives Understands the purpose and content of the Corporate business plan Demonstrates awareness of commercial aspects of the business Leads the organisations to deliver high performance Is a role model for effective leadership

18 Appendix 1 Name Definition Level Descriptors realise their full potential Professional Supports team development Vocational Gives basic direction and instruction 18 P a g e

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