Project Officer - Care and Repair, Pullar House, Perth

Job Description

Project Officer, Care and Repair - PKC09979
£28,831 - £31,740
Pullar House, Perth

Based within the Housing Repairs Service, a new and exciting opportunity has arisen for a Project Officer to support Perth & Kinross Council’s Care & Repair Service and Empty Homes Initiative. 

You will work collaboratively with the current Care & Repair Coordinator, colleagues across the Council’s Housing Service, Caledonia Housing Association and Angus Council, private sector residents, agencies and contractors to support this work. 

You will attend monthly Care & Repair contract meetings, maintain records, and prepare budget and progress reports.  You will provide guidance to Care & Repair and Occupational Therapy teams on grant policies, procedures, individual cases, and legislation.  You will also advise on specific Small Repairs for eligibility or whether an enhanced grant award can be given.

You will acknowledge receipt of electronic grant applications from Care & Repair on behalf of clients, verify and prioritise each application according to the agreed priority status.  You will assess each application and, following an appraisal and check on monthly budget expenditure.  You will provide grant approval letters and issue formal approval to Care & Repair.

You will check the progress and standard of grant works and provide an overview of any issues to Care & Repair.  This may be technical, contractual, financial, or other general advice.  You will advise the Councils Legal Services on the satisfactory completion of grant works so the grant can be recorded against the property title deeds.  You will maintain grant records for 10 years after completion.  You will receive and check property enquiry requests from solicitors if house is being sold.

You will provide advice and assistance to private sector landlords in relation to the Council’s Empty Homes Initiative, provide advice on how to apply, the standards and certification expected on completion etc.  You will provide progress reports on Empty Homes claims to Housing Management Team and monitor budgets. You will arrange & carry out inspections of Empty Houses and prepare lists of eligible and non-eligible works required.

As a Project Officer, you will report to, be guided by and take direction from the Care & Repair Coordinator.  You will be a member of the Housing Repairs Service and will work in collaboration with colleagues from this team and across the Housing Service as well as other internal teams including Legal Services. 

You will generally be required to work Monday to Friday from 8.45am to 5pm but due to the nature of the project and to ensure the needs of project are met, there will be an expectation that you will work flexibly, and this could include evenings and weekends carrying out surveys and consultation with private landlords.  You may also be required to travel to other locations for meetings and workshops.

Responsibilities

To support delivery of Perth & Kinross Council’s Care & Repair Service in partnership with Caledonia Housing Association and Angus Council.

Attend C&R contract meetings in partnership with Angus Council (Monthly).

Ensure budget expenditure is within agreed constraints on a monthly and annual basis.

Maintain records to assist with budget management.

Produce Highlight Reports for Housing Management Team.

Provide guidance to C&R and Occupational Therapy teams on grant policies, procedures, individual cases, legislation, etc.  Advise on specific Small Repairs for eligibility or whether an enhanced award can be provided.

Assess applications for Care & Repair grants and following appraisal check on monthly budget expenditure, give advice to applicants on grant applications and inspect completed work.

Advise Paralegals on the completion of grants so the grant can be recorded against the properties title deeds.

Maintain grant records for 10 years after completion (Grant Conditions period).

Respond to property enquiry requests from solicitors in relation to house sales.

Support delivery of the Council’s Empty Homes Initiative, provide advice to private landlords in relation to grant applications and inspect completed works against expected standards.  

Have an awareness of housing, property inspection and grant applications and regulatory changes which may affect and impact on these projects.

The Individual

You will support the delivery of these projects, and we are looking for a highly organised and motivated individual who is enthusiastic, efficient, and conscientious in their approach.

You should be able to communicate effectively at all levels, to build relationships and with other internal and external agencies and contractors to identify the key issues, come up with solutions for resolving these.

You should have good report writing skills, setting out the key issues, options, and potential solutions in a clear and concise manner.

You will have experience of delivering project work and undertaking the administrative tasks associated with the project activity to ensure that the aims and objectives of the project are met, and key milestones are adhered to.

You will be instrumental in how the project is delivered, and the outcomes are achieved.  It is crucial, therefore, that you will be resilient, and you will be solution-focused to support these projects and achieve the intended outcomes.

You should have the ability to decipher complex Housing and legislative information.

You will have a non-judgemental attitude, be empathetic and sensitive to the needs of applicants.

To ensure the smooth running of this project, you will be a highly organised individual with the ability to prioritise your own workload and plan ahead.  You should have good IT skills for interrogating systems and ensuring accurate and confidential record-keeping.

You should have experience of working in Housing, Care & Repair, or a related field.

If you would like any more information about this exciting project and position, please email June McColl, Service Manager at JMcColl@pkc.gov.uk

When completing your application for this post, please ensure that you provide contact details (including e-mail addresses) for two referees. One should be your current or most recent employer.

Please APPLY ONLINE.  Facilities are available at all public libraries in Perth and Kinross.  If you have a disability and require reasonable adjustments, please call 01738 475555 to discuss.

As part of our safer recruitment measures, Perth & Kinross Council carries out rigorous checks on the right to work in the UK, qualifications, employment history, including references, and fitness to undertake the post.

A healthy work life balance is important to Perth & Kinross Council and we provide supportive management and flexible working arrangements to help you achieve a healthy work life balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

Some jobs may have been traditionally carried out predominately by one gender, but we would encourage you to apply if you meet the requirements, irrespective of your gender. 

Perth & Kinross Council welcomes applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

At PKC our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Offer.  In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours.  Find out more about PKC and you could soon be joining our team!

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