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JOB APPLICATION

PACK

Job Title: Repairs Support Manager Directorate: Housing Department: Property & Asset Management Location: Twickenham

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Dear Candidate Thank you for your interest in working for Thames Valley Housing. In this pack you find the Job Description and Person Specification for the role you are applying for. We encourage you to read the guidance notes and fill in the application form carefully. The criteria set out in the person specification contains all the competencies for this role and will be assessed at different stages of the selection process. Please see the guidance notes for further information on this. Thames Valley Housing is a user of the government’s “two ticks” disability symbol, which recognises organisations that are positive towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the short-listing criteria are guaranteed an interview. I hope that you find the job description interesting and decide to apply. I wish you success and we look forward to receiving your application form. Thames Valley Housing Recruitment Tel: 0300 456 2929 Email: recruitment@tvha.co.uk Web: www.tvha.co.uk/careers

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CONTENTS Guidance Notes for Applicants………………………………………………………………………………….4 Job Advert…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6 Job Description…………………………………………………………………………………………………………8 Person Specification…………………………………………………………………………………………………11 Our Competency Framework……………………………………………………………………………………13

Appendix 1……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14

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GUIDANCE NOTES FOR APPLICANTS Before you complete your application

Please read the job application pack before you apply online for the position - this contains all the

information you need to decide whether the job is right for you.

Read through the job description and person specification – they are the best places to find out

exactly what experience, skills and competencies you need to be successful in the role.

The person specification highlights the competencies we want to asses as part of our recruitment

process. Our competency framework is at the back of this pack.

You’ll need to prepare a CV – we ask you to upload your CV as a Word document as part of our

online application form.

Completing your application

When you’re ready to apply, click ‘Apply here’ at the bottom of the job advert for the position you’re

interested in and complete the online form.

We’ll ask you about your skills and competencies – as well as your CV, we’ll also ask you to upload a

personal statement or answer some questions online about how your skills and experience match the

essential criteria and competencies in the person specification.

You’ll need two good references - we will ask for contact details for your references in the online

application, but we won’t contact them until the offer stage. Your references should be:

- Your current employer. If you are unemployed, this will be your most recent employer. This

will be someone senior to you who can assess your work for us, not a colleague or friend at

work.

- A previous employer or someone with a senior role who can vouch for you.

We’ll ask you for some personal information to help us monitor diversity and equality – the only

people who will see this information are the HR team who will use it for equal opportunities

monitoring purposes. It will be treated in the strictest confidence and does not form part of the

selection process.

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What happens next?

Assessments/Interviews

Our Recruitment team will contact you a few days after the application closing date if your application has

been short-listed. We will invite you to a competency-based interview, and ask you to complete some tests.

These could be ability tests, written exercises, job-related tests, psychometric tests or IT tests. We will also let

you know if you have not been shortlisted this time.

Driving

If the job needs you to drive, we will need to see your driving license.

DBS check

For some jobs we will need to carry out a Disclosure & Barring Service check. We’ll say so in the job

description if that’s the case.

Eligibility to work in the UK

It’s against the law for us to take on people who do not have the right to work here. If we offer you a job, we

will ask you to prove this to us. We’ll send you a list of documents you can use for this.

Data Protection

By law, we have to let you know that we keep the personal information about you that you put in a job

application. When you sign and send an application in, we take this to mean that you are giving us permission

to keep it, and to use it to get in touch with you, if we find a job we think would suit you in the following six

months.

Your Views

We’re happy to hear from you. We want to improve our recruitment, so please complete the Recruitment

Survey. https://tvhahr.wufoo.eu/forms/recruitment-what-was-your-experience/

Getting in touch

If you have any questions or problems at any stage of your application, please do get in touch with our

recruitment team on recruitment@tvha.co.uk.

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JOB ADVERT REPAIRS SUPPORT MANAGER

Location: Twickenham

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: £40,535 plus competitive benefits package

Hours: 35 hours per week

Closing date: 5 March 2018

Interview and assessment date: 13th March 2018

About Us

Thames Valley Housing owns and manages over 15,000 homes across 39 local authorities. We have a diverse asset portfolio comprising social rent, market rent, leasehold, key worker and student accommodation.

Our vision is for everyone to have the chance to build their lives from a base of a good home. Our mission is to provide good quality affordable homes and invest in communities. We love to build. Not just housing and communities, but skills and careers too.

About the role

Are you passionate about delivering an excellent repairs service to our customers?

You will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to provide a one team approach across all end to end processes, with emphasis on the customer.

You will manage 4 direct reports. You will develop your team to ensure they deliver a consistently high level of customer service with emphasis on resolving issues at the first point of contact and keeping customers updated along their service journey.

Our Repair Teams deal with almost 40,000 telephone calls per year as well as high numbers of email and online enquiries. The team works with internal departments, contractors, developers, local authorities and other external bodies to ensure customers’ repairs are dealt with effectively and through to conclusion.

Who we're looking for

You will be a confident manager with the ability to bring your team on a service improvement journey

You will have outstanding communication and collaboration skills to allow you to achieve the outcomes for customers.

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You will be able to achieve the successful delivery of tasks and objectives by effectively managing others or taking direct action. You are able to inspire and motivate the team to achieve its greatest potential and have the ability to positively coach team members. You will establish performance regimes so each team member is clear on how they contribute to successful service delivery

The successful candidate will need to:

Be a team player and work well with others

Have experience of managing staff through periods of change

Have a good knowledge of repairs and defects

Be confident using IT and developing streamlined ways of working

Be able to use their initiative and make sound decisions

Be customer focused and confident in dealing with complaints

Be able to plan and manage a varied workload

Have experience of delivering service improvements

Applying process: Please view the job application pack for the full job description and person specification.

You will need this when you apply on –line.

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JOB DESCRIPTION Job title: Repairs Support Manager Directorate: Housing Department: Property and Asset Management Location: Twickenham Responsible to: Customer Experience Manager Family tree (clearly showing the responsibilities for and to particular managers)

Main purpose of the job

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Manage a team of front line and support staff responsible for dealing with repair and defect related enquiries from residents, staff and contractors primarily by email or on-line and occasionally by telephone as well as managing the Contractor Telephone Line and mail boxes. Responsible for providing technical repairs advice and support to the team and ensuring that both internal and external customer issues are dealt with effectively and through to their conclusion. Represent the Association by maintaining and developing good working relationships with our contractors and other housing partners in relation to repairs and defects. Manage the delivery of team and corporate KPIs and objectives in relation to Repairs and TVH’s Service Pledge, ensuring they are monitored and reported. Main contacts which the post holder has within and outside the organisation Housing Services, Housing Management, Home Ownership, Property & Asset Management, Development, Revenues, Resident Involvement, Sales and Marketing, Facilities, PR & Communications, Policy and Performance, HR, Finance and ICT, residents, contractors, developers, local authorities, the police, support agencies, voluntary & advice organisations and members of the public. Financial dimensions specifically attached to post This post has authority to raise and authorise works orders up to an approved limit, currently £2,500 each, and is expected to exercise appropriate budgetary control within the team in line with corporate priorities and budgetary restraints whilst delivering excellent services.

Specific duties and tasks expected of the post holder Day to day staff management and supervision of the Repairs Support Team and Apprentice, ensuring they adhere to all relevant policies and procedures, and providing training and support where necessary. Ensure the team accurately diagnose and action all customer, contractor and staff email and on-line repair and defect requests in line with our policies, procedures, targets and, budgets ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction. Ensure the Repairs Contractor line and mail boxes are well managed and actioned in an accurate, professional and timely way in line with our policies and procedures. Work closely with our Out of Hours Service to ensure that TVH services and standards are consistently maintained and ensure the team collate and action resident feedback from repair satisfaction surveys. Work closely and maintain positive relationships with our contractors, Property and Asset Management, Development, Home Ownership, Housing Management and ICT to improve and develop our responsive repairs and defects service and to ensure it is well managed and fit for purpose.

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Build and promote effective relationships with our contractors to provide a seamless service and work closely with other departments to monitor performance and act quickly to resolve issues and take appropriate action to deal with non-performance. Work closely with the Repairs Manager to ensure appropriate levels of cover across both teams including the telephone based service and to provide technical support and advice to the Repairs Team in the absence of the Repairs Manager. Ensure Formal Complaints and Priority Responses are captured, well managed and responded to in a timely manner including responding to Stage 1 Complaints within the team’s service area. Maintain repair and maintenance knowledge, keep abreast of best practice, changing regulations and components and ensure that health and safety policies and procedures are adhered to. Develop procedures and working practices, in conjunction with other departments, to enable the team to deliver a more efficient and improved service, including taking forward actions relating to improvement plans, resident feedback and service reviews. Assist the Customer Experience Manager with service reviews and delivery of KPIs and objectives and in producing service related reports. Other To carry out other duties as may be reasonably assigned from time to time by the line manager for this post, such duties to be compatible with the level of this job description. On a rotating basis with Repairs Manager and other Housing Services Managers, to provide management support cover to the Repairs Team and Housing Advice Team between the hours of 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays.

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PERSON SPECIFICATION

Role: Repairs Support Manager

Directorate: Housing

Knowledge, Experience & Skills Essential A working knowledge of repairs, defects and property maintenance Experience of dealing with customers from different backgrounds and delivering high levels of service Experience of staff management, preferably within a customer service environment Experience of working within a performance management environment Experience of using Microsoft Office and other IT packages Desirable Repairs & defects diagnostic based qualification Technical Confident in making sound decisions, supporting the team and offering advice regarding repairs, defect and property maintenance based enquiries and complaints. Applies and implements changes to the service arising from changes and updates to legislation, regulation and TVH policies.

Qualifications Educated to A Level standard or equivalent

Competencies (Assessed by personal statement and at interview)

Core Applied Thinking

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Recommends improvements to processes and services at a team level by analysing patterns and trends from information Results Focused Uses Directorate/Department objectives to identify team KPIs to drive service delivery and meet goals Planning and Organising Delivers the project plan/departmental objectives to plan and budget Initiative and Innovation Develops and implements initiatives at a local level Working Together Builds the team to deliver a high quality service Managing Relationships Builds positive and reciprocal relationships that benefit the organisation Continuous Improvement Delivers improvements at a team level Customer Driven Champions and promotes the delivery of quality service to all customers Commercial Awareness Understands the purpose and content of the Corporate business plan Leadership Supports team development OTHER Good IT skills Commitment to Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety LIVING AND DELIVERING THE CORPORATE VALUES

Think Forward – Question how we do things. Think Ahead. Innovate Think We – Let’s work together to achieve our shared goals. Think Openly – Let’s be transparent and true to our word. Think With Compassion – Offer your time and support. Act with empathy and understanding. Think With Energy – Be passionate about delivering great customer service and making things happen

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OUR COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK What are Competencies and how are they used? A competency is an ability, skill, knowledge or trait that is needed for the successful performance of a job. It is often defined in terms of behaviours. Overall, competencies are a set of behaviours that an individual must possess in order to perform to the optimum level within that role. When used properly, and in conjunction with other working practices and procedures, competencies can ensure fairness, openness and equality in the way we recruit staff, select people for training, identify clear development paths and promote people. The Competency Framework contains a total of ten competencies and it is considered that to carry out a role at a particular level an individual should possess those competencies that are ‘Core’ for that level. The depth of which these core competencies are required will vary according to each role. Core competencies are far broader in their application and apply to all jobs within TVH. This document details the core competencies which TVH recognises as necessary. The person specification highlights the competencies we want to assess as part of our recruitment process, but the following areas are important all of the time.

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Name Definition Level Descriptors

1 Applied Thinking Makes use of relevant information to resolve problems, identify opportunities and reach appropriate solutions.

Leader Identifies new business opportunities by evaluating company performance from a range of information

Expert Sets Directorate/Departmental priorities by developing solutions to support the business plan

Professional Recommends improvements to processes and services at a team level by analysing patterns and trends from information

Vocational Solves basic problems within clearly laid out policies and procedures

2 Results Focused – “Getting things done”

Achieves successful delivery of tasks and objectives by effectively managing others or taking direct action.

Leader Sets the performance framework for the organisation to meet corporate goals, achieve results and champions improvements

Expert Sets the performance framework for the Directorate/Department to meet objectives, KPIs and continuously seeks improvements in delivery

Professional Uses Directorate/Department objectives to identify team KPIs to drive service delivery and meet goals

Vocational Takes responsibility for achieving individual objectives and contributing to team targets

3 Planning and Organising Plans and organises work and activities to meet objectives whilst achieving quality and value for money.

Leader Structures the business plan to deliver key objectives while allocating appropriate resources

Expert Develops project plans and identifies departmental activities and resources required to meet organisational goals

Professional Delivers the project plan/departmental objectives to plan and budget

Vocational Contributes to the team/project objectives by effectively setting own work plan and prioritising key tasks

4 Initiative and Innovation Takes a creative approach to work by formulating new ideas or adapting existing ideas in a new or unexpected way to create opportunities.

Leader Develops ways of capturing innovation and creativity across the organisation and delivers through others

Expert Plans and implements new ideas in the long to medium term and takes the lead in delivering change within Directorate

Professional Develops and implements initiatives at a local level

Vocational Addresses current opportunities by improving and adapting existing approaches

Appendix 1

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Name Definition Level Descriptors

5 Working Together Works co-operatively and flexibly across cultures and organisational boundaries to achieve shared goals

Leader Creates a positive team working environment

Expert Builds the team to deliver a high quality service

Professional Involves others to work towards shared goals and objectives

Vocational Works co-operatively with other members of the team and direct customers

6 Managing Relationships (Influencing, persuading and negotiating)

Builds and maintains relationships to achieve positive outcomes for the Association

Leader Extends networks and uses indirect influence to build external relationships to achieve long term strategic organisational goals

Expert Maintains networks and plans impact

Professional Builds positive and reciprocal relationships that benefit the Association

Vocational Builds rapport with colleagues and direct customers/suppliers

7 Continuous Improvement (Striving for Excellence)

Looks for opportunities to improve (self, products and/or services)

Leader Creates a continuous improvement environment

Expert Drives Departmental activity to continuously improve systems and processes

Professional Delivers improvements at a team level

Vocational Drives self to deliver results and aspirations

8 Customer Driven Provides an excellent service to all customers

Leader Develops the strategy to meet the long term interests and aspirations of customers

Expert Champions and promotes the delivery of quality service to all customers

Professional Plans and organises delivery of customer service

Vocational Delivers a high quality service

9 Commercial Awareness Understands relationship of operational issues to wider business context

Leader Defines and develops TVH’s commercial objectives to maximise the organisation’s financial wellbeing

Expert Delivers the commercial objectives

Professional Understands the purpose and content of the Corporate business plan

Vocational Demonstrates awareness of commercial aspects of the business

10 Leadership (Developing and Managing People)

Inspires and motivates others to develop confidence and capability to realise their full potential

Leader Leads the organisations to deliver high performance

Expert Is a role model for effective leadership

Professional Supports team development

Vocational Gives basic direction and instruction

Appendix 1

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