Job title: Administrative Support Officer – Crawley Building Control
Salary grade: D
Hours of work: 37
Pay per hour (excluding fees): 15.00
Required from date: 13/10/2025
Expected duration of contract: 31/03/2026
Deadline: 1/11/2025
MAIN PURPOSE OF POST:
Crawley BC is setting up a new in-house Building Control team following the ending of our shared service agreement with Horsham DC.
The purpose of this Administrative Support Officer role is to provide high-quality administrative support to the new Crawley Building Control team, ensuring the smooth processing of building control applications, effective communication with applicants, accurate record-keeping and efficient, accurate and effective responses to building control enquiries on a day to day basis. On occasion assist other divisions of the Economy and Planning Directorate.
SPECIFIC DUTIES OF ROLE:
* To assist in the provision of cover for all administrative duties including:
Customer Service:
* Act as first point of contact for enquiries via and phone and email including the management of electronic communication received in the teams shared mailbox and manage any incoming and outgoing post. Demonstrate friendly, customer centred, effective and efficient telephone manner.
* Accurately direct correspondence when required to the appropriate Registered Building Inspectors and respond to applicants to provide relevant information and links to guidance on application procedures and service standards.
* Ensure all external communications with customers and stakeholders is effective and efficient.
* Log all customer enquiries and ensure timely responses to enquiries, effectively searching database of previous / legacy building control applications when required to provide accurate responses to enquiries.
Application Processing:
* Receive and accurately log Building Control applications and the process them using the council’s digital back-office database.
* Review incoming Building Control applications to make sure all required documentation is complete and accurate, including plans, forms, and supporting evidence. Use checklists and system prompts to verify compliance with submission standards and statutory requirements.
* Liaise promptly and professionally with applicants to request missing or unclear information, providing clear guidance on what is needed and how to submit it.
* Respond to applicant enquiries on the building control application processes.
* Ensure applications when received, completed and logged, are then passed on to one of the Registered Building Inspectors or to external service providers (e.g. Full Plan checks) for processing.
Financial Administration:
* Generate and issue secure payment links to applicants for Building Control fees, working with Crawley BC corporate finance officers, and following confirmation from the relevant Registered Building Inspector. Ensuring accuracy in fee calculations based on application type, project scope, and council fee schedules.
* Monitor payment status and follow up with applicants as needed to support timely processing.
* Support invoicing and reconciliation processes in coordination with the finance team, including verifying transactions, and ensuring all financial data is accurately recorded.
* Generate payment links and issue to applicants for Building Control fees.
Team Support:
* Coordinate and schedule site inspections in accordance with Registered Building Inspectors’ diaries, ensuring appointments are arranged efficiently and in line with service targets and provide timely updates on inspection bookings or changes.
* Prepare and distribute documentation including formal correspondence, inspection reports, decision notices, and completion certificates, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance with council standards. Maintain version control and proper filing of all issued documents.
* Provide general administrative support for team, follow up on action points and assist with tracking progress on tasks to support effective team coordination.
CANDIDATE SPECIFICATION
(This is for information only and should be retained by the applicant)
CHARACTERISTICS
* SKILLS/ABILITIES
* Keyboard literate and proficient
* Methodical approach to work
* Accuracy and attention to detail
* Good oral and written communication skills
* Proven ability to organise and prioritise work
* Strong time management
* Ability to follow procedures
* Ability to understand and interpret planning drawings and accurately record information spatially
* Strong customer liaison skills
* Strong information retrieval skills to deal with customer enquiries
KNOWLEDGE
* Proven knowledge of administrative processes / databases
* Awareness of Data protection and GDPR
* Good working knowledge of I.T and its potential for application in building control
QUALIFICATION/ TRAINING VERIFICATION WILL BE REQUIRED
* Minimum 2 GCSE or equivalent A-C level in Maths & English
* Ability to use Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook
EXPERIENCE
* Previous experience in a customer facing administrative environment.
* Proven experience of maintaining record management systems
QUALITIES
* A commitment to high quality and improving service provision.
* Ability to communicate effectively
* Personable and approachable
* Flexible approach to work
* Able to make effective use of available resources within legal and organisational constraints
* Ability to meet deadlines
* Positive attitude to learning
* A strong customer centred approach
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
Willingness to work in the office a minimum of 3 days per week and to provide more office cover if needed to meet requirements of the service.
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