Housing Options Support Officer

Wealden District Council; Hailsham; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary & pension scheme

Opportunities for continuing CPD

Friendly, supportive team

Job summary

Wealden District Council is seeking a customer-focused individual to join the Homeless Prevention & Accommodation Team. You will be the first point of contact for residents, helping them access housing services, providing practical support and ensuring compassionate assistance when needed.

The role involves administrative duties, handling inquiries, managing records, and supporting housing applications within a collaborative team.

Qualifications

• Strong customer service and communication skills.
• Excellent administration and organisational abilities.
• Good IT skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines.
• Experience of working with customers in a public-facing environment.
• Empathy and problem-solving to manage customer expectations.
• Knowledge of housing, homelessness or local authority services would be an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Supporting customers accessing housing and homelessness services.
• Providing administrative support to the Homeless Prevention & Accommodation, Housing Allocations & Housing Options teams.
• Managing customer records, correspondence and supporting documentation.
• Assisting with housing applications and customer enquiries.
• Processing invoices and financial transactions.
• Working with colleagues and partner agencies to help deliver an effective service.

Skills

Customer service

Administration

IT skills

Prioritisation

Public-facing experience

Empathy and problem-solving

Housing knowledge (advantage)

Tools

MS Office

Job description

This vacancy may close early due to high volumes of applications.

Can you help people facing housing challenges?

Join our Homeless Prevention & Accommodation Team and play a vital role in supporting residents facing housing difficulties. As the first point of contact for many customers, you'll help people access housing services, provide practical support, and ensure they receive professional and compassionate assistance when they need it most.

Who are we looking for?

We're seeking an organised, customer-focused individual with excellent communication skills and a genuine passion for supporting residents facing housing difficulties. As the first point of contact for many customers, you'll help people access housing services, provide practical support, and ensure they receive professional and compassionate assistance when they need it most.

What will the role involve?

• Supporting customers accessing housing and homelessness services
• Providing administrative support to the Homeless Prevention & Accommodation, Housing Allocations & Housing Options teams
• Managing customer records, correspondence and supporting documentation
• Assisting with housing applications and customer enquiries
• Processing invoices and financial transactions
• Working with colleagues and partner agencies to help deliver an effective service

What skills, knowledge and abilities do you require for the role?

• Excellent customer service and communication skills
• Strong administration and organisational abilities
• Good IT skills and attention to detail
• Ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines
• Experience of working with customers in a public-facing environment
• Ability to show empathy, solve problems and manage customer expectations
• Knowledge of housing, homelessness or local authority services would be an advantage

What do we offer?

• Competitive salary & pension scheme
• Incremental progression subject to satisfactory performance.
• A friendly, supportive team.
• Opportunities for continuing professional development.

Wealden District Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are committed to maintaining a diverse workforce and an inclusive work environment. We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities, and all applications will be treated on merit.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. At Wealden District Council, we are committed to fair, accessible recruitment and supporting colleagues with the adjustments they need to thrive. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview. Join a workplace that values inclusion, wellbeing and equal opportunity.

Ethical Use of AI in Applications

We welcome innovation and do not automatically exclude candidates who use AI tools during the application process. However, we assess each application to ensure the candidate genuinely understands the role and its requirements.

AI may be used ethically and responsibly, provided it supports, rather than compromises our core values of integrity, transparency, and fairness. During assessments and interviews, candidates must present their own skills and experience without assistance from others, external resources, or AI, unless explicitly instructed otherwise.