Introduction
There is a wide range of jobs concerned with local government
housing and at different levels. Local authority housing
departments provide housing and flats to rent. They also manage
sheltered housing, hostels and other authority owned properties.
Most of the posts come under property services and every type of
authority except for county councils has them. But this particular
job can be found in the environment services, too.
Housing management is not a straightforward issue and there are
many different elements to the service - assessing local housing
requirements and the needs of special groups, ensuring minimums
standards of repair and maintenance, monitoring tenancy agreements
and rent levels and so on. Housing operations officers
provide and manage the landlord service from neighbourhood housing
offices.
This is a good career step from property services posts such as
neighbourhood housing manager.
Work Environment
The work is almost entirely office based but there will be
occasional local and regional travel to meetings and neighbourhood
housing offices and well as various council housing estates.
There are some site visits to be made and the standard working week
is 37 hours.
Daily Activities
Most of the time housing operations officers work on developing
new policies and strategies to ensure that there is an efficient
landlord service at each of the neighbourhood housing offices. They
are always looking for improvements. This entails making sure that
each office has adequate support to provide a proper service.
Officers will be involved in tackling special problems such as
burglary, racial incidents and protection of the homeless. They
will liaise with landlords and other agencies such as the police,
neighbourhood watch and community groups to find ways of solving
them. It will also bring them into contact with a great many other
housing staff and individual customers.
The overall aim is to strengthen the hand of the individual
landlord while, at the same time, protect the interests of the
tenants - for the sake of the whole community.
Skills & Interests
To be good at this job you would need:
- practical ability
- attention to detail
- caring nature
- project management ability
- confidence
- to be able to get on with people from different
backgrounds
- IT skills
- good oral and written communication skills
- to be a team worker and work on your own initiative
- to have a non-judgmental approach to vulnerable members of
society.
Entry Requirements
Most entrants have a degree, A Levels or the equivalent although
some will enter with four GCSE (grades A-C). Degrees in law,
housing, business studies and estate management are particularly
relevant.
Some authorities will accept mature applicants with substantial
experience (preferably with a number of different organizations to
learn about different housing needs) rather than qualifications.
But it is expected that you should have membership of The Chartered
Institute of Housing or be working towards it. NVQ/SNVQs in housing
are available at Levels 2,3 and 4. Level 4 provides access to the
institute's professional diploma.
Future Prospects & Opportunities
There is a good career path available with the possibility of
promotion to Head of Housing Management Service Unit and the top
job is Programme Director. There are also many other senior
management posts to aim for - in other parts of local government
and outside - because management skills are transferable.
Further Information & Services
Association of Retirement Housing Managers www.arhm.org
Chartered Institute of Housing www.cih.org
Homes & Communities Agency www.homesandcommunities.co.uk
Inside Housing www.insidehousing.co.uk
You may find further information about this area of work through
Careers Wales (www.careerswales.com/) or
in your local library, careers office or school careers
library.