Asylum Support Contract Assurance Environmental Health Officer (Housing Standards)
Home Office
Apply before 11:55 pm on Friday 18th October 2024
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About the job
Job summary
The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, fire, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.
The Customer Services Group brings together Asylum & Human Rights, Asylum Support and Dispersal, Asylum Accommodation Centres, Resettlement Group, Passports, Citizenship & Civil Registration, Customer Operations Support Services and UK Visas & Immigration. As a major operational arm of the Home Office, we play a vital role in supporting the economy and cultural life of the UK.
Asylum Support, Resettlement and Accommodation (ASRA) Directorate, part of the Home Office, delivers support services to people seeking asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK. This involves use of external suppliers, and partnerships with local government and other agencies. The asylum support system is the biggest single spending area in the whole of the Borders & Immigration area and has a high public profile.
Three different suppliers hold Asylum Accommodation & Support Contracts (AASC) to provide housing and associated support to destitute asylum seekers across the UK under seven separate regional contracts.
The accommodation providers are:
• Serco, covering the North West, the Midlands and East of England (our offices in Manchester, Liverpool and Solihull);
• Mears, covering the North East of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland (our offices in Leeds, Newcastle and Glasgow);
• Clearsprings Ready Homes, covering the South of England and Wales (our offices in Croydon, West London, and Cardiff)
The Asylum Support Contract Assurance Team (ASC-A) plays a key role in scrutinising the performance of our suppliers against these contracts, by:
• Inspecting properties to ensure that the required standards are being met;
• Using a range of data sources to test their performance against the Key Performance Indicators in the contracts each month;
• Undertaking thematic assurance reviews into areas of provider performance.
To support our functions, we require an Environmental Health Officer (Housing Standards) with experience of working within a local authority housing Environmental Health Service with a detailed understanding of housing regulation, enforcement and related law.
Job description
The Key Responsibilities of the post holder are:
• Working with the senior management team advising on the development and implementation of new procedures, guidance, tools, and training for the wider team, within the framework relating to environmental health (housing standards) and Housing health & safety rating system (HHSRS).
• Working with Accommodation Providers to address accommodation standards that don’t meet contractual requirements, and unsatisfactory management in licensed properties. Taking reactive and targeted action with Accommodation Providers to encourage and support them in becoming compliant utilising Environmental Health Officer (Housing Standards) legislative knowledge and powers but stopping short of enforcement action.
• Working with Accommodation Providers in relation to fire safety across their accommodation portfolios, including Initial Accommodation (IA) sites and Contingency IA (hotels) to ensure in accordance with legislation.
Other areas of involvement:
• Houses in Multiple Occupation including Licensing, overcrowding, advising on housing standards enforcement and standards in houses in multiple occupation, hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation. Reactive and proactive work in respect of all types of property licensing (mandatory and discretionary).
• Involvement in the implementation of policy decisions relevant to team.
• Liaise with relevant internal and external partners, our Accommodation Providers, Local Authority, Fire Authority etc.
• Be involved with complex correspondence, and enquiries, including from Local Authorities and MPs.
• To represent the Department at external meetings and prepare and present reports.
• Develop expertise on a specialist area of environmental health work and update staff on area of expertise.
Utilising the accredited skills and techniques (i.e. audit, inspection, advisor, negotiation, persuasion and enforcement powers) of an Environmental Health Officer (Housing Standards) to influence our programme of proactive and reactive functions which will contribute to raising Housing Standards within the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts.
Working Pattern
We encourage applications from candidates who wish to work part-time; however, part-time opportunities cannot be guaranteed and are subject to the requirements of the role and business. Candidates wishing to work part-time should notify the vacancy holder as soon as a provisional offer of employment is made, to explore whether this can be accommodated at your selected location.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
• Masters in Environmental Health.
• Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
• Qualified Environmental Health Officer (Housing Standards).
• Experience of working with commercial contracts.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Desirable Criteria
• An understanding of asylum support operational processes.
Memberships
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Changing and Improving
- Developing Self and Others
- Working Together
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
- 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
- Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
- Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
See more of our benefits on our careers website.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.
Application – by 18th October 2024
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
- Personal Statement (maximum 750 words)
- Evidence of the Behaviour - Communicating & Influencing (maximum of 250 words)
The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.
For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.
Sift – week commencing 21st October 2024
The sift will be held on the Personal Statement and Behaviour - Communicating & Influencing.
Should a high volume of applications be received, the sift will be conducted only on the Lead Behaviour - Communicating & Influencing.
Interview – week commencing 11th November 2024
If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be:
- Behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and Strength based questions
The interview will take place via video using Microsoft Teams.
For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.
Problems during the application process
If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.
Reserve lists will be held for each location and profession. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location and profession.
Candidates judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised without the need to go through a further selection process, providing the role has the same Success Profiles elements and essential skills. There is no guarantee that further such vacancies will arise.
Additional Security Checks
As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.
Further Information
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure Scotland on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.
If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter
If you are invited to an interview, you will be required to bring documentation for the purposes of establishing your identity.
You will need to meet the nationality requirements for this role and obtain the necessary security clearance to take it up. For meaningful security checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. Learn more on our website. Security Checks - Home Office Careers
Visa sponsorship
We do not sponsor individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas.
Reasonable Adjustments
If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
- Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Home Office Resourcing Centre
- Email : HORCCampaignTeamHMPOandUKVI@homeoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
