INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.

Job title: Mediation Officer

Salary: C3 £32,061 – £33,699

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Location: Middleton Complex

As a Mediation Officer you’ll thrive on working in a public facing role that makes a difference to people’s lives by helping them to discuss disputes with others, find common ground and resolve issues before they escalate. Working within a busy team environment you will be dealing with the start of the customer journey in the Council’s ASB service ensuring high quality customer service and offering early intervention strategies to reduce the harm caused by ASB in our communities.

It’s not about apportioning blame or taking enforcement action, it’s about early intervention, listening and understanding to try and broker solutions to prevent escalation of ASB/domestic noise issues; making sure that opportunities for early resolution are fully explored.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Mediation Officer, you will bring to the role:

A people-orientated and solutions focused approach
Excellent communications skills with the ability to treat people fairly and with respect
A desire to make a difference to people involved in disputes around ASB and domestic noise
An understanding of how ASB and domestic noise nuisance affect individuals and communities.

About the role

As our next Mediation Officer, you’ll be responsible for managing an early intervention caseload relating to ASB and domestic noise nuisance on behalf of Leeds City Council as a whole. This role is customer facing and involves holding mediation meetings, brokering solutions and formulating mediation agreements. As part of this role, you will also be involved in the facilitation of and action planning relating to ASB Case Reviews as part of our statutory obligations.

The role is integral to Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team (LASBT), The Leeds Community Safety Partnerships and the wider council as it is right at the heart of the early intervention work that LASBT delivers in dealing with ASB and domestic noise nuisance for residents, businesses and visitors to our city.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

A Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose: Mediation is a non-judgemental, constructive and safe approach to conflict and dispute resolution based on a tried and tested mediation process of individual party meetings, a joint meeting and a mutually acceptable good neighbour agreement between the parties. The Mediation Officer will work to resolve disputes between neighbours who may have issues relating to noise or anti-social behaviour.

Responsibilities

Assist in reaching a solution to relieve stress and enable neighbours to live together harmoniously.
Principal responsibility for a delegated caseload and supervise junior staff as and when required
Explain mediation process to everyone involved and provide equal opportunity for people to take part.
Attend regular ASB Triage Team Briefings.
Organise meetings to discuss resolution and undertake background research around the situation
Facilitate the mediation process by arranging sessions and maintaining client confidentiality
Make accurate and impartial notes from each session reflecting outcomes and remaining issues
Put final agreement in writing and make sure all parties are clear about what the agreement means
Work professionally within a code of practice
Carry out appropriate follow up communication after mediation has been completed
Decide how and when to assess whether mediation has been effective and where it’s not helping communicate your professional judgement to everyone involved.
Be familiar with and adhere to the requirements of the mediator agreement.
Attend and contribute to a range of area-based problem-solving groups and multi-agency anti-social behaviour initiatives, promoting partner agency support and involvement.
Bring any areas of concern to the attention of theASB Triage Team Supervisor.
Ensure that written consent to obtain, retain data has been obtained from the parties and data is processed and destroyed in line with the Data Protection Policy.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
To work collaboratively with colleagues
Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION:

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements

Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview.

Skills Required

Able to work effectively as part of a team and use organisational, time management skills to prioritise own and team’s work to meet conflicting deadlines
Able to work flexibly working in partnership with others to deliver work
Able to respect sensitive and confidential information.
Able to communicate appropriately with a wide range of people, through a variety of different methods
influencing views and behaviour.
Negotiation skills and able to encourage, motivate and support individuals undergoing mediation
Able to use initiative to adapt to changing circumstances
Able to interpret and apply legislation, guidance and policies consistently.
Able to establish trust and build relationships
Resilience to cope with challenging situations concerning people's lives
Able to manage conflict in a range of contexts
Able to be non-judgemental and remain impartial to focus on the facts of a case without emotional bias
Able to show empathy and an interest in wanting to help people resolve issues
Able to relate to people from a range of different backgrounds
Planning skills to decide where and when to hold sessions

Knowledge Required

Of a range of legislative tools and procedures available to tackle anti-social behaviour/noise nuisance
Awareness of related legislation and/or national strategies, which may impact on an anti-social behaviour investigation
Of the Freedom of Information Act
Of Data Protection legislation (GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018).
knowledge and understanding of Equal Opportunities legislation (Equality Act 2010).
Understand the importance of confidentiality and the needs and wishes of individuals
Knowledge and understanding of responsibilities in terms of Health, Safety and security

Experience Required

Of high commitment to customer satisfaction
Of effective mediation
Of working with customers displaying a range of emotions in a range of settings
Of working within a multi-agency partnership that has effectively addressed identified community issues
Of working with computerised/database systems to record and monitor information
Of working within a busy team environment with conflicting priorities and demands
working with tenants or community groups within deprived communities

Behavioural and other Characteristics required

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

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