Housing Options Officer (Domestic Abuse)

• Job_Description_Housing_Options_Officer

The Role

An excellent opportunity has arisen within the City Council’s Health and Housing Service to join the busy Housing Options Team to support household subject to domestic abuse. Applicants are sought

Ideally with some previous experience of working within a domestic abuse organisation but not essential and/or persons having experience of a wide range of Welfare Rights and/or debt counselling work and/or providing support to vulnerable people with housing and other complex issues. Your role will involve providing the first point of contact for clients and agencies contacting the Housing Options Team.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, organised and motivated person who responds well to working in a pressurised environment, who can work to deadlines and targets and who can demonstrate a real commitment to providing excellent customer care and top-quality service.

You will be a member of a busy team responsible for working with and supporting clients to either maintain existing accommodation or access the private rented sector. You will also assist clients to explore the full range of housing options available through the Housing Options team in order to prevent homelessness. You will be required to provide outreach drop-in sessions in the community as and when required to enhance access to the service.

In addition to providing advice to members of the public on housing options, you will have a key role in monitoring the authority’s temporary accommodation and assisting move on from temporary accommodation to more permanent housing.

You will have the ability to establish good working relationships with Private Rented Sector Landlords, Registered Providers of Social Housing, local stakeholders and Council Officers. A good understanding of the Homelessness legislation and housing issues is desirable. You will be a proficient IT user with an excellent command of written English, as well as an experienced communicator with a background of working within an organisation responsible for assessing housing need. The successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced CRB clearance.

About You

You will identify with our organisational values of Pride, Ownership, Working Together and Ambition.

Our Benefits

Lancaster is a great place to work, as well as being part of something special you will also benefit from:

• Generous annual leave allowance
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• A range of employee benefits including discounted gym membership, cycle to work scheme, the opportunity to purchase extra time off, as well as discounts on days out, activities and retail.

Lancaster City Council has unanimously declared a climate emergency and will therefore work towards reducing carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030. As part of this role, you will be expected to participate and work towards reducing both carbon emissions and the impacts of climate change.

We are an Investor in People, Forces Friendly employer, and an Armed Forces Covenant committed organisation. We welcome applications from defence reserves and other members of our armed forces community. We are an inclusive employer and welcome applications from all parts of our community.

At Lancaster City Council we aim to have a diverse workforce that is representative of the district that we serve and provide a working environment where each employee feels able to bring their whole self to work. We welcome applications from all sections of our community and provide several supportive and inclusive workplace networks and safe spaces for employees to feel connected. Our workplace wellbeing strategy drives our commitment to staff wellbeing initiatives and ensuring that our organisation is a great place to work for all.

We are a disability confident committed employer.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we are unable to update all applicants individually. If you do not receive a response from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, then your application will have unfortunately been unsuccessful in progressing to interview.

Interview date: TBC

For an informal discussion, please contact Sharon Parkinson, Principal Housing Options Manager on 01524 582621.

WE ONLY ACCEPT COMPLETED APPLICATION FORMS.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND A CV AS THIS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

For an application form and further details please apply online or e-mail recruitment@lancaster.gov.uk. Alternatively please call in to the reception area at Lancaster / Morecambe Town Hall or telephone 01524 582176 (24 hour answering service