Position: Housing Officer (Housing Advice - Homeless Prevention) (Housing)
Location: Brynsworthy, EX31 3NP
Start Date: ASAP
Contract Duration: 2+ Months (09:00 – 17:00)
Working Hours: 37 hours per week
Pay Rate: PAYE: £30.20 per hour
Job Responsibilities
The Housing Officer will provide high-quality frontline housing advice, assistance, and homelessness prevention services to customers. The role involves managing complex housing cases, making statutory decisions, and working with internal and external partners to achieve positive outcomes.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide housing advice and assistance to customers through face-to-face meetings, telephone, written communication, and home visits.
- Assess customers' housing needs and provide appropriate advice, including housing options, welfare benefits, homelessness prevention, and available support services.
- Actively prevent homelessness by identifying risks early and using appropriate prevention tools and interventions.
- Investigate homelessness applications, complete detailed enquiries, make decisions in line with homelessness legislation, and issue statutory notifications.
- Manage a caseload independently, prioritising work effectively and ensuring decisions meet legal, policy, and performance requirements.
- Provide advice and support to customers threatened with homelessness, including:
- Negotiating with landlords, lenders, family members, and other agencies.
- Supporting access to alternative accommodation.
- Advising on tenancy sustainment and housing options.
- Providing assistance with financial support where appropriate.
- Liaise with Temporary Accommodation Officers regarding placements and support for homeless households.
- Work collaboratively with statutory, voluntary, and community organisations to provide coordinated support.
- Provide professional advice to customers, partners, senior managers, elected Members, and other stakeholders.
- Represent the Housing Service at partnership meetings, project groups, specialist forums, and multi-agency teams.
- Support service improvement through peer reviews, staff training, knowledge sharing, and mentoring colleagues.
- Supervise contractors engaged by the service and monitor service delivery.
- Provide support for emergency and out-of-hours housing responsibilities when required.
- Maintain accurate case records and handle sensitive personal information in accordance with data protection requirements.
- Assess risks relating to vulnerable customers, safeguarding concerns, domestic abuse, health needs, and public protection matters.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of housing legislation, homelessness guidance, case law, and best practice.
- Maintain a visible presence at Brynsworthy offices and service hubs, supporting effective service delivery and team collaboration.
- Deputise for the Service Manager when required, including operational decision-making, service oversight, workload management, and liaison with senior officers.
Person Specification – Mandatory Requirements
Qualifications & Professional Membership
- Educated to at least HND/degree level in Housing or equivalent experience.
- Full membership of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) or another relevant professional body.
Experience Required
- Minimum of 2 years' experience working in housing advice, homelessness prevention, or a similar housing service environment.
- Minimum of 2 years' experience in team management, acting in a senior capacity, or demonstrating leadership responsibility.
- Proven experience of:
- Leading and supporting staff.
- Managing performance and workloads.
- Supporting service delivery in a fast-paced environment.
- Reviewing complex housing cases and providing professional advice.
- Working with senior managers, elected Members, partner agencies, and external stakeholders.
Housing Knowledge & Technical Skills
- Strong knowledge of homelessness legislation, housing law, and homelessness prevention services.
- Knowledge and understanding of:
- Homelessness applications and statutory duties.
- Housing options and prevention approaches.
- Welfare benefits and housing-related support.
- Immigration and housing legislation affecting vulnerable groups.
- Mental health, substance misuse, domestic abuse, and safeguarding issues.
- Equality and diversity legislation.
- Current housing guidance, case law, and professional standards.
- Ability to interpret legislation, investigate complex circumstances, and make sound professional decisions.
Core Skills
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills, both written and verbal.
- Ability to interview customers sensitively, including people experiencing crisis or complex difficulties.
- Ability to provide professional housing advice and influence positive outcomes.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
- Ability to work independently, exercise professional judgement, and make delegated decisions.
- Ability to build effective relationships with customers, colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.
- Strong IT, literacy, and numeracy skills.
- Ability to accurately record, analyse, and report information.
Additional Requirements
- Ability to work effectively from Brynsworthy offices and service hubs with a regular visible presence required.
- Ability to travel across the district and attend customer visits, meetings, and partnership events.
- Ability to manage challenging situations and work with customers experiencing homelessness, distress, or conflict.
- Understanding of confidentiality, data protection, safeguarding, and safe working practices.
- Commitment to equality, diversity, and fair access to housing services.
Job Reference: 5302164
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 2 months
Pay: £30.20 per hour
Application question(s):
- Are you a full member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) or another relevant professional body?
Experience:
- housing, homelessness prevention, or a similar housing role: 2 years (required)
- managing housing cases and homelessness applications: 2 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
- housing qualification (HND/degree level) (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
