Customer Communications and Engagement Lead (2 Years Fixed Term contract)

Dartford Housing Services really value the contribution our staff make and in return, we offer the opportunity to ‘make a difference’ and go home at the end of the day with a very real feeling of accomplishment.

The postholder will be the Housing Service lead on improving communications with residents, driving up tenant satisfaction levels and increasing participation.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, self-motivated and organised professional who is looking for a challenging new role in a busy housing office environment.

You will:

• Be experienced in customer involvement/resident communications within a housing management organisation.
• Have extensive knowledge of legislation surrounding resident consultation, Regulation of Social Housing (including Tenant Satisfaction Measures, and Consumer Standards) and Complaint Handling (including the Housing Ombudsman Service)
• Lead a small team of two officers (Resident Involvement Officer and Customer Engagement Officer
• Play a key role in meeting and improving housing services in the borough as part of a wider integrated Housing Services Team
• Be passionate about housing and customer service excellence and will be a significant contributor to our vision of being the best Housing Landlord Service in Kent.

Key areas of responsibility will include:

• To develop a strategy to improve communications with residents, drive up tenant satisfaction levels and increase participation.
• To increase the use of digital technology in communicating with residents
• To increase resident representation (overall numbers and diversity)
• To work with colleagues from across the Housing Service, to implement initiatives that lead to a tangible increase in the number of residents contributing to the service, responding to consultation, participating in surveys and TSM satisfaction scores.
• To manage the complaints, Members Enquiries, Freedom of Information and Subject Access Requests performance monitoring process within the Housing Service
• To ensure that customer complaints are properly investigated and responded to and that the service learns from the outcome of complaints.
• To be the internal advocate of tenants and leaseholders when the Council considers making changes to service delivery
• To carry out inspections of estates and blocks and ad hoc mystery shopping exercises to identify strengths and weaknesses in the provision of the day to day service.
• To monitor the workload of staff, ensuring that matters are dealt within timeframes, policies and targets
• Working with residents to promote social inclusion and well-being
• Have an innovative approach to public services, improving tenant satisfaction, meeting the requirements of the Government’s Regulation of Social Housing, the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling code and delivering the Council’s Corporate Plan

You must be able to demonstrate the following:

• Ability to manage, motivate and develop staff
• Confidence, enthusiasm and a flexible approach
• Excellent administration skills, writing complex reports, accuracy and attention to detail
• Experience of customer involvement/resident communications within a housing management organisation
• Knowledge of legislation surrounding resident consultation, Regulation of Social Housing (including Tenant Satisfaction Measures, and Consumer Standards) and Complaint Handling (including the Housing Ombudsman Service)
• Building and use of systems to monitor service delivery and performance, staff efficiency and performance, contractor monitoring and customer satisfaction
• Proven ability to learn and utilise new software
• Excellent written and oral communication skills