Housing Needs Customer Access Officer in Reading

Job description

Do you have a passion for good customer service? The Housing Needs Service is looking for a professional and enthusiastic person to join our innovative Housing Needs Service. We are looking for an ambitious and motivated person to join a busy team who deliver basic front line housing advice to customers and provide office support to the Homelessness Prevention Team.

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

Occasional home working may be permitted however this front line role is based at the civic centre in central Reading due to the needs of the Service

About the role

You\’ll be the first point of contact for customers experiencing housing difficulties, offering advice and signposting to appropriate services. You\’ll also provide essential support to the Homelessness Prevention team.

Key responsibilities include:

• Delivering excellent customer service in a busy, pressurised environment.
• Assisting with diary management, home visit bookings, and emergency accommodation placements.
• Updating and monitoring personalised housing plans.
• Providing administrative support, including case logging, scanning documents, and processing invoices.
• Responding to email and telephone enquiries, ensuring accurate case notes and updates.
• Using IT systems to maintain accurate records and data.

About you

You\’ll be someone who thrives in a customer-facing role and can remain calm under pressure. You\’ll have strong organisational skills and a commitment to preventing homelessness.

We\’re looking for:

• Experience working in a customer-driven service and busy office environment.
• Excellent communication skills – face-to-face, written, and over the phone.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, prioritising tasks effectively.
• Strong IT skills and attention to detail when updating records.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and building relationships with internal and external partners.

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

Our offer

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