Job title: Service Manager – Voids/Repairs – Asset Management (Housing)
Salary: PO6 £51,356 - £54,495
Hours: 37 / week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Main office - Print Unit, 7 Limewood Approach, Seacroft, Leeds LS14 1NG. However, you may be required to work from any office location within the city. Hybrid working will be offered.
As Service Manager – Voids/Repairs, you will have the responsibility for ensuring the delivery of a large-scale programme of landlord’s repairs activity. You’ll thrive on providing proactive leadership to staff teams, to ensure that value for money is achieved through effective contract and performance management, and for ensuring that council homes are repaired and maintained to high standards. You will have a key role in ensuring that regulatory requirements are met, supporting Housing Leeds’s ambition to be the best local authority housing provider in the UK.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our and ambitions.
About you
As Service Manager – Voids/Repairs, you will bring to the role:
1. A detailed knowledge of a landlord’s repair and maintenance responsibilities, including legal and regulatory requirements,
2. Detailed knowledge and experience of contract management and partnership working,
3. Excellent communication skills and an ability to work effectively with others and form positive relationships,
4. Experience of managing budgets,
5. Experience of leading and managing a multi-disciplinary team,
6. A drive to deliver customer centric services and to involve tenants in designing and monitoring the service.
About the role
Most of the councils directly managed housing stock (c 52,000 homes) is split into three geographic areas, east, south, and west of the city. You will be responsible for managing the delivery of repairs programmes to both occupied and empty (void) homes in one of these three areas. You will also take a lead role for ensuring the consistency of void performance monitoring across the city.
The role brings a fantastic opportunity to showcase your skills and work with the residents of Leeds and alongside multi-disciplined teams within the Housing Leeds service, and wider council landlord functions. As the sector transforms in response to significant regulatory changes, your ideas, leadership, and joint working will pave the way for quality housing in the city for many years to come.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
7. a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays.
8. membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions.
9. flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements.
10. a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities.
11. a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further.
How to apply
Apply for this job online by completing the online application form.
Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job purpose
To successfully lead across the repairs and maintenance service and ensure a comprehensive, customer focused service is delivered. To achieve high levels of efficiency, cost effectiveness and quality, ensuring maximum performance in accordance with the targets, standards and policies of the Council. To ensure overall value for money is achieved through the effective management of internal and external service providers.
Responsibilities
12. To work in collaboration with the teams across the Asset Management (Housing) portfolio, and wider Housing/Landlord services in-order to ensure the delivery of an effective repairs and maintenance service to Council homes that meets the Councils landlord duties, corporate responsibilities, and all legal and regulatory responsibilities.
13. To ensure the delivery of repairs and maintenance activity that is customer centric and meets the diverse needs of residents.
14. To ensure strong and effective contract/supplier management, which achieves overall value for money, and demonstrates continuous improvement.
15. To manage effective relationships with stakeholders.
16. To ensure that all activities are delivered in compliance with the Councils policies and requirements including financial regulations and contract procedure rules, health and safety, equality diversity and inclusion, safeguarding and information governance.
17. To plan resources/budgets effectively and ensure that service delivery meets performance targets and is delivered within agreed budgets and timescales.
18. To ensure an effective learning culture that links to effective resident engagement and a strong culture of using knowledge and information management to develop the service.
19. To contribute to the development of policy and strategy, and to lead on the development and delivery of a service plan for the area of responsibility.
20. To take a lead role in procurements and the delivery of projects, relating to the service area.
21. To lead, manage and motivate staff and team members, recruit staff, train and develop staff, in-accordance with Council policies.
22. To lead by example and to ensure that the service takes a ‘can do’ approach to delivering services, and work professionally, competently, and in a customer focused way.
23. To deputise for the Deputy Head of Service as and when required.
24. The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
25. Occasionally, this post may require work to be undertaken at short notice outside normal working hours in order to meet the demands of the service.
Qualifications
Minimum qualification to HND/HNC or equivalent experience in a construction related discipline.
Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.
26. A detailed knowledge of a landlords responsibilities and legal duties for carrying out repairs and maintenance.
27. Detailed knowledge of contract management and partnership working,
28. Extensive knowledge of building services maintenance and in particular of property compliance programme requirements in relation to landlords responsibilities,
29. A thorough knowledge of Health and Safety legislation, and practice (including Asbestos) and the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015.
30. A sound understanding of social housing and government policy including current issues affecting the sector.
31. A strong commercial knowledge and an understanding of modern methods of procurement procedures, procurement legislation contract management procedures.
32. Ability to effectively lead and manage staff.
33. Ability to communicate effectively and maintain professional working relationships with stakeholders
34. Ability to analyse and interpret varied and complex information or situations and produce appropriate solutions or strategies to difficult problems.
35. Able to deal with situations with a high degree of empathy and use discretion and initiative to resolve issues positively.
36. Can develop positive relationships, influence and negotiate, and work collaboratively.
37. Ability to manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of projects
38. Ability to effectively develop budget requirements and manage services within agreed budgets
39. Ability to manage projects
40. Able to use a range of Microsoft based office products
41. Experience of managing a multi-disciplinary team
42. Experience of report writing and presenting to a range of audiences
Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics
43. Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
44. Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
45. Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
46. Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
47. Willingness to actively participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills.
48. Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
49. Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
50. Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
51. The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
52. This post requires a current UK driver’s licence and the holder to have access to a vehicle.
Desirable requirements Candidates are not required to meet all the following desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates
53. A recognised project management qualification
54. Evidence of continual professional development relative to the role
55. A sound understanding of social housing and government policy including current issues affecting the sector.
56. Membership of a relevant professional body i.e. RICS
57. Ability to effectively manage performance within a performance framework
58. Experience of high value contract management
59. Experience of working within a political environment
60. Experience of delivering organisational change
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