Job profile for Housing Options Triage Officer

Job Details

Job title: Housing Options Triage Officer

Salary/Grade: 3

Service: Housing and Community Service

Reports to: Housing Options Team Manager

Manages/Supervises: N/A

Job purpose

To be part of the busy Housing Team within Braintree District Council, providing a proactive service, giving advice and assistance to anyone with housing related problems in accordance with current legislation and code of guidance and identifying those who are already homeless or at risk of becoming homeless within 56 days.

Principal Accountabilities

• To be the first point of contact for all new enquiries into the service and to conduct an initial assessment of the approaching household.
• To ascertain a household’s risk of homelessness at first point of contact.
• To provide advice and early intervention assistance to those at risk of homelessness but not within 56 days.
• To undertake case work as necessary to complete triage assessment of cases.
• To co-ordinate and provide responses to all general housing queries including emails and phone calls.
• To provide verbal and written advice on a wide range of housing and related matters to anyone approaching the Council, working closely with other colleagues and partners.
• To advise customers of their housing options, this could include:  privately rented housing, deposit and rent-in-advance schemes, renting a room, social housing, mediation, supported housing.
• To provide general advice and assistance in the following areas: homelessness, security of tenure, harassment and illegal eviction, disrepair, money management, benefits, relationship breakdown, domestic abuse.  
• Assist residents with accessing services that support them to find or sustain accommodation.
• Ensure case management files are updated with details of all contact and case progression.
• Seek information from landlords/lenders/relatives and other agencies to assist the Housing Options Officers in preventing or relieving homelessness.
• Support the Housing Options Officers in monitoring Personal Housing Plans, including contacting customers for updates.
• Provide tenancy advice to tenants and landlords.  
• To participate in the rota covering reception, providing advice and guidance to applicants approaching the service, directing inquiries (where appropriate) to Housing Assessment and/or Housing Triage to assess whether applicant is homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Carry out home visits as required.
• To assist with the management of the Council’s temporary accommodation arrangements as required. 
• To participate in the out of hours rota.
• To attend meetings and events as required to promote the service; including assisting with the administration if required, in terms of organising, preparation, taking minutes

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 and Qualifications

• Experience of working in a housing service or a similar area of work.

(Some knowledge in at least one of the below two areas is desirable, applicants need to demonstrate ability and willingness to develop this knowledge):

• A good understanding of the current homelessness legislation and options agenda, housing allocations policies/choice based lettings and benefits.
• A good general understanding of tenancy law to enable general advice to be given to tenants and landlords.

Skills and Knowledge

• Able to accurately complete various forms relating to the recording of personal and statistical information and possessing a thorough understanding of the need for accuracy and confidentiality.  
• Good letter writing skills.
• Clear understanding of issues relating to equalities and diversity.
• Good problem-solving, negotiation, interviewing and IT skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and able to embrace change for continuing service improvement.
• Ability to prioritise, work under pressure to tight deadlines and good organisational skills.
• Conscientious, with an ability to work on your own initiative, self-motivated and able to problem-solve.
• Excellent customer service skills and the ability to work as part of a team.
• A non-judgmental attitude with empathy for people who find themselves in a stressful housing situation

Competencies

(Tested 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
• Create novel solutions to improve services and ways of working and challenge conventional practices
• Seek out income generating opportunities and efficiencies and aim to provide more for less to achieve the best possible value and high standards of service delivery
• Be enthusiastic about the Council’s services and look for opportunities to promote and sell them

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 position does not require a DBS check 
• This position is not politically restricted

Job profile updated
June 2026

Values and behaviours

Our values and behaviours are an integral part of who we are; they are the guiding principles that should inform how we work together, support each other and make decisions.

Our organisation thrives on the dedication and passion of its people and it’s important that we embody these values and behaviours and they become a part of our organisational DNA.

Our vision

We will be ambitious, support each other and work together in new ways to achieve outstanding results

Our core values