Temporary for 12 - 18 months

Salary: £15,673 (With a potential to earn up to £27,668 if you secure a permanent position within PCC)

Location: Any of our 7 area offices in Portsmouth and Havant

What's on offer?

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and committed individual for our exciting Housing Officer Apprentice position. Apprenticeships are work based learning programmes that offer work experience, training, qualifications and a salary - so you earn while you learn.

The Apprenticeship scheme has been a huge success and we are into our fifth year of recruitment for Housing Officer Apprentices. All our previous apprentices have managed to gain the required skills, knowledge and experience with a recognised qualification and gone on to secure full time employment with Portsmouth City Council.

We are offering a fantastic opportunity for you to start a career with us by joining us as a 'Housing Officer Apprentice'. You will get:-

• Up to year of paid work • You will have a mentor/buddy who will be an experienced member of staff who can help you through the training • You will get a qualification and support to help you achieve this • You will improve your career prospects with the experience and qualifications gained and the possibility of getting permanent employment with Portsmouth City Council

Who are we?

Portsmouth City Council Housing Service manages over 17,000 council owned and leasehold properties in Portsmouth and Havant making it the largest social landlord in these areas. Our services include maximising rental income, providing tenancy support, tackling anti-social behaviour, carrying out repairs and maintenance and undertaking cleaning and ground maintenance. Our service is shaped by understanding what matters to our customers and what they need from the Housing Service so that we make a real and positive difference.

If successful in your application you will be based at one of the seven Area Housing Offices, and will join an experienced and effective Housing team in a challenging front-line service. The role of the Housing Officer Apprentice

The Housing Officer Apprentice will work alongside existing Housing Officers who are responsible for managing a patch of local authority properties. They deal with the people and the property - making sure that the rent is paid, dealing with repairs, neighbour disputes, anti- social behaviour and providing support and help for customers to help them manage their tenancy.

You will receive the support and training to enable you to listen to the demands of the customer and respond appropriately and tailor your approach to the needs of different client groups. This may include visiting customers in their own homes. A key element of the role of the housing officer is to help customers to meet their responsibilities to pay rent and ensure they meet their obligations as a tenant, taking appropriate action where the tenancy agreement is not complied with.

This is a varied and challenging role where no two days are the same and involves dealing with a broad section of the local community. It relies on close partnership working with both internal and external agencies, such as the Police, Social Services and other local authorities.

Who is the person? 1. Have excellent customer service skills and be confident in your approach and delivery when dealing with customers 2. Be able to communicate effectively to a range of audiences and vary your style of delivery and technique to achieve positive outcomes. 3. Have good problem solving skills and ability to use your own initiative 4. Is able to work independently or as part of a team 5. Have good organisational skills. You are expected to manage your time effectively, as often you will need to manage conflicting priorities. 6. Have confidence in using a variety of IT systems such as Excel and other office applications 7. Is willing to learn and develop 8. Be flexible as occasionally you may be required to work outside office hours i.e. to attend residents meetings 9. Driving licence and use of car is desirable.

Please complete and return the application form by 4pm on Monday 10th July 2017 if you are interested in becoming our new apprentice. Please provide details for references. If you are currently working we will need a reference from your current employer and if applicable previous employer. If you have not been in employment, preferably a reference from an educational establishment, i.e. college.

CV's will not be accepted, you must complete the application form

Our process includes assessments / testing and interview. Should you be shortlisted we will invite you in for an Assessment Day at our Paulsgrove Office on Thursday 20th July 2017. If you are shortlisted from the Assessment Centre you will be invited in for interview on Monday 24th July 2017.

If we need to contact you we will do this by phone. If we are unable to contact you by phone we will then use a supplied email address or home address in that order.

If you have any questions, or would like an informal discussion about the role, please call Maxine Jackson, Estate Manager at the Paulsgrove Housing Office

Please note that providing false information is an offence and could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal if you are appointed to the post.