Temporary Accommodation Health Safety Compliance Officer

5 months contract with a Local Authority

Job Summary:

• To lead and manage the Council s compliance processes to ensure the control coordination and verification of compliance certification documentation and procedures relating to Fire Risk Asbestos Energy Performance Gas and Electrical Safety Legionella and any other Health and Safety consideration ensuring that all obligations and standards are met.
  
• To ensure that the Council s legal responsibilities in relation to Health and Safety are met and to ensure that all staff are kept informed regarding any changes to legislation and to incorporate any such changes in existing policies and procedures to maintain compliance.
  
• Responsible for ensuring that the performance of the Council s temporary accommodation providers in the area of health and safety compliance and property standards is of the expected quality level as stipulated in the contract terms and conditions and service level agreements.
  
• Undertake inspections of temporary accommodation to ensure that the accommodation meets the Council s required property standards and is fit for occupation.
  
• Responsible for providing reports to senior management regarding overall temporary accommodation compliance including analysis of key performance indicators exception reporting and highlighting of inconsistencies throughout the area.
  

Key Duties/Accountabilities (Sample):

• Responsible for the management of the key databases and support systems throughout the Property and Business Accounts team including updating and uploading safety certificates.
  
• Responsible for managing the accuracy of data input monitoring and validation of data for the various Council IT systems including certificate dates and comments accommodation provider details and accommodation addresses. This is expected to be reconciled to support audits and scrutiny.
  
• To develop positive active relationships and work effectively and professionally with a key stakeholder such as accommodation providers and individual landlords supporting the delivery of the wider compliance objectives of the Council and maximising opportunities to innovate and develop improvements to service delivery.
  
• Support the development review and implementation of related strategies/policies and to deliver strategic priorities ensuring the Council is meeting its statutory duties.
  
• To support the Property and Business Accounts Manager in the engagement negotiation and consultation with a range of internal and external stakeholders to ensure compliance in Health and Safety and Property Standards.
  
• Review statutory and best practice health and safety documents to ensure they have been completed correctly.
  
• Work collaboratively with the Council s ALMO Lewisham Homes Compliance team to ensure compliance across the private sector leased stock.
  
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with other officers and teams both within the Council and external partners/ providers to deliver the Council s priorities.
  
• Communicate with service users where challenges such as access issues arise.
  
• Carry out inspections and ensure that effective monitoring and action on unsuitable accommodation is taken including referring to enforcement and contract managing accommodation providers.
  
• Inspect all accommodation as necessary or as instructed by the service manager to ensure accommodation is fully compliant with the Council s minimum standards and meets health and safety requirements including energy efficiency standards.
  
• Work as part of a team ensuring good organisation communication work planning and motivation between self and others.
  
• Identifying and investigating complaints regarding health and safety compliance breaches and taking the necessary action to rectify breaches by negotiation and correspondence.
  
• Providing advice information and guidance on compliance matters and related areas to colleagues and external stakeholders.
  
• Keep abreast of current legislation policies and regulations related to property standards and health and safety compliance and making recommendations on based on changes.
  
• Responsible for ensuring 100% compliance of gas servicing compliance.
  
• Responsible for ensuring regular periodic electrical inspection of properties are carried out and that failures are actioned.
  
• To manage the independent and internal audits of compliance data policies and procedures including those selected by any Member Scrutiny.
  
• To deal with and redirect correspondence emails telephone enquiries and personal contacts in connection with queries relating to the compliance functions of the service ensuring the highest standards of customer care and that prompt responses are made thereby contributing to the effective running of the service.
  
• To undertake a full range of administrative and technical support duties for the Compliance area including managing and maintaining files photocopying arranging meetings printing and collating reports letters and other documentation and inputting and extracting data from computer systems and databases.
  
• To undertake any other duties as required by the Director of Housing and the Service Manager that are commensurate within the grade and the post in responding to changes in workload and accepting responsibility for customer care.
  
• To inform the Head of Service of any breach of Health & Safety issues or indeed of any situations or events which it is considered could place individuals in danger.
  
• Promote a professional and positive image of Council in accordance with Council s Customer Service Policy. Take a proactive approach to providing excellent customer service to both internal and external customers.
  
• To carry out the duties of the post with due regard to the Council s Equal Opportunities Policy.
  
• Internal Contacts: These include officers in the Temporary Accommodation Team officers in Licensing and Housing Enforcement Payments Team Health and Safety Team Council Complaints Team etc
  
• External Contacts: This will include Landlords Landlord Agents Lewisham Homes Officers Contractors Regulatory bodies etc
  
• To carry out the duties of the post with due regard to the Council s relevant codes and procedures.
  
• All employees are required to participate in the Performance Evaluation Scheme (PES) and to undertake appropriate training and development identified to enhance their work.
  
• Undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as may reasonably be required.
  
• Consideration will be given to restructuring the duties of this post for a disabled post holder.
  

Skills/Experience:

• Knowledge of how to deliver a firstclass customers focused service.
  
• Sound working knowledge of current health and safety related legislation and guidance and understand the responsibilities for safety health and welfare placed on all parties involved in health and safety compliance.
  
• Detailed knowledge and thorough understanding of the activities functions and processes involved in the provision of a health and safety regulatory compliance service for a large and complex temporary accommodation portfolio. This will include areas such as gas electric energy efficiency fire risk asbestos and water hygiene.
  
• Knowledge of private sector housing law health and safety rating system and other health and safety regulations (gas electrics and energy efficiency) and legislation relating to the letting of private sector tenancies and temporary accommodation.
  
• General knowledge of good property standards and common building problems.
  
• An awareness of the financial implications of decisions and an understanding of the importance of prioritising value for money.
  
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with an ability to explain complex information clearly to a range of audiences.
  
• Ability to be proactive and response and go the extra mile .
  
• Ability to identify business risks at an early stage within the compliance process alerting appropriate managers and developing possible solutions.
  
• Ability to work as part of a team and take initiative with own cases.
  
• Ability to promote and develop effective joint working practices across services.
  
• Ability to prioritise competing demands in a pressurised environment recognize service priorities and manage a caseload within agreed targets.
  
• Ability to maintain databases and work effectively with IT systems.
  
• Ability to meet performance targets and deliver positive outcomes.
  
• Ability to develop and maintain effective partnerships with a wide range of people and organisations.
  
• An ability to work in a flexible and adaptable manner within in a fast changing pressurised and highprofile environment
  
• Must be able to demonstrate a reasonable knowledge of health and safety risks within the industry and the main principles and strategies for control.
  
• Experience of working in a similar compliance focused role.
  
• Experience of providing an excellent level of customer care and customer service in a comparable customer service environment.
  
• Experience of managing own caseload.
  
• Experience inspecting accommodation to ensure compliance with property standards.
  
• Extensive experience in writing and presenting complex report and papers.
  

Additional Information:

• Closing date: 23/10/24 @17:00.