Project Manager - Rental Rights Act 2025

Rochford District Council

Temporary, Full Time

£450 to £500 per day (umbrella)

Location: Rochford

Closing Date: 19th January 2026

Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be supporting Rochford District Council to recruit a Project Manager - Renters Rights Act 2025, on a 6-month temporary contract basis. Please note that this role can be based at either Rochford or Brentwood council offices for a minimum of 2 days per week.

The Opportunity

Brentwood and Rochford councils are jointly preparing for the implementation of the new Renter's Rights Bill 2025. We need a Project Manager with experience of the sector to support the management team to plan and deliver the 'new' service. This project has clear deadlines and deliverables with the key focus on being ready with a resourced service to deliver to our residents.

Accountabilities

• Project Manager
  Support the multi-disciplinary project delivery group responsible for implementing the Renters Rights Act 2025, including representatives from Environmental Health, Housing, Housing Advice & Homelessness, Trading Standards, Legal, Revenues & Benefits, Finance, Data Intelligence, and Communications
• Implementation Planning
  Develop, manage, and monitor a detailed implementation plan, ensuring all statutory duties and council objectives are met by the required deadlines (notably the 1 May 2026 implementation date)
• Policy and Procedure Development
  Developing, review and updating of enforcement policies, civil penalties policy, service charges, and IT systems requirements to ensure compliance with the new legislation
• Stakeholder Engagement
  Support the development of a communications plan to reach tenants and landlords with accurate and timely information, including updating the council website, signposting to advice services, and building relationships with referral partners such as Citizens Advice
• Risk and Resource Management
  Identify and manage project risks, ensure the project is included in the council's risk register, and assess resource requirements, including staff training and recruitment
• Reporting and Compliance
  Ensure all reporting requirements to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) are met, and that all activities comply with the Equality Act 2010 and the council's Public Sector Equality Duty
• Budget Management
  Manage the project budget, including New Burdens Funding and income from registration fees, ensuring financial sustainability and full cost recovery for the service

The Experience You Will Bring

• working knowledge of housing legislation and the private rented sector
• Strong leadership and organisational skills, with the ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience in policy development, risk management, and compliance
• Financial management and budget monitoring experience
• Ability to interpret and implement legislation and statutory guidance
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion

• Knowledge of housing legislation and the private rented sector
• Experience in delivering large-scale change projects in a public sector context

Our Culture and Values
At Rochford District Council we like our workforce to be proactive and innovative. Being customer focused and willing to maximise your potential at work are expected. We all work together to achieve the very best for our residents which sometimes means getting involved in projects and trying new tasks outside of your day-to-day job role. We love our team to suggest new ideas and to have enthusiasm to try out new experiences.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email louise.butler@essex.gov.uk