Investigation Support Officer

Who We Are & What We Stand For

Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives? If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match. We’re delighted that you’re interested in working with us. You’d be joining us at a very exciting time.

We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward-thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive.

At Gateshead Council you’d be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work / life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi-time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we’re confident that it isn’t just the salary that attracts our staff.

The role is located in the Council’s Private Housing Team, helping to drive up standards in privately rented homes. The Team works across a broad range of housing related issues to improve private housing conditions, and to tackle housing related crime.

You will provide advice to residents and landlords, assess legal compliance, support enforcement action, and manage service complaints to drive continuous improvement.

• Provide a high level of customer service when receiving, recording and investigating service requests, ensuring customers are updated accordingly.
• Oversee the processing of enforcement notices, compile supporting information and documentation, and monitor compliance with enforcement action, supporting interventions and strategies to improve private housing conditions.
• Develop and improve procedures relating to enforcement action and support the training of others.
• Work with Legal Services to proactively monitor enforcement progress and support the preparation of court/tribunal documents, applications and evidence bundles.
• Maintain and update information systems, ensuring accurate records and GDPR compliant data management.
• Analyse service performance and produce reports, statistics and statutory/Government returns, and respond to information requests in line with Council policy, procedures and statutory requirements.
• Investigate debtor ability to pay, including Land Registry checks, credit checks and liaison with tenants regarding rent.
• Manage and monitor complaints in line with the Council’s Complaints Procedure and statutory/Ombudsman requirements, ensuring thorough investigation, timely acknowledgements and responses, high quality outcomes and learning from feedback to support service improvement.
• Liaise with internal and external partners, including customer service teams, to ensure coordinated multiagency working and a seamless, joinedup approach to improving private housing conditions.
• Prepare reports and provide advice and support to management, attending meetings as necessary.
• Manage a personal caseload, ensuring customer satisfaction and adherence to service procedures.
• Undertake such other responsibilities as are allocated and appropriate to the grade of the post.

• 4 GCSEs Grade 4 or above (Grade C or above) including in English and Maths (or equivalent).
• Effective use of IT packages, including Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Working in a customer facing role, with challenging people and difficult situations.
• Communicating with a range of people, services and agencies, both verbally and in writing.
• Handling complaints, supporting resolution, and contributing to service improvement.
• Working in a clerical and administration capacity with experience of data input, ensuring record accuracy and monitoring.
• Analysing data and presenting information clearly and accurately.
• Working under pressure, organising own workload and to deadlines.
• Self-evaluating learning needs and seeking professional development.
• Handling sensitive and confidential information and of working with vulnerable people.
• Design, development and monitoring of administrative procedures in response to an identified need and to ensure they remain fit for…