Rural Housing Enabling Officer - Dorchester, United Kingdom - Dorset Community Action

Description

Job Title:
Rural Housing Enabling Officer


Hours:30 hours per week


Contract:12 months fixed term


Accountable to:
Chief Executive


Location:
Wimborne/Dorchester

1 days per week hosted in office with Dorset Council Housing Enabling team (Dorchester)


Salary:
£28,403 (pro rata £23,030)

If you would like to apply, please send us a covering letter, explaining how your skills, and experience meet the requirements of the Job Role and Person Specification, including an up-to-date CV for reference.

Dorset Community Action's (DCA's) mission is to bring people together to develop community based solutions that deliver better services for the benefit of Dorset's communities.

We find innovative ways to solve complex community/social problems by:

• Developing neighbourhood infrastructure through practical community projects we help people create better places, making communities greener, healthier and better prepared for the future, enabling people to work together to bring about change in their local area.
• Training and skills development we help people improve their prospects, increasing confidence, skills, wellbeing and employability through accessible and practical training.
• Voluntary and community sector development and research we work with people who are facing multiple challenges, to give them a voice, undertake grass roots research, and to influence policy makers.

DCA has secured funding for a Rural Housing Enabling Officer through the DEFRA funded national Rural Housing Enabling (RHE) programme until 31st March 2025.

The purpose of the RHE programme is: "To boost the supply of new rural affordable housing by providing access to a service that supports landowners and communities identify sites, work with housing associations and local authorities to deliver high quality homes that meet local housing need through small scale schemes." This will be delivered in villages and smaller rural communities (less than 3000 population) through bringing forward rural exception sites, and affordable housing schemes.

The geographic area covered will be the Dorset Council unitary authority area.

The person appointed to this new position will primarily be responsible for promoting and bringing forward affordable housing developments including rural exception sites, and will manage their own case load offering advice, guidance and support to communities, developers, registered providers, landowners and Parish Councils to meet their housing need.

The post holder will have well developed engagement skills to be able to work with a range of stakeholders, and a belief in the value of rural housing, though rural housing experience is not essential.

Training and technical support to be provided by the Dorset Council Housing Enabling team. This role will require attendance at evening meetings and occasional weekend work


1. Overall Purpose of Job

1. Promotion

To promote the RHE service to Parish Councils, Neighbourhood Plan groups, community groups, and other stakeholders, and to identify support requirements.

Promote the work of the RHE partnership through events and newsletters.


2. Research and data

To assemble housing evidence for parishes, using readily available secondary data, including Neighbourhood Plans, house/rent prices, Dorset Council waiting and bidding list, 5 year housing land supply data, housing stock info etc.

To write parish profiles using template provided and share with Parish Councils, landowners, Registered Providers etc. Undertake Housing Needs Assessments where required.


3. Engagement

To work with Parish Councils, Neighbourhood Plan groups, and communities to identify and assess local housing needs, reviewing the potential for affordable housing on rural exception, and other sites, and gain acceptance for affordable housing development within the community.

4. Identify sites

To take the lead in bringing forward rural exception sites and other small rural sites for affordable housing, liaising with Parish Councils, communities, landowners, developers and housing providers.

Undertake site 'walk arounds' with members of theDorset Council Housing Enabling team to assess site viability.


5. RP engagement

To work alongside technical staff / consultants to engage with Parish Councils to get schemes prepared for Pre-App planning stages, and handover to DC Housing Enabling Team / Registered Providers.

Report to RHE project advisory group to assess strategic progress, help address barriers/brakes, and identify enablers.


2. Other Responsibilities, Core Competencies, And Tasks

• SYSTEMS OF WORK maintain up to date project records on Beacon client relationship management (CRM) database.
• PARTNERSHIP WORKING maintain appropriate links with key stakeholders including public, private and other voluntary and community sector organisations, funders, and partnerships.
• MONITOR OUTCOMES develop systems for the monitoring and r