Housing Solutions Officer
| Posting date: | 01 July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £29,014 to £39,353 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 10 July 2025 |
| Location: | Colchester, Essex |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 1 day per week |
| Company: | Colchester City Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | COLREQ01487 |
Summary
Housing Solutions Officer
1 x Full time, permanent positions, 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday
This is a career grade role with appointments relevant to experience and qualifications.
Colchester Borough Homes (CBH) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Colchester City Council. As part of the local business community since 2003, we are an award-winning organisation, providing management and maintenance services to around 7,000 residential, commercial and public buildings throughout the Borough, including the Council housing stock, Colchester Castle and Colchester Town Hall.
CBH is a fantastic place to work, delivering vital services and making a real difference to our tenants and lease holders lives. We aim to be a trusted choice for local housing, property and community services. We are an ambitious organisation focused on delivering great value services that make a difference.
Our Housing Solutions service is prevention and relief focused in which we look to work with applicants to manage any threats of homelessness and help prevent homelessness or find alternative accommodation.
The service faces a range of challenges, with an increasing demand for accommodation without an adequate supply of housing. We have made significant changes and developments as a service and achieve effective results.
We are looking for a Housing Solutions Officer with an understanding of the Housing Act 1996 Part 7 (as amended) and of the of the Homeless Reduction Act 2017.
You will be customer focussed and be able to manage a wide and varied workload, whilst meeting our business objectives and performance targets
The Housing Solutions Officer will assist in managing demand for the council housing services while offering advice and support to members of the public.
An instrumental element of the role will involve managing client expectations and building trusting relationships.
What we are looking for:-
What we are looking for:-
• An ability to demonstrate a high standard of customer service skills
• Excellent communication, negotiation and persuasion skills to effectively
engage with a range of stakeholders on a daily basis, someone who has an
eye for detail, someone who can think on the spot and take tough decisions,
whilst applying the legislation and also positively contributing to the
development of the service.
• The ability to manage client relationships, building effective rapport
• A can-do attitude towards problem solving will be evident
• An understanding of Homelessness legislation and a general understanding of
Housing policies
• Competent with IT systems including Microsoft Office amongst others
We offer a range of benefits which include flexible working, staff benefits, pension, and the opportunity to make a real difference to our local community.
Benefits of the role include:
• Local Government Pension Scheme with a 20.8 % employer contribution
• Excellent training, development, and progression opportunities
• Generous annual leave entitlement, 23 days annual leave (increasing to 26
days after 5 years* service), plus bank and public holidays and two extra
company holidays during the Christmas period.
• The opportunity to buy up to another 5 days holiday, subject to conditions
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme
• Provision of a smartphone and laptop
• Free parking (for when you"e in the office)
• Discounted gym member - corporate membership rate at Leisure World and
the Northern Gateway.
• 1 Volunteering Day per year
• Free Flu Jab
• Exceptional flexible working arrangement
• Agile Working at Colchester Borough Homes means having some flexibility
about when, where and how we work to best meet the needs of our role and
service area.
Other employee benefits include payment of a professional subscription, Free yearly eye tests plus a contribution towards glasses for VDU use.
You can find out more about Colchester Borough Homes by visiting: www.cbhomes.org.uk .
If you wish to discuss the post further, please contact Louise Johnson, Housing Solutions Team Leader on 01206 282728 or Housing Solutions and Accommodation Manager, Syed Rizvi on 01206 506821.
Interview date to be confirmed.
Equality & Diversity Commitment
Colchester Borough Homes are an equal opportunities employer. As part of our continued commitment to Equality and Diversity, and our workforce accurately reflecting the community we represent, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds, and applicants who have status as an individual with a physical or mental disability. We are a Disability Confident Employer and a Mindful Employer. We also hold accreditations for Working Well, Investors in People Gold status and the Armed Forces Covenant.
How to apply:
Step 1- Read the advert, Job Accountability Statement and Person Specification
Step 2 - Click Apply online below and complete the application form in full, ensuring
that you indicate how you meet the criteria contained within the Person
Specification
Step 3- Press submit
1 x Full time, permanent positions, 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday
This is a career grade role with appointments relevant to experience and qualifications.
Colchester Borough Homes (CBH) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Colchester City Council. As part of the local business community since 2003, we are an award-winning organisation, providing management and maintenance services to around 7,000 residential, commercial and public buildings throughout the Borough, including the Council housing stock, Colchester Castle and Colchester Town Hall.
CBH is a fantastic place to work, delivering vital services and making a real difference to our tenants and lease holders lives. We aim to be a trusted choice for local housing, property and community services. We are an ambitious organisation focused on delivering great value services that make a difference.
Our Housing Solutions service is prevention and relief focused in which we look to work with applicants to manage any threats of homelessness and help prevent homelessness or find alternative accommodation.
The service faces a range of challenges, with an increasing demand for accommodation without an adequate supply of housing. We have made significant changes and developments as a service and achieve effective results.
We are looking for a Housing Solutions Officer with an understanding of the Housing Act 1996 Part 7 (as amended) and of the of the Homeless Reduction Act 2017.
You will be customer focussed and be able to manage a wide and varied workload, whilst meeting our business objectives and performance targets
The Housing Solutions Officer will assist in managing demand for the council housing services while offering advice and support to members of the public.
An instrumental element of the role will involve managing client expectations and building trusting relationships.
What we are looking for:-
What we are looking for:-
• An ability to demonstrate a high standard of customer service skills
• Excellent communication, negotiation and persuasion skills to effectively
engage with a range of stakeholders on a daily basis, someone who has an
eye for detail, someone who can think on the spot and take tough decisions,
whilst applying the legislation and also positively contributing to the
development of the service.
• The ability to manage client relationships, building effective rapport
• A can-do attitude towards problem solving will be evident
• An understanding of Homelessness legislation and a general understanding of
Housing policies
• Competent with IT systems including Microsoft Office amongst others
We offer a range of benefits which include flexible working, staff benefits, pension, and the opportunity to make a real difference to our local community.
Benefits of the role include:
• Local Government Pension Scheme with a 20.8 % employer contribution
• Excellent training, development, and progression opportunities
• Generous annual leave entitlement, 23 days annual leave (increasing to 26
days after 5 years* service), plus bank and public holidays and two extra
company holidays during the Christmas period.
• The opportunity to buy up to another 5 days holiday, subject to conditions
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme
• Provision of a smartphone and laptop
• Free parking (for when you"e in the office)
• Discounted gym member - corporate membership rate at Leisure World and
the Northern Gateway.
• 1 Volunteering Day per year
• Free Flu Jab
• Exceptional flexible working arrangement
• Agile Working at Colchester Borough Homes means having some flexibility
about when, where and how we work to best meet the needs of our role and
service area.
Other employee benefits include payment of a professional subscription, Free yearly eye tests plus a contribution towards glasses for VDU use.
You can find out more about Colchester Borough Homes by visiting: www.cbhomes.org.uk .
If you wish to discuss the post further, please contact Louise Johnson, Housing Solutions Team Leader on 01206 282728 or Housing Solutions and Accommodation Manager, Syed Rizvi on 01206 506821.
Interview date to be confirmed.
Equality & Diversity Commitment
Colchester Borough Homes are an equal opportunities employer. As part of our continued commitment to Equality and Diversity, and our workforce accurately reflecting the community we represent, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds, and applicants who have status as an individual with a physical or mental disability. We are a Disability Confident Employer and a Mindful Employer. We also hold accreditations for Working Well, Investors in People Gold status and the Armed Forces Covenant.
How to apply:
Step 1- Read the advert, Job Accountability Statement and Person Specification
Step 2 - Click Apply online below and complete the application form in full, ensuring
that you indicate how you meet the criteria contained within the Person
Specification
Step 3- Press submit
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.