Job Details

Housing Options Advisor

Location: Kettering / North Northamptonshire
Contract: Temporary, ending 31 October 2026
Working Pattern: 4 days in the Kettering office, 1 day working from home
Grade: Band 5
Service: Housing Solutions
Reports to: Senior Housing Options Advisor
DBS: Required
Driving Licence: Full driving licence and access to own transport required

About the Role

North Northamptonshire Council is looking for an experienced Housing Options Advisor to join its Housing Solutions service.

The successful candidate will work within a small team providing specialist housing advice, homelessness prevention, triage and casework to households who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The role will focus particularly on conducting initial homelessness assessments, establishing customers’ eligibility and housing circumstances, determining whether statutory duties are owed, and taking proactive action to prevent homelessness wherever possible.

You will work with families, single homeless people and vulnerable households, working closely with landlords, letting agents, internal services and external agencies to achieve positive and sustainable housing outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a first point of contact for customers who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.
• Conduct initial homelessness and housing needs assessments, investigating customers’ circumstances, housing situation and support needs.
• Assess eligibility, homelessness and priority need, and determine whether statutory duties, including S188 interim accommodation duties, may be owed.
• Provide clear and accurate advice in accordance with homelessness legislation, statutory guidance, case law and Council policies.
• Take prompt action to prevent homelessness, including negotiating with landlords, mediating with family or friends and identifying alternative accommodation.
• Complete Full Housing Assessments (FHAs) and develop, implement and review Personal Housing Plans (PHPs) with customers.
• Manage a varied and sometimes complex caseload, ensuring cases are progressed within required timescales.
• Make evidence-based homelessness decisions and seek guidance from Senior Housing Options Advisors on complex or high-risk cases.
• Work proactively with housing providers, landlords, letting agents, support services and other agencies to secure appropriate accommodation and support.
• Participate in and, where required, coordinate multi-agency meetings to address housing, safeguarding and support needs.
• Identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns involving children and vulnerable adults.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive case records using the Council’s homelessness case management systems.
• Respond professionally to customer enquiries and complaints and ensure issues are resolved promptly.
• Keep up to date with changes to homelessness legislation, guidance and case law.
• Contribute to service improvements, performance monitoring and the development of new initiatives and procedures.
• Provide flexible support during periods of high demand or emergency situations.

Essential Experience

The successful candidate will have:

• Experience working within a local authority, housing association or voluntary sector organisation.
• Experience in a housing advice, homelessness, housing options or customer-focused advisory role.
• Experience managing a caseload of customers.
• Experience providing housing advice and/or homelessness prevention support.
• A good understanding of the causes of homelessness and the barriers customers face in accessing accommodation and support.
• Knowledge of homelessness legislation, statutory guidance and relevant case law.
• Experience working with vulnerable customers and managing challenging situations.
• Experience working collaboratively with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Good understanding of safeguarding practices and procedures.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure.

Desirable Experience

• Relevant housing qualification, such as CIH Level 4 Diploma or equivalent.
• Knowledge of welfare benefits and financial inclusion.
• Understanding of housing allocations policies.
• Experience completing Full Housing Assessments (FHAs) and Personal Housing Plans (PHPs).
• Experience determining statutory homelessness duties, including Prevention, Relief and S188 duties.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development within housing/homelessness services.

Key Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with vulnerable and diverse customer groups.
• Strong assessment and decision-making skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and negotiation abilities.
• Ability to manage a complex and varied caseload.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work independently and use initiative while contributing effectively to a team.
• Ability to produce clear, concise and persuasive written reports.
• Good numerical and analytical skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and housing/homelessness case management systems.

Personal Attributes

You will be:

• Empathetic and customer focused
• Proactive and solution focused
• Confident applying homelessness legislation
• Resilient when dealing with challenging situations
• Well organised and able to manage competing priorities
• Collaborative and able to build effective relationships
• Confident making professional decisions and recommendations

Additional Requirements

• Full driving licence and access to your own transport for work purposes.
• Willingness to work outside normal office hours when required.
• Satisfactory DBS clearance.
• Commitment to equality, safeguarding, customer care and Council policies and procedures.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be an experienced Housing Options or Homelessness professional who can confidently assess homelessness cases, understand statutory housing duties and take practical action to prevent homelessness.

They should be comfortable completing assessments, developing PHPs, managing a caseload and working with vulnerable customers, while having the confidence to make evidence-based decisions and work collaboratively with landlords and partner agencies.