Housing Options Officer

Housing Options Officer(P01601)Starting salary £32,056pa with potential progression to £38,667pa on achieving designated skills and experience 37 hours per week (hybrid working)Are you effective at negotiating? Are you able to find creative solutions for people who are threatened with homelessness? Could you convince a landlord to change their mind about evicting their tenants?Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council are looking for someone to join the Housing Options team as a full time Housing Options Officer.You will be responsible for providing housing advice and assistance to households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.You will prioritise the prevention of homelessness, assisting customers to improve their situation so that they can remain in stable accommodation and will do this by negotiating with landlords and relatives to prevent homelessness. You will work towards getting single people and couples away from a life on the streets and help accommodate families and vulnerable people when they have lost or are unable to remain in existing accommodation. You will demonstrate your ability to deal with emotionally challenging cases in difficult situations, providing advice to members of the public and determining what legal duties are owed to customers who approach the Council for assistance.You will become knowledgeable in homelessness law, using your knowledge to determine applications and make decisions on applications.  We are looking for someone with:Experience of working with the public and providing excellent levels of customer serviceThe ability to negotiate with others and find solutions to complicated situationsExcellent communication and interpersonal skillsThe ability to manage your time effectively, and to organise yourself in a way which enables you to deal with competing demands and high caseloadsAn interest in learning about homelessness and developing or increasing your understanding of homelessness legislation and case law.Experience of working in homelessness is not essential as training will be provided however candidates with homelessness experience are encouraged.  If you are passionate about helping people and assisting those in housing need, and also thrive under pressure and enjoy team working – we want to hear from you. shared goals. To be a positive influence on this environment, you’ll need to be able to support others and be a genuine team player. What the council is really looking for is someone with a true customer focus, an understanding of what great customer service involves and a commitment to delivering outstanding results. Closing date for applications is 25 February 2024.Assessments will be held on 5 March 2024, with interviews on 8 March 2024.