Housing Triage & Support Officer - Initial Contact

Maidstone Borough Council; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Maidstone is looking for a Housing Triage and Support Officer to join their housing team. This role involves working directly with the public, providing compassionate support and administrative assistance during peak times. The successful candidate should possess strong communication and interpersonal skills, a willingness to work with vulnerable individuals, and be flexible in meeting the needs of the service. Join this rewarding team and contribute to improving community welfare.

Benefits

Invitations to staff events

Employee Assistance Programme

Local Government Pension Scheme

Life Assurance

Generous holiday entitlement

Season Ticket Loan

Lease car salary sacrifice scheme

Flexible working opportunities

Annual flu vaccine

Cycle to work scheme

Staff benefits discounts

Excellent learning opportunities

Professional fee payment

Qualifications

• Experience working with vulnerable or chaotic individuals or lived experience of homelessness.
• Ability to communicate effectively in spoken English.
• Flexibility to meet service and client needs.

Responsibilities

• Cover the reception for the housing team when open to the public.
• Support the housing team with administration and housing-related support.
• Provide face-to-face housing advice to those in need.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Organisational skills

IT skills

Ability to work with vulnerable individuals

Team player

Job description

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the housing team based in our community hub, Trinity. Working 37 hours per week from Trinity, the Housing Triage and Support Officer – Initial Contact will cover the reception when the service is open to the public and support the wider housing team with administration, housing related support and other duties as they arise when we are closed. Trinity is open to the public 20 hours a week.

We are seeking someone who can work in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities, who is at ease with working alongside the general public, including those who are homeless and may be rough sleeping.

You would be working as part of the Housing Advice Team and wider housing service. The team provides a compassionate and supportive response to service users who are at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping by providing a face-to-face housing advice service to those who need it.

About You

The successful applicant will be enthusiastic, highly motivated and have excellent communication skills. Additionally, you will have excellent interpersonal, organisation and IT skills.

You should also have experience working with vulnerable or chaotic individuals or lived experience of homelessness yourself. You should be a strong team player who embraces change and is able to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service and our clients.

The Council considers this to be a customer focused role and the ability to converse at ease with customers adapting communication style to suit differing audiences and provide advice in accurate spoken English is fundamental to the role.

About Us

Maidstone Borough Council is a confident organisation with ambition and aspirations to deliver high quality services to our residents and local businesses. We strive to make the borough an attractive place for all and secure a successful economy.

We continue to build on our strengths - assets, knowledge and expertise and our track record for innovation and improvement to create a financially sustainable future so that we can continue with our undiminished plans.

We will only achieve the results we are aiming for through the talents and hard work of all our people. You are encouraged to become part of our vision and in return you can expect support, training, and fair reward from us. We will give you the opportunity to develop the skills to do your job well and create a positive working environment where your ideas about improving how we do things are valued and we manage the changes needed for new ways of working well.

Our Offer

A range of benefits including:

• Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
• Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• Generous holiday entitlement with the option to buy additional leave
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Annual flu vaccine
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
• Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
• A professional fee payment, if required for the role

Selection Process

Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect a job specific interview assessment, followed by an interview.

Safeguarding and Background Checks

Maidstone Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.

The Council considers that the successful applicant will have access to the Government’s secure network and will need to have a Baseline Personnel Security Standard check completed. In addition to the normal pre-employment checks this requires a criminal record check for unspent convictions and verification of employment history for the preceding 3 years. Where the 3 years of employment history cannot be verified through the most recent employment reference, you will need to provide a copy of your HMRC PAYE record for the 3-year period and will need to explain the reasons for any gaps in employment.

Contact Information

If you would like to discuss this position, please contact Hannah Gaston, Housing & Inclusion Manager on 01622 602262.

Job Description and Person Specification

Download the Job Description and Person Specification here: https://docs.maidstone.gov.uk/jobs/Housing-Triage-Support-Officer-Initial-Contact-MBC-JDPS-Dec25.pdf

Interview Date

Interview Date: Friday 30th January 2026