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Housing Options Officer
| Posting date: | 23 December 2024 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £17,359 to £18,548 per year |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 22 January 2025 |
| Location: | Ipswich, Suffolk |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 4 days per week |
| Company: | Ipswich Borough Council |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: | REQ00889 |
Summary
Housing Options Officers are responsible for preventing homelessness, relieving homelessness and investigating and assessing the Council’s duties to customers who are homeless or threatened with homelessness under its statutory duties. You must be able to apply Housing and Homelessness legislation and case law to customers’ circumstances and then identify the relevant duties owed.
We are looking for a pro-active individual who can take an innovative approach to problem solving, is an effective negotiator and can provide a high quality of service to customers experiencing domestic abuse with housing problems. An ability to communicate clearly and effectively to customers, landlords, accommodation providers, partner organisations and other professionals whilst providing a high quality of service and customer care to all groups of the community is essential.
The post requires you to be part of a rota dealing with housing enquires on the telephone and by email regarding relevant housing issues. When not on duty your time will be spent dealing with casework, including interviewing customers by phone and face to face at Grafton House. We are currently still hybrid working – you will be largely working from home with some time (minimum of one day) to be agreed per week working in Grafton House (This is subject to change)
You will require Maths and English GCSEs or equivalent skills. An up to date knowledge on landlord and tenant law, debt advice, income maximisation alongside effective homeless prevention initiatives, experience of processing homeless applications made under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) to produce clearly detailed and robust written s184 decisions in accordance with current legislation and case law will be an advantage. Experience of working with victims of domestic abuse would be advantageous. Whilst previous experience of front line interviewing within a demanding environment, applying the Housing Act 1996 Part VII, the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, the Homelessness Act 2002, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and related legislation is desirable, full training will be provided to the right candidate who can demonstrate the qualities and skills required for these roles.
Hours of work are 20 per week, Tuesday and Wednesday 7.30 hours and 5 hours on Friday.
This post is offered on a 1 year fixed term basis.
As well as a good salary, we offer a career average pension scheme, generous holiday and sick pay entitlements, subsidised parking, public transport discounts, free swimming, cycle purchase scheme, plenty of personal and professional development opportunities, flexible working, hybrid working opportunities, Employee Assistance Programme and the opportunity to work with great colleagues.
For more information about this role please contact Nicola Clarke on 01473 433261or via email Nicola.clarke@ipswich.gov.uk.
If you require any assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application or recruitment process, please let us know so that the appropriate arrangements can be put in place.
Please download the Job Description and Person Specification to find out more about this role: Job Description and Person Specification
The selection process will be an interview. Interviews will be held on 3rd February 2025 at Grafton House, Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2DE.
Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to interview candidates who meet the essential criteria prior to the closing date and / or to close the opportunity to applicants once we receive sufficient applications.
DBS clearance is required for this role.
Please note CVs are not accepted.
We are looking for a pro-active individual who can take an innovative approach to problem solving, is an effective negotiator and can provide a high quality of service to customers experiencing domestic abuse with housing problems. An ability to communicate clearly and effectively to customers, landlords, accommodation providers, partner organisations and other professionals whilst providing a high quality of service and customer care to all groups of the community is essential.
The post requires you to be part of a rota dealing with housing enquires on the telephone and by email regarding relevant housing issues. When not on duty your time will be spent dealing with casework, including interviewing customers by phone and face to face at Grafton House. We are currently still hybrid working – you will be largely working from home with some time (minimum of one day) to be agreed per week working in Grafton House (This is subject to change)
You will require Maths and English GCSEs or equivalent skills. An up to date knowledge on landlord and tenant law, debt advice, income maximisation alongside effective homeless prevention initiatives, experience of processing homeless applications made under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) to produce clearly detailed and robust written s184 decisions in accordance with current legislation and case law will be an advantage. Experience of working with victims of domestic abuse would be advantageous. Whilst previous experience of front line interviewing within a demanding environment, applying the Housing Act 1996 Part VII, the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, the Homelessness Act 2002, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and related legislation is desirable, full training will be provided to the right candidate who can demonstrate the qualities and skills required for these roles.
Hours of work are 20 per week, Tuesday and Wednesday 7.30 hours and 5 hours on Friday.
This post is offered on a 1 year fixed term basis.
As well as a good salary, we offer a career average pension scheme, generous holiday and sick pay entitlements, subsidised parking, public transport discounts, free swimming, cycle purchase scheme, plenty of personal and professional development opportunities, flexible working, hybrid working opportunities, Employee Assistance Programme and the opportunity to work with great colleagues.
For more information about this role please contact Nicola Clarke on 01473 433261or via email Nicola.clarke@ipswich.gov.uk.
If you require any assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application or recruitment process, please let us know so that the appropriate arrangements can be put in place.
Please download the Job Description and Person Specification to find out more about this role: Job Description and Person Specification
The selection process will be an interview. Interviews will be held on 3rd February 2025 at Grafton House, Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2DE.
Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to interview candidates who meet the essential criteria prior to the closing date and / or to close the opportunity to applicants once we receive sufficient applications.
DBS clearance is required for this role.
Please note CVs are not accepted.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.