Housing Regulations Licensing Manager

Portsmouth City Council has designated a city wide Additional licensing scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across Portsmouth. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a new team delivering this Additional HMO Licensing scheme.

You will lead, develop, and operationally manage a team of officers responsible for the enforcement and administration of the additional HMO scheme within the Private Sector Housing service for Portsmouth City Council. You will ensure the service complies with relevant legislation, regulations and policies, and is a high quality effective regulatory service.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated, and dedicated manager with a demonstrable commitment to top quality regulatory services, with relevant qualifications and/or experience.

The Council will offer appropriate support to the successful candidate in their professional development

The fulfilment of the purpose of the service is the primary focus as should be the aim at all times

• Provide help and advice to make homes liveable, safe and healthy.

What is the role?  

The Housing Regulations Licensing Manager is a leading professional in the delivery of the council's enforcement and regulatory services with respect to licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation.  Their role is to ensure that legislation is fully understood and met, and that local policies are developed and then delivered.

The role will focus upon legislative compliance supporting the Head of Service in matters including

• Ensuring that policy is clear, transparent and professionally communicated
• Legal proceedings, including prosecutions, civil and formal actions
• Maintain and development of the relevant IT systems and data management systems.
• Ensuring system thinking principles and value steps against the purpose are understood, maintained, and managed
• Provide support for the Housing Regulation Licensing Team Leaders and other direct reports
• Team development and training
• Directly respond to customers
• Understand and manage the budgets related to licensing and enforcement, and any that arise from management orders for properties.
• Ensuring that data is stored correctly and is able to be manipulated to create meaningful measures, upon which actions can be taken to improve the performance of the system.
• Plan and organise work to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of purpose of the service
• Support the team in taking enforcement action, where required and preparing for cases which may go to tribunal or court.  This will include attending court to give evidence as a professional and reliable witness if required.
• Committing to the continual development of the service and personal professional development.

Licencing of HMOs:

• Ensure that any licencing scheme for HMOs is well managed, with clear measures to indicate performance
• Ensure that all standards and licence conditions are clearly and transparently communicated so that tenants and landlords have faith in the regulatory function of the council.

Who is the person?

You will be someone who:

1. Must have successful operational management experience of an enforcement team in a regulatory field.
2. Will ideally hold (or be working towards holding) a level 6 qualification in housing, environmental health, environmental science, engineering or construction related qualification.
3. Holds (or is working towards holding) member level CIEH membership, chartered member of the CIH, or membership of another relevant body. This will include evidence of extensive continual professional development (CPD).
4. Have a high level of knowledge and experience of housing legislation and process around enforcement, particularly in regard to the private rental sector and HMOs.
5. The post holder will have experience of managing substantial budgets and be financially aware.  
6. To have proven leadership, initiative and analytical skills
7. Will have the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, for a range of audiences.
8. Experience of producing and presenting clear and concise written reports requiring a decision for Portfolio Decision Meetings (or similar governance board equivalents)
9. Working with the head of service be able to draft policies & standards in line with corporate aims. 
10. Experience of successfully working as part of a team, as well as with other services and external organisations
11. Is emotionally resilient to deal with the impact of being exposed to customer's difficult circumstances, and in delivering a high profile service with a number of different stakeholders.  Being able to r