Principal Environmental Health Officer (Housing)

Tower Hamlets Council Pension Fund; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000

Job description

Town Hall
160 Whitechapel Road
LONDON
E1 1BJ

Tower Hamlets is a fascinating borough, a multi-cultural community steeped in history. The contrasts and challenges in Environmental Health work range from the “Curry Capital” of Brick Lane to the expanding high-tech corporate world-wide financial institutions in Canary Wharf, employing thousands of people using the services that Environmental Health are responsible for. Our Service is forward looking and has many exciting challenges to face.

Our private rented sector is over a third of all our housing stock. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of dealing with housing licensing schemes, dealing with complaints, undertaking enforcement action, and managing staff.

The team is dynamic, forward thinking, and offers plenty of opportunities for development and growth.

We are looking for an experienced Principal Officer to carry out the full range of duties including:

• Supervising and Managing Staff
• Developing our IT systems to enhance customer experience
• Proactive inspections
• Reviewing licensing applications
• Managing and developing projects when they arise
• Issuing notices and preparing legal proceedings

This is a unique opportunity, and we are looking for a motivated and dedicated individual to help deliver on our key strategic objectives.

Role Purpose

As an Officer with delegated authority, use accredited specialist multi-faceted skills and techniques to carry out a programme of proactive and reactive functions which will contribute to enforcing housing standards across the Borough.

Managing a team of qualified Environmental Health officers and Housing Standards officers.

You will be undertaking your own complex caseloads as well as allocating and supervising caseloads and managing a team of officers.

Attend meetings representing the service and the council.

Liaising with internal and external stakeholders.

To support the Team Leader in managing the service and to deputise in their absence.

Key Responsibilities

Using delegated powers and specialist skills (i.e., inspection, enforcement powers, negotiation, and persuasion) to gain and ensure compliance with Housing legislation so that safety standards are maintained for residents. To ensure that service reactive complaints and our licensing schemes are managed and are high performing with regards to compliance.

Requirements

• The successful candidate will have experience in enforcing Housing legislation and the supervision of staff.
• Experience of housing licensing schemes.
• In-depth knowledge/technical expertise of housing enforcement and legislation.
• Preferably management experience.
• To have a driving licence and provide a car for work purposes.

Benefits and Allowances

We offer a 35-hour working week with the option to earn flexi time and approximately 6 weeks paid holiday depending on your public service experience.

This post is open to the following types of applicants: Redeployees/ Internal/ External/ Agency.

All applications should be made via our online application system; no CVs or alternative forms of applications are accepted. Internal employees should apply via the council's Intranet. External applicants apply via the Council's website www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/careers.

Tower Hamlets vision for our borough is that: people are aspirational, independent and have equal access to opportunities; we are a borough that our residents are proud of and love to live in; and we are a dynamic, outcomes-based council using digital innovation and partnership working to respond to the changing needs of our borough. We want people who aspire to our TOWER values: Together; Open; Willing; Excellent; Respect.

Tower Hamlets has a zero-tolerance approach to, and works to eradicate, all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, status as a civil partner, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy and maternity and looks to employ a diverse workforce representative of those groups. We recognise that people can also be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class.

We welcome applicants interested in flexible working arrangements and also applicants who live in the borough.