Job Profile for Housing Assessment Support Officer

Job title: Housing Assessment Support Officer

Salary/Grade: Grade 2

Service: Housing and Community

Reports to: Housing Assessment Manager

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 (inc. change of circumstances).  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.
• Advertising properties for Housing Associations within the Braintree District on the Gateway to Homechoice Website.
• Placing 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, letters 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.
• To support, contribute and comply with quality practices as described within the Corporate Quality Policy and as described by Management.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
• To advise the Head of Housing, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.
• Any other duties, which may from time to time, become necessary as directed by the Head of Service or their representative.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

(Tested at application and interview stage)

• Good level of education to GCSE (C equivalent or above) or similar equivalent qualifications, demonstrating that the candidate has sound literacy and numeracy skills.
• An awareness of equalities and the ability to demonstrate an understanding of the issues in relation to housing need.
• Must have good interpersonal skills and be non- judgmental.
• Good IT skills.
• Ability to apply investigative skills.
• Housing related experience
• Hold full UK driving licence and have use of a car

Competencies

We test this at 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
• present information and ideas in a clear and understandable way which avoids jargon
• 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
• choose the most appropriate method of communication for the situation, seeking to avoid using one fixed style or approach

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
• plan your workload effectively, reporting achievements and problems to appropriate managers and project leaders
• see tasks and objectives through to completion
• approach challenges with drive and enthusiasm
• 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
• use and acquire materials effectively and efficiently minimising wastage, recycling where possible, and striving for cost effectiveness
• seek out ways to improve the use of resources

Engaging with the customer

Understand the needs and requirements of their 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:

• co-operate and work well with colleagues at all levels of the organisation seeking collective responsibility for the achievement of goals
• 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
• seek to actively solve problems and avoid passing the issue on to others or leaving the problem unresolved
• demonstrate self-awareness of your style of working and develop flexibility and adaptability in order to work well with others

Other conditions

• This post doesn't require a DBS check 
• This post isn't politically restricted
• Hours / Unusual Conditions: 37 hours

Job profile updated
April 2026

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