At a Glance
- Tasks: Support residents facing housing difficulties and provide essential advice and assistance.
- Company: Join the vibrant London Borough of Waltham Forest, a hub of culture and creativity.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, flexible working options, and a commitment to diversity.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive team with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in your community while developing valuable skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in fast-paced environments and strong IT skills are a plus.
The predicted salary is between 32535 - 34488 £ per year.
Overview
Organisation: London Borough of Waltham Forest
Salary: Scale 5 £32,535 - £34,488
Contract Type: Full time / Fixed-Term Contract (12 months)
Working hours per week: 36
Application Deadline: 13/07/2026
Proposed Interview Date(s): TBC
Reference: 2193
About Us: Bursting with culture, energy, and opportunity, the London Borough of Waltham Forest is a fantastic and exciting place to work. We are a highly ambitious borough. Driven by culture and the innate creativity of our residents, we have developed new and innovative ways to build our communities. Our Council is relentlessly resident-focused, insight-led, digitally driven and commercially minded; a Council focused on meeting the needs of our existing and future residents. London Borough of Waltham Forest is one of the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard employers. This accreditation is proof of our commitment to creating a healthy, fair and inclusive workplace.
About the role
To provide an effective and professional, resident-oriented service to households experiencing housing difficulties. To triage residents approaching the council for help with housing, both face to face and over the telephone, to determine whether the resident is homeless or at risk of homelessness. Booking appointments for the Prevention & Assessment Officer and gathering initial information. To provide initial housing advice to residents and details of homelessness prevention, suitable housing options in the private and public sectors. To provide effective operational and administrative support within the Prevention & Assessment Team. This will include calls to applicants to gather information, making third party enquiries, writing letters, taking notes, responding to emails and updating resident records on case management systems.
Key Responsibilities
- To undertake housing advice triage interviews, both face to face and over the telephone for residents approaching the council for housing advice and assistance: providing initial housing advice and booking appointments for the team where appropriate.
- To provide effective support within the Prevention & Assessment Team, including scanning, general data input, use of excel and production of reports.
- To assist with homelessness prevention activities such as enquiries with estate agents, and landlords to confirm the cause of homelessness.
- To liaise with private landlords as necessary to assist with investigations and housing applications, e.g. checking former tenancy arrears/other tenancy breaches and assisting the Housing Sustainment Team in preventing evictions.
- To assist the team in promoting all housing options, especially alternatives to social housing including private rented properties, room shares, promoting our rent deposits schemes and supported accommodation referrals.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Experience of having worked in a fast-paced, resident-focused environment.
- Excellent knowledge and application of IT systems and software packages.
- Knowledge of frontline housing services (Desirable).
- Ability to work with minimum supervision, using problem-solving skills and initiative to provide a resident-focused support service.
- Excellent levels of literacy and numeracy.
- Ability to work flexibly, balancing competing priorities and meeting deadlines whilst understanding the needs, timescales and deadlines of others.
- Ability to deal diplomatically and confidentially with a wider range of stakeholders internally and externally.
Terms and Conditions
- Satisfactory employment references and CIFAS identity checks.
- Satisfactory declaration of interest.
- This role is subject to safer recruitment practices as it involves work with children and/or vulnerable adults.
- Satisfactory DBS check.
- As a public authority, we must ensure that members of staff in public-facing roles are able to speak fluent English.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications online by pressing the Apply button below. This includes a supporting statement that outlines how your skills and experience make you a good candidate for this vacancy. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both service delivery and employment of its staff. The Council is proud of its rich mix of communities and as the largest employer in the area, it works hard to respond to the changing needs of its population. The Council is committed to meeting its equality objectives and promoting equal opportunity in the workplace. Respecting Diversity is a core Council value.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about this vacancy or the application process, please contact Matthew Clements, Housing Options and Assessment Manager. Email: matthew.clements@walthamforest.gov.uk
If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post, please contact our Recruitment Team via email at recruitment@walthamforest.gov.uk.
