Introduction

Housing managers are responsible for the day to day management of council’s housing teams. There’s a range of responsibilities that a manager may oversee, varying from council to council but including:

• assessing the needs of homeless people and council tenants ensuring swift allocation of properties in accordance with Council policy
• developing housing policies for the area and ensuring these are implemented fairly and in a sympathetic manner, to provide an efficient and caring service
• dealing with vacant properties, letting housing and re-housing existing tenants
• managing housing and making sure it’s well-maintained, identifying problem areas and potential remedial action, effectively implementing repairs programmes
• organising the collecting of rents and dealing with arrears
• building relationships with the community and working in partnership with them to improve their environment
• ensuring compliance with tenancy agreements including preparation of reports and attendance at court as necessary
• recruitment, supervision, training and development of staff
• processing applications under the Right to Buy legislation, completing statutory forms and procedures.

As a housing manager, you’d head up a team of staff including housing assistants and housing officers, that may be employed within several neighbourhood offices. The size of team depends on the size of the council you’re employed by as well as their emphasis on housing in their area.

Work Environment

You’d be based mostly in an office, although you’d be likely to make visits to the council’s properties and tenants.

Although managers keep usual council hours – a 37-hour week, often including the opportunity to work flexible hours – there’s likely to be some work outside office hours.

Daily Activities

Staff management would be a central part of your role as a housing manager. You could be responsible for around eight or more staff – and you’d be the person to make sure that they were organised to do their job most effectively and efficiently, providing a high quality service to tenants and getting ‘best value’ for public money. You’d supervise your staff and monitor their work, regularly reviewing progress and suggesting (and listening to suggestions for) improvements. It’s important that tenants are involved in decisions taken about where they live – not just their individual property but also the surrounding estate. Developing good relationships with people from all backgrounds is a crucial part of the job. You may take part in community meetings, either with some of your team or as the only representative of the Housing department. You’re also likely to work with community leaders to devise ways if improving the lot of tenants. You’d be involved in devising housing strategies, liaising with elected Council members, MPs, colleagues in your own and other departments, and community representatives. Administration would take a up a significant part of your time, including:

• responding promptly to queries – either from tenants, the public or council members
• monitoring your housing budget – keeping an eye on expenditure and making adjustments if need be.

You would also be responsible for:

• monitoring the allocation of work to contractors
• making sure that contractors carrying out work on council properties were producing the right quality of work, to price, within deadlines
• authorising notices of repossession
• dealing with outside organisations, such as the police and social services.

Skills & Interests

You need:

• good communication skills – both verbal and written, able to explain information to a range of people (from councillors to tenants and your housing team)
• negotiating skills – good at defusing a crisis and able to remain calm under difficult circumstances
• organisational abilities and flexibility – to plan and prioritise work and meet deadlines
• leadership skills – able to motivate people
• initiative – good at making decisions and working alone
• analytical skills – good problem solving ability
• IT skills with a knowledge of various software packages for report writing etc.
• advanced numeracy skills with the ability to handle financial systems
• a knowledge of housing management legislation, building construction and relevant Government policy.

A driving licence would be desirable.

Entry Requirements

To be a Housing Manager, you need experience (usually around a minimum of three years’, but more probably five years) of housing management at assistant level.

Most Housing Managers have HNC/HND, degree or similar level qualifications (useful subjects include housing, business studies and administration). Direct entrants can begin as graduate trainees. They gain experience and take housing qualifications on a part-time basis.

However, people enter housing at all levels, including straight from school – for which they need GCSEs/S grades (Grade C/3 or above) in maths and English or equivalent qualifications. They then study for the professional qualifications of the Chartered Institute of Housing and/or for NVQs/SVQs in Housing to Level 4. With a combination of experience and qualifications they can gain promotion from housing assistant to housing officer – to housing manager.

Estimated salary range

Around £20,200 – £26,100

Please note that salary information is a guide only and there may be local agreements in place. For further information about salaries for particular positions, please contact your local council directly.

Future prospects & opportunities

It’s sometimes possible to gain promotion within the same department, focusing on a different area of housing.

You may also be able to move to another authority for promotion.

Related Occupations

Follow this link to view a list of all related occuptions in Building Your Community.
Alternatively, follow this link to view all career profiles placed in the same job area.

Further Information & Services

Chartered Institute of Housing www.cih.org

Asset Skills www.assetskills.org

Academy for Sustainable Communities www.ascskills.org.uk

You may find further information about this area of work in your local Connexions service/careers office/school careers library – under BC.

What should I do next?

Look for current local government Housing Manager vacancies in the following places:

• LGjobs.com - the official recruitment website for local government.
• Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly jobs bulletins produced by local councils themselves, available from libraries, community centres, town halls/main civic buildings and central council personnel departments.
• Local council websites.
• Local newspapers
• National newspapers – The Guardian is particularly well known for its public sector job advertisements on a Wednesday.

Find out about the council and get some work experience if possible by:

• Making the most of work experience placements arranged through your school, college or university.
• Contacting councils close to your home to find out about the work experience opportunities they offer.
• Talking to someone who does the job you are interested in – ring your local council to see if someone can spare some time.
• Making an appointment to see a careers adviser for more specific information about jobs and training.