Homeless Intervention and Prevention Trainee Support Officer

CIH International Housing Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

31 days annual leave

Bank Holidays

Flexible and agile working

Employee Assistance Programme (24/7)

Job summary

Croydon Council is seeking a Trainee Support Officer to join the Homeless Intervention Prevention team in Croydon. This 36‑hour-per-week, permanent role provides admin and customer support to help officers assist people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

You will gain experience across housing services, learn processes, and develop skills while supporting a compassionate team. Career Grade 4-5 with progression opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience of administration, customer service or support work.
• Strong attention to detail and record keeping.
• Good communication and teamwork abilities.

Responsibilities

• Prepare correspondence and documents for the team.
• Arrange appointments and manage referrals and mailboxes.
• Maintain accurate records and trackers.
• Respond to routine enquiries and escalate complex queries.

Skills

Administration

Customer service

Organisational skills

Record keeping

Communication skills

Job description

Job Description

Salary range: Career Grade 4 £31,731 - £32,655 p.a. plus fantastic benefits and progressing towards Grade 5

Contract: Permanent

Hours of work: 36 hours per week

Location: Croydon

HIP Trainee Support Officer - Career Grade 4-5

Start your career in Housing and help support our homelessness service.

About the role

We're looking for a Homeless Intervention Prevention Trainee Support Officer to join our team.

This is an administrative and customer support role, helping our officers and managers provide an organised and responsive service to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

You'll support the day-to-day running of the team by preparing correspondence and documents, arranging appointments, supporting team mailboxes and referrals, maintaining accurate records and trackers, gathering information and following up outstanding actions.

You’ll also have contact with residents, responding to routine enquiries, gathering information and providing clear information about appointments, documents and next steps. Where someone needs advice, an assessment or a decision, you’ll make sure this is passed to the appropriate officer.

As you develop in the role, you’ll learn how the homelessness service operates and build your knowledge of housing options, homelessness processes, safeguarding and the work of Homeless Intervention Prevention officers.

About you

You don’t need previous Housing or homelessness experience to join us at entry level.

We’re looking for someone with experience of administration, customer service, support work or another environment where you’ve needed to be organised, keep accurate records and work with people. This could come from paid, voluntary or other relevant experience.

You’ll need good customer service and communication skills, attention to detail and the ability to organise your work and manage competing tasks. You’ll be comfortable using digital applications and willing to learn new systems.

You’ll also need to be able to communicate sensitively with people who may be experiencing difficult circumstances, work well as part of a team and recognise when you need to seek guidance or elevate an issue.

Most importantly, you’ll have an interest in Housing and homelessness and a willingness to learn.

Career Grade 4-5

This is a career-grade role, giving you the opportunity to develop your knowledge, skills and independence as you gain experience within the service.

At entry level, you’ll provide administrative and customer support with appropriate guidance while learning the team’s systems, processes and service pathways.

As you develop, you’ll take on a broader range of support activities with greater independence, including resolving routine enquiries, coordinating information and identifying outstanding actions.

The experience you gain will also provide a strong foundation in Housing Needs & Homelessness.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to start your career in Housing while supporting a service that helps people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

You’ll gain practical experience of how a homelessness service works, develop your administrative and customer service skills and learn from experienced Housing colleagues.

You’ll also benefit from the Local Government Pension Scheme, up to 31 days annual leave subject to eligibility plus Bank Holidays, family-friendly provisions, flexible and agile working in line with service requirements, and 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme support.

Application closing date: Friday 2 October 2026

Assessment/Interviews: Week Commencing 26 October 2026

Croydon Council is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role.

About Us

Croydon Council's priorities

• Get a grip on the finances and make the council financially sustainable
• Become a council which listens to, respects and works in partnership with Croydon's diverse communities and businesses
• Strengthen collaboration and joint working with partner organisations and the voluntary, community and faith sectors
• Ensure good governance is embedded and adopt best practice
• Develop our workforce to deliver in a manner that respects the diversity of our communities

Key business plan outcomes:

• Croydon is a place of opportunity for business, earning and learning
• Children and young people in Croydon have the chance to thrive, learn and fulfil their potential
• Croydon is a cleaner, safer and healthier place, a borough we're proud to call home
• People can lead healthier and independent lives for longer
• Croydon Council's new ways of working

Equal Opportunities Statement

Croydon Council is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Subject to business needs, we will be pleased to consider applications from candidates seeking flexible working arrangements and support hybrid working, whereby staff attend the workplace for part of their working week and work from home, or elsewhere, remotely for the rest of the time.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised role.

Croydon council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.

The Successful candidate will be subject to a DBS check, if the role requires one.