Housing Solutions Officer, Ipswich

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils

Address: Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX

Salary: 37,280 - 44,075 per annum (pro rata for part time)

Hours: Full Time, 37 hours per week

Contract: Fixed Term/Secondment for 9 months (maternity cover)

This role is open to full time, part time, and job share applications, all of which will be assessed equally.

Join our team. We are looking for a Housing Solutions Officer to join our Housing Solutions team. If you share our values and you are motivated to make a difference for our residents, clients, and communities, we would love to hear from you.

About the role. We are focused on the prevention of homelessness, and our Housing Solutions Officers play a key role in the delivery of our homelessness service, working to fulfil the statutory duties in respect of homelessness and access to housing, whilst working in line with the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

As one of our team of Housing Solutions Officers, you will work directly with people facing a housing crisis, providing expert advice and taking proactive steps to prevent homelessness. The role involves managing a busy caseload, creating personalised housing plans, making statutory homelessness decisions, and working closely with partner agencies and landlords to secure sustainable housing options. Focusing on preventing homelessness, you will assist households in sustaining their current accommodation or securing alternative options to meet their housing and support needs by undertaking comprehensive assessments and carrying out enquiries into each case to establish the council's responsibilities under the homelessness legislation. This is a fast-paced, problem-solving role, where you will help households find safe, stable accommodation while ensuring legal duties are met, working on your own initiative but also as part of a dedicated team committed to the prevention of homelessness.

About you. We are looking for someone who is an excellent communicator, motivated and passionate in their approach to assisting homeless households. You will:

• have a strong understanding of housing or homelessness issues and the ability to interpret legislation and apply it to individual cases
• have experience of making decisions on homelessness applications and understand the legal tests that need to be applied when reaching a decision
• demonstrate comprehensive experience of Welfare Benefits, including Universal Credit
• be able to manage a busy and varied caseload, work independently, and respond effectively to changing priorities
• be able to handle sensitive situations with professionalism, communicate clearly and maintain high standards of accuracy and fairness
• work well with colleagues and partner agencies and will be committed to delivering a respectful and inclusive service to all customers.

About us. At Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils we are passionate about building communities that people want to live, work, visit and invest in. We serve around 200,000 residents across our two districts and are well known for our collaboration and partnership working across public, private and voluntary sectors. We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work, with:

• 60 conservation areas
• two National Landscapes
• many picturesque market towns

It is no surprise we are ranked among the top 50 places to live in the UK.

Benefits. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous leave entitlement (26 days a year, rising to 31 days after 5 years).
• Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Wellbeing Support and Employee Assistance Programs.
• Private Health Care Options.
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (Business needs permitting).
• Great learning and development opportunities.

For more information, visit our Employee Benefits page.

Our ways of working. We believe work is what we do, not just where we go. We work in a hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote based working (Business need permitting). Our hybrid working arrangements support flexibility and collaboration, helping our teams to thrive. We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, providing opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible services for our residents.

For an informal discussion or to learn more about hybrid working for this role, please contact Sarah Aldous.

Please read the Job Description and Person Specification before applying for this job opportunity.

Closing date: 5 pm, 11 June 2026.

How to apply. Please ensure your application form is fully completed, including employment and education history. Your supporting statement should clearly address how you meet the criteria in the Person Specification.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.