Rough Sleeper Outreach Officer

All about the Role

We are seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable Housing Officer to deliver a comprehensive frontline housing advice and homelessness service. You will play a key role in supporting individuals and families facing housing difficulties by providing expert advice, assessing applications, and working towards sustainable housing solutions.

In this role, you will:

• Provide advice and assistance to clients completing housing applications and related documentation
• Assess and analyse client circumstances, making decisions in line with homelessness legislation on prevention, relief, and statutory duties
• Conduct detailed housing needs interviews and gather relevant evidence to support applications
• Issue statutory decision letters (S184), referrals, and outcome notifications
• Use verification tools and housing management systems to assess applications accurately
• Maintain full and accurate case records, reports, and monitoring information
• Work in partnership with internal services, external agencies, landlords, and third-sector organisations
• Provide advice on tenancy sustainment, income maximisation, benefits, and housing options
• Support clients with complex and multiple needs, including mental health and substance misuse
• Contribute to service development, information resources, and continuous improvement

This is a complex and rewarding role requiring a strong understanding of housing legislation and a commitment to delivering high-quality, customer-focused services. A certain degree of flixibilty is required in this role.

All about our Team

You will join a collaborative and supportive Housing Needs team committed to preventing homelessness and improving housing outcomes for residents. The team works closely with a wide range of partners including statutory services, voluntary organisations, and housing providers to deliver a holistic and integrated service.

All about You

We are looking for a motivated and compassionate professional with experience in housing and homelessness services. You will have a good understanding of key legislation, including the Housing Act 1996, the Homelessness Act 2002, and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, along with knowledge of welfare reform and its impact on housing. You will understand the causes of homelessness, the challenges within the housing sector, and the range of support and prevention options available.

You will be a strong communicator, able to build effective relationships with clients and partners, and confident in handling complex and sensitive situations. You will be organised, able to manage competing priorities, and capable of working to deadlines in a busy environment. Good IT skills and the ability to analyse information and make sound decisions are essential.

You will bring experience of working in a frontline housing or advice role, supporting vulnerable people and managing challenging cases. A collaborative approach and the ability to remain resilient and professional under pressure are key.

Our Benefits
We value our colleagues and have developed a number of benefits in addition to our generous annual leave starting at 25 days + bank holidays, sick pay and local government pension scheme…

• Access to a range of benefits via our Employee Benefits Platform, including in-store and online discounts as well as our Cycle to Work and Home & Electronics schemes
• Buy up to 10 days additional annual leave (pro-rata)
• Access to car lease scheme
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared Cost AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
• Access to development opportunities including apprenticeships to support your personal and professional growth
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
• Access to our equality, diversity and inclusion network
• Opportunities to receive Employee Recognition Awards

Our Commitments
We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to fostering diversity, advancing equity, and building an inclusive workplace for everyone. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and particularly encourage those from underrepresented groups, including disabled people, care leavers, and individuals from minority ethnic communities. Your unique perspectives and experiences are encouraged and valued and will play a vital role in our success.

We are committed to making our recruitment process as accessible as possible. If you are a person who has or considers yourself to have a disability and you require reasonable adjustments to the application or interview process, please contact pccrecruitment@peterborough.gov.uk.

Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you've already applied and completed the recruitment process for this position within the last three months, there's no need to reapply. We really appreciate your interest and thank you for considering us.

Documents

• Rough Sleeper Outreach Officer - Job Description (2).pdf (117.72 KB)