The Service & Team:
Working within the housing options service to maintain and operate the Council’s housing register and the administration of the Cornwall Homechoice choice-based lettings scheme. To provide advice and assistance to applicants as required enabling people to access accommodation. To identify potentially vulnerable households and make appropriate referrals to Housing Options, other relevant agencies or under safeguarding procedures.
As a Housing Needs Officer, you will have a key role in assisting the transformation of service delivery to those in housing need within Cornwall. Working with the Head of Service, colleagues from across the Council and a range of partners, the role will deliver a single allocations scheme across the county. The Housing Needs Officer will be at the forefront of the delivery of this service and will be key to providing equality of service regardless of location.
This is a public/customer-facing role, where the statutory English language requirement for public sector workers applies.
This position will be subject to an enhanced criminal record disclosure check.
Working Pattern:
This is a full-time role 37 hours per week over 5 days Monday to Friday. Flexi-time arrangements in place. Currently under hybrid work arrangements, between Council office bases and home working.
What you’ll need to succeed:
An understanding of the Council’s allocations policies, the Homechoice service and the relationship with other housing providers and Registered Social Landlords
An understanding of Housing Allocations legislation and homelessness legislation, in particular the Housing Act 1996 Parts V1 and V11An understanding of social housing and void management processesPrevious experience of working within the housing field, and an understanding of accessing social housing would be desirable
A good awareness of the range of voluntary and statutory agencies that can provide support to customers. Liaises effectively with these agencies and signposts customers appropriately
Demonstrates good inter-personal skills. Displays empathy and patience when dealing with customers, and deals appropriately with challenging behaviours when required
Proven skills in all aspects of general administrative work particularly keyboard and IT skills to make full use of the Council’s IT systems, including specialist software
Education to GCSE standard Grade ‘C’ and above in English and Maths, or equivalent
Please read the role profile for the full details of this role attached below in this advert
What you’ll get in return:
Cornwall Council’s ambition is to be an employer of choice, a high performing Council and a learning organisation. We commit to providing a reward and benefits package to attract, motivate and reward our employees. We offer a range of flexible working options to our staff. This helps provide our employees with a greater work/life balance. Whilst still ensuring that service needs are met.
Our core employee rewards and benefits include:
Additional Information:
Please note, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role
The full role profile is attached here
For more information or an informal chat about the role please contact the Homechoice team on 0300 1234 161
Application Process
Please attach a supporting statement to your application, you can add your Education & Qualifications details manually using the application form timeline or you can upload your CV. Remember to demonstrate why you are suitable against each of the points marked as ‘Application’ on the Role Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience, which clearly illustrates what you did and the effect it had. Guidance on how to complete your application can be found here – The application process
Please note that applications cannot be edited after they have been submitted, please contact careers@cornwall.gov.uk if you have any queries or require assistance with your application.
Cornwall Council deliver services to more than half a million local people and over five million visitors a year. Working here - Cornwall Council
We are happy to talk about flexible working options such as part-time or compressed hours. More examples of our flexible working opportunities can be found here - flexible working options
Fairness and inclusion are at the heart of our vision for Cornwall. In order to best serve our communities, we are striving to achieve a diverse workforce that is inclusive of all backgrounds, cultures and identities; e.g., race, disability, sex, gender reassignment status, age, religion and sexual orientation. We are an equal opportunities and Disability Confident employer, and we will assess applicants on their merits.
Cornwall Council is committed to safeguarding and following safer recruitment principles to help make sure our staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children, young people and adults at risk. It’s a vital part of creating a safe and positive environment and making a commitment to keeping all service users safe from harm.
A unique Council that has secured the UK's first devolution deal for a rural County! We deliver services to more than half a million local people and to over five million visitors a year.
*Cornwall - The Place: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/work-and-volunteer-for-us/cornwall-the-place/
With its beautiful beaches, stunning countryside and superb community spirit, Cornwall is a great place to live.
*Cornwall - Our Offer: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/work-and-volunteer-for-us/our-offer/
With a competitive employee reward package that attracts, retains and motivates our employees; open plan working environments in most offices, good business systems and a can do culture where talented people thrive, Cornwall Council is a great place to work.
*Cornwall - Our Job of the Week: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/joboftheweek
*Cornwall - What we do and how we work: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/work-and-volunteer-for-us/what-we-do-and-how-we-work/
Services: Care for the elderly, children’s safeguarding, libraries, road maintenance, fire and rescue service, recycling, parks, street cleaning, countryside management, social housing, town planning, tourism support and trading standards.
We deliver these services through our employees who work directly for the Council and through our many other Council owned companies and organisations; CORMAC, Cornwall Housing, Tempus Leisure, Newquay Airport and Cornwall Development Company.
We also have close links with Cornwall’s health organisations, colleges and universities and work closely with the police, town and parish councils and the voluntary sector.
*Cornwall - Council and Democracy: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/
We have 123 elected councillors and as Cornwall is such a large rural area, our councillors and the towns and parishes they represent are grouped into 19 community networks, which are the focus of our local community work.
