Job Profile for Housing Assessment Support Officer

Job Details

Job title:  Housing Assessment Support Officer 

Salary/Grade: 2

Service: Housing  

Reports to: Senior Housing Assessment Officer

Manages/Supervises: N/A

Job purpose

• To provide support to ensure the Housing Register for the District is accurately maintained and applications to join the Register are properly assessed.

Principal Accountabilities

• Assess applications including changes of circumstance. Use information supplied to decide on eligibility to be placed on the Council’s Housing Register. Assessment will include the needs of individual applicants and the need to meet both legislative requirements as well as the Gateway to Homechoice Allocations Policy.
• Carry out investigations to determine the priority to be awarded to housing applications. This will include liaising with other Agencies such as landlords, Social Services, Mental Health Teams, GPs and the Police.
• Scan and attach relevant supporting documents to applications.
• Renew applications as necessary.
• Advertise properties for Housing Associations within the Braintree District on the Gateway to Homechoice Website.
• Place bids on suitable properties for applicants who are unable to bid for themselves.
• Identify applicants who may be within 56 days of becoming homeless and liaise with colleagues in the Housing Options Team.
• Once the advertising cycle has ended, provide nominations from the shortlists, to some Housing Associations in the District.
• Respond to enquiries received by email, letter and telephone. This must meet with the Council’s service performance targets and must ensure that the Council’s policies are explained clearly and an efficient and effective service delivery is maintained.
• Assist applicants to complete their housing applications where necessary.
• Visit applicants to measure bedrooms to determine whether they are large enough in accordance with the Allocations Policy.
• Carry out any other duties as required by the Senior Housing Assessment Officer in order to ensure the delivery of a high quality, responsive and caring service.

Corporate Accountabilities

• To take responsibility for maintaining own health and attendance.
• To support, contribute and comply with quality and governance procedures as directed by management.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
• Any other associated duties detailed by Head of Service or his representative.
• To advise Line manager if, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.
• Any other duties as required to support the business, including maintaining business continuity and during civil emergencies.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Safeguarding Procedure in all areas of employment and service delivery.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

(Tested at application and interview stage)

Experience & Qualifications

• Good general education demonstrating that the candidate has sound literacy and numeracy skills.
• Customer service experience.
• Previous administrative experience.
• Previous experience of working in a housing related role would be desirable. e.g. working in a Local Authority or Housing Association or related area.
• An awareness of equalities and the ability to demonstrate an understanding of the issues in relation to housing need.

Skills and Knowledge

• Sound literacy and numeracy skills with letter writing skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Organised, self-motivated and pro-active.
• Ability to apply investigative skills.
• Ability to work with a non-judgemental attitude.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Knowledge and a good understanding of Microsoft Office.
• Good IT skills and ability to learn local IT systems.
• Hold full driving licence and have use of a vehicle.

Competencies

(Tested at the interview stage)

Communicating Effectively 

Demonstrate the effective use of the range of communication methods available: written, spoken, electronic, and use these methods in appropriate ways suitable to the context and situation

• present spoken communication in a polite, friendly and respectful manner seeking to ensure mutual understanding
• listen well and seek clarification and understanding, avoiding jumping to conclusions or making assumptions
• seek to understand the communication needs of colleagues and customers, being mindful of equality issues and the diverse needs of the range of people we work with

Performing efficiently and effectively 

Promote good performance, developing clear, structured and efficient ways of managing workload and delivering results.  Staff should challenge themselves and others to perform well, and to adhere to the Council’s performance management systems

• ensure that all work carried out by you is in line with business and service plans and supports the overall aims and ambition of the Council
• strive for continuous improvement in your work and manage your learning and development to enable you to perform to the best of your ability

Using and managing resources efficiently and effectively 

Demonstrate the effective and efficient use of the full range of resources used in and by the Council including time, finances, staffing, equipment, information, materials, buildings, etc.

• take responsibility for managing your time, seeking efficient ways to carry out your work, maximising your output and minimising wastage

Engaging with the customer

Understand the needs and requirements of your customers, to provide excellent customer service, and to involve customers in the improvement of services

• provide a helpful and friendly service to customers both internally and externally
• take responsibility for following up on enquiries and solving customer issues
• make efforts to fully understand the customer’s needs and avoid assuming that “we know best”
• ensure that you have a full understanding of the needs and requirements of the customer
• seek feedback from internal and external customers on the effectiveness and efficiency of the service you provide

Working well together

Actively foster good working relationships with colleagues and customers in order to collectively achieve the Council’s direction and ambition

• demonstrate consideration, and respect for other’s feelings and opinions and avoid judging and making assumptions
• maintain positive working relationships with external contacts in order to maintain the reputation of the Council

Other conditions

• This post doesn't require a DBS check 
• This post is not politically restricted
• This post doesn't entitle you to a lease car

Job Profile Updated April 2021

Values and Behaviours

We have corporate values and behaviours that set the standard for the organisation and all our staff. These are integrated in all we do including recruitment, induction, performance review, apprenticeships and all our learning and development programmes.

• P - Perform well and get things done
• R - Respect and value customers and staff
• I - Improve and learn
• D - Deliver that bit extra
• E - Efficient and effective

Following a number of workshops, which were attended by more than 100 members of staff from across all levels of the organisation, we have now developed a series of behaviours to support our PRIDE values.

Moving forward these will be implemented across the Council and will be used as part of performance reviews, induction procedures, the apprenticeship programme, and all training interventions.

P, Perform well and get things done

R, Respect and value customers and staff

I, Improve and learn

D, Deliver that bit extra

E, Efficient and effective

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