Technical Support Officer (Building Control) Ref: 35-25

Salary: Grade 9, £25,539 - £31,645 per annum 
Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week
Place of Work: Elizabeth House, Dereham (remote-enabled)
Contract term: Permanent

Would you like a job where what you do:

• Makes a difference to the communities within Breckland
• Allows you to shape the environment within which you and the residents of Breckland live, work and play.
• Creates opportunities to learn and grow within a close team to develop your experience and expertise.

We are seeking a Technical Support Officer to support a team of development management specialists in delivering an effective and efficient building control service.

We regulate the use of land in the public interest. Providing a framework for the delivery of sustainable homes and jobs for Breckland residents in the long term.

As our Technical Support Officer you will:

• Provide technical and administrative support within the service in a flexible manner ensuring that an effective, efficient and customer focused service is delivered within required timescales and to provide support in relation to any of the functions undertaken by the Service to enable specific and overall objectives of the team to be achieved.
• Validate and process a diverse portfolio of Building Regulation Applications within agreed timescales, ensuring that all relevant documentation is accurate and complete.
• Ensure that applications are registered and validated in a timely way, usually within 5 working days of receipt, to achieve compliance with agreed performance indicators.
• Apply relevant legislation and regulations to ensure compliance with Building Regulation policies and guidelines
• Liaise closely with Agents, Architects, and Residents, providing technical guidance and support throughout the application process.
• Act as the system operator and be responsible for the administration/enhancement and maintenance of the IDOX back office (or any replacement) IT system in a Key User role
• Provide mentoring and training of new staff in the use of operating systems/processes and procedures
• Provide excellent customer service by phone, e-mail and face to face to include answering telephone calls
• Collaborative
• I look for ways to work in partnership and listen supportively to the ideas of others, building on their ideas, while sharing my views and knowledge.
• I recognise the skills, talent and experience of others and reach out to them for their contribution and input.

About you:

Collaborative

• I look for ways to work in partnership and listen supportively to the ideas of others, building on their ideas, while sharing my views and knowledge.
• I listen supportively to the ideas of others, building on their ideas, while sharing my views and knowledge
• I recognise the skills, talent and experience of others and reach out to them for their contribution and input.

Ambitious

• I always ask myself 'How could we do this better?', taking ownership of change and helping others to understand, adapt, implement, and embed it.
• I have an open mindset, take risks and explore new ways of doing things.
• I am a proud ambassador, taking pride and responsibility for the work we do and encouraging others to do the same.

Results-driven

• I make sure I am clear on what I need to achieve, keeping a focus on results and solutions.
• I am driven, showing courage and resilience even when things don't go to plan.

Empowering

• I ask for help and support when needed, and take responsibility if things don't go well, learning from it for my own and for the organisation's development.

Supportive

• I treat others as I would want to be treated myself, ensuring that I am welcoming, friendly and approachable.
• I give time to colleagues who need help or support.

OK, I'm interested...but is it really the job for me?

As our Technical Support Officer you will have:

• Significant experience in town planning, with a strong understanding of the planning application process and associated legislation
• Excellent organisational skills
• Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to accurately assess and validate planning documentation
• Proficient in using and administering Idox Cloud software or similar planning application management systems
• Good interpersonal skills, diplomacy and tact
• The ability to maintain confidentiality
• The ability to prioritise and proactively manage workloads, and to work flexibly to meet the requirements of the Council
• The ability to use your own initiative to solve challenges working as part of a team and under direction

Closing date - 9:00am 5 September 2025

What's it like to work for us?

We are passionate about our people and pride ourselves on being a great place to work, we genuinely care and know that a happy workforce is a productive and motivated one! If you're still not sure, here are some stats from our 2024 staff survey to convince you..

• 94% said they feel trusted and empowered
• 90% of staff recommend Breckland as a great place to work
• 89% said they have had opportunities to learn and grow in the last 12 months
• 94% think Breckland provide positive action on health and wellbeing
• 91% said they felt supported by their manager

If you STILL need convincing, here's what some of our staff say...

• "Breckland is a fantastic employer, lots of opportunities and support"
• "Having only just started, it is a great place to work, everyone says hello, is smiley and chatty. I like the groups that are on, like carers shed and neurodiversity"
• "We are encouraged to take regular breaks and there are mental health first aiders and a wide range of good promotional aspects of healthy living and wellbeing."
• "In times of need the council offers excellent support."
• "BDC really does seem to care about the wellbeing and happiness of their staff."

At Breckland Council we have embraced the Government's agenda to modernise local government. Our approach is to lead change rather than follow it, and to add the best value we can to our communities. We achieve this by developing our employees to their full potential, providing them with the relevant knowledge, equipment, and authority to carry out their duties.

We are a dynamic and innovative organisation that is always testing and learning as we seek to continually improve. We have never stood still in response to the emergence of new opportunities, changing customer demands, and ongoing funding challenges. We have exciting plans for how to deliver the best possible services to our residents and businesses.

Breckland as a district is a special place nestled in the heart of rural Norfolk, spanning over 500 square miles of beautiful countryside and forest, with five Market Towns and over 140,000 residents. We care, we listen, and we support people and businesses within our district. We have big ideas and we are innovative in our approach, coming up with ways to meet the needs of the local communities that we serve. Through our actions, we want to make things better.

But we know that we can't do it alone. We are a collaborative organisation and we work together with others to make a greater impact. We are also an organisation where our employees can grow and develop and are empowered to achieve and succeed. We are proud of our area, and by driving investment and enabling opportunities, we can maximise its full potential. We want to inspire aspiration to live, work, visit, or do business here: we want our district to be one of choice.

We will support and enable growth and change in our thriving, welcoming places where people and businesses choose to be, knowing their ambitions can be not just fulfilled but exceeded. By listening to people, by understanding what they need and by working together, we can shape what we have to offer. By doing so, we can benefit those who are already here and those who choose to come to live, work, visit, or do business.

We offer excellent conditions of service, including:

• A local government pension scheme (14 per cent employer contribution).
• Attractive holiday package (25 days increasing after three years' continuous Local Authority service by one day per year up to the maximum of 28 days, plus bank holidays)
• Free car parking.
• Remote-enabled working arrangements.
• A newly refurbished office. See what it is like working here by watching this short film: 
  

Our commitment to talent development, on the job learning and upskilling, training and professional memberships, will keep your knowledge and skills up to date.

Breckland Council's Terms and Conditions are in accordance with the National Joint Council for Local Government Services Administrative, Professional, Technical & Clerical Services (APT&C). These are collective agreements negotiated between the council and APT&C. The exception are those conditions affecting salary, which are subject to a locally negotiated salary structure.

Other Terms and Conditions may be implemented following collective agreements negotiated with the Trade Union recognised by Breckland Council for collective local bargaining purposes. The Principal conditions are set out below:

Job summary

Description of duties

Primary Functional Objectives of the Role:

• To provide technical and administrative support within the service in a flexible manner ensuring that an effective, efficient and customer focused service is delivered within required timescales and to provide support in relation to any of the functions undertaken by the Service to enable specific and overall objectives of the team to be achieved.
• To Validate and process a diverse portfolio of Building Regulation Applications within agreed timescales, ensuring that all relevant documentation is accurate and complete.
• To ensure that applications are registered and validated in a timely way, usually within 5 working days of receipt, to achieve compliance with agreed performance indicators.
• Apply relevant legislation and regulations to ensure compliance with Building Regulation policies and guidelines
• Liaise closely with Agents, Architects, and Residents, providing technical guidance and support throughout the application process.
• To act as the system operator and be responsible for the administration/enhancement and maintenance of the IDOX back office (or any replacement) IT system in a Key User role
• To provide mentoring and training of new staff in the use of operating systems/processes and procedures
• To provide excellent customer service by phone, e-mail and face to face to include answering telephone calls
• Comply with Health and Safety rules for the safety of yourself and others.
• Ensure compliance to all policies, procedures, standard operating practices, with recommendations for action and continuous improvement.

This job description is not exhaustive.

The job description outlines the current position and will be subject to review in the light of development within the service. This will be in consultation with the post holder, as detailed in your Contract of Employment.

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Significant experience in administration, with a strong understanding of the Building Regulation application process and associated legislation .
• Excellent organisational skills
• Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to accurately assess and validate Building Regulation applications.
• Proficient in using and administering Idox Cloud software or similar planning application management systems
• Good interpersonal skills, diplomacy and tact
• The ability to maintain confidentiality
• The ability to prioritise and proactively manage workloads, and to work flexibly to meet the requirements of the Council
• The ability to use your own initiative to solve challenges working as part of a team and under direction

Desirable

• Experience of working within a Local Authority Building Control Support Team.
• Experience of using Idox Cloud
• Experienced in the use of GIS

Qualifications

Essential

• Education to GCSE A-C in English and Maths or equivalent competence

Behaviours

Collaborative

• I look for ways to work in partnership and listen supportively to the ideas of others, building on their ideas, while sharing my views and knowledge.
• I recognise the skills, talent and experience of others and reach out to them for their contribution and input

Ambitious

• I always ask myself 'How could we do this better?', taking ownership of change and helping others to understand, adapt, implement, and embed it.
• I have an open mindset, take risks and explore new ways of doing things.
• I am a proud ambassador, taking pride and responsibility for the work we do and encouraging others to do the same.

Results-Driven

• I make sure I am clear on what I need to achieve, keeping a focus on results and solutions.
• I am driven, showing courage and resilience even when things don't go to plan

Empowered

• I ask for help and support when needed, and take responsibility if things don't go well, learning from it for my own and for the organisation's development

Supportive

• I treat others as I would want to be treated myself, ensuring that I am welcoming, friendly and approachable.
• I give time to colleagues who need help or support

Health & Safety (exposure to risk)

•  The postholder is part of a busy team and therefore the post holder needs to demonstrate ability to deal with frequent interruptions and demands on a daily basis.

If you would like an informal chat regarding this role please contact Tracy Booker, Operations Manager at tracy.booker@breckland.gov.uk

Closing date - 9.00am 5 September 2025

APPLY ONLINE

Equal Opportunities

We are committed to being an Equal Opportunities employer, recognising the benefits of sustaining a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community we serve. We welcome applications from anyone who feels they meet the requirements of our vacancies. These are listed as essential requirements on the person specification.