Homelessness Prevention Officer

Our Housing and Communities Team are passionate about the people who live in our town; our vision is for everyone to have the opportunity to live in a good quality sustainable home within in a lively and thriving neighbourhood. We have bags of energy and enthusiasm and channel this by seeking to innovate and create opportunities that have a lasting effect on the communities in Reading and keeps them at the heart of all we do.

We have a great track record in building strategic partnerships, successfully bidding for Government funding, major project delivery and being the best landlord in the town. Our work is rewarding, we change lives for the better by tackling homelessness, building new homes and strengthening communities.

Are you looking for a new opportunity in a fast developing, forward thinking and evolving environment? The Housing Needs Service is looking for a professional and enthusiastic person to join our ambitious and innovative Homeless Prevention Team. You will work as part of a team of Homeless Prevention Officers, interviewing and assessing those in housing need.

We are open to flexible working patterns and can provide a hybrid working environment which utilises the best of both worlds with a mix of office working in central Reading and homeworking according to the needs of the Service.

Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities. We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity is the key to our success.

About the role

Leading on your own caseload and work collaboratively with other partner agencies.
You will work with members of the public to prevent them from losing their current home or to support them to secure a new one.
The focus of the role is to prevent households from being homeless whilst working within the legal framework.
The successful candidate will have the ability to negotiate through a variety of environments
Will require you to have difficult conversations and deliver on realistic expectations.

You'll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you'll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance - striving to be even better - and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

About you

If you are passionate about ensuring excellent customer service for residents who are homeless or in housing need, then this could be the next challenge for you.

If you have experience in another field, we would welcome a supporting statement so we can understand how your skills will relate to our post., Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you'll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
A wide range of flexible working opportunities
Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax