Homechoice Officer

Colchester City Council; Colchester (VT); Hybrid; USD 39,000 - 41,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Training and progression

Generous annual leave

Smartphone and laptop

Volunteering day

Flexible working

Eye tests and glasses subsidy

Job summary

Colchester City Council is recruiting a Homechoice Officer on a permanent basis, working 18.5 hours across Wednesday to Friday in a hybrid pattern with one day remote. The role involves supporting the Gateway to Homechoice Register, processing applications, advertising properties, and shortlisting applicants within set timeframes.

You will advise customers on housing options and ensure welfare requests are handled consistently.

Responsibilities

• Process applications to Gateway to Homechoice Register within required timeframes.
• Advertise properties and shortlist applicants for properties.
• Provide advice to customers about housing options and welfare requests.
• Develop information for the website and run reports.
• Update databases and manage workload effectively.

Job description

Homechoice Officer

Company: Colchester City Council Salary: £29,319 to £30,616 a year, pro rata Hours: Part-time Location: Colchester Working pattern: Hybrid - 1 day remote Job type: Permanent Posting date: 2 Nov 2026 Closing date: 12 Nov 2026

Summary

Permanent, working 18.5 hours per week, Wednesday to Friday

We are looking for an Innovative Homechoice Officer with a good level of understanding of the Housing Act 1996, Part 6 as it applies to Allocations and the Housing register.

The role will provide a comprehensive service for applicants to Gateway to Homechoice Register. Ensuring that the appropriate applications are processed, properties advertised, and applicants shortlisted for properties, within the required timeframes. To give the relevant advice to customers about their housing options and ensuring that medical and welfare requests are processed consistently and appropriately.

Tasks will range from contributing to the development of an appropriate suite of information for the customer which will be included on the website to running reports and updating databases. Organisational skills and the ability to prioritise your work will be essential.

You will have a positive can-do attitude and an ability to communicate at all levels, and through all forms. It is essential that you can manage a large and varied workload, and can evidence this with previous experience.

The role may require you provide support across the Borough. You will be expected to travel between our different office locations, working proactively at home or in other remote locations as the business requires.

We offer a range of benefits which include:

Local Government Pension Scheme with a 19.5 % 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

Discounted gym member - corporate membership rate at Leisure World and the Northern Gateway.

1 Volunteering Day per year

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 .

As part of the recruitment and selection process you will be require to complete a 30- minute Timed Assessment.

If you wish to discuss the post further, please contact Lucy McEnery 01206 589278.

Interview date to be confirmed.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Homechoice Officer

Company: Colchester City Council Salary: £29,319 to £30,616 a year, pro rata Hours: Part-time Location: Colchester Working pattern: Hybrid - 1 day remote Job type: Permanent Posting date: 2 Nov 2026 Closing date: 12 Nov 2026

Summary

Permanent, working 18.5 hours per week, Wednesday to Friday

We are looking for an Innovative Homechoice Officer with a good level of understanding of the Housing Act 1996, Part 6 as it applies to Allocations and the Housing register.

The role will provide a comprehensive service for applicants to Gateway to Homechoice Register. Ensuring that the appropriate applications are processed, properties advertised, and applicants shortlisted for properties, within the required timeframes. To give the relevant advice to customers about their housing options and ensuring that medical and welfare requests are processed consistently and appropriately.

Tasks will range from contributing to the development of an appropriate suite of information for the customer which will be included on the website to running reports and updating databases. Organisational skills and the ability to prioritise your work will be essential.

You will have a positive can-do attitude and an ability to communicate at all levels, and through all forms. It is essential that you can manage a large and varied workload, and can evidence this with previous experience.

The role may require you provide support across the Borough. You will be expected to travel between our different office locations, working proactively at home or in other remote locations as the business requires.

We offer a range of benefits which include:

Local Government Pension Scheme with a 19.5 % 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

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 .

As part of the recruitment and selection process you will be require to complete a 30- minute Timed Assessment.

If you wish to discuss the post further, please contact Lucy McEnery 01206 589278.

Interview date to be confirmed.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.