• Job description

    12 months Fixed Term, Maternity Cover, Full time, 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday

     

    This is a career grade role with appointments relevant to experience and qualifications.

     

    Colchester Borough Homes (CBH) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Colchester City Council. As part of the local business community since 2003, we are an award-winning organisation, providing management and maintenance services to around 7,000 residential, commercial and public buildings throughout the Borough, including the Council housing stock, Colchester Castle and Colchester Town Hall.

     

    CBH is a fantastic place to work, delivering vital services and making a real difference to our tenants and leaseholders’ lives. We aim to be a trusted choice for local housing, property and community services. We are an ambitious organisation focused on delivering great value services that make a difference.

     

    Our Housing Solutions service is prevention and relief focused in which we look to work with applicants to manage any threats of homelessness and help prevent homelessness or find alternative accommodation.

     

    The service faces a range of challenges, with an increasing demand for accommodation without an adequate supply of housing. We have made significant changes and developments as a service and achieve effective results.

     

    We are looking for a Housing Solutions Officer with an understanding of the Housing Act 1996 Part 7 (as amended) and of the of the Homeless Reduction Act 2017.

     

    You will be customer focussed and be able to manage a wide and varied workload, whilst meeting our business objectives and performance targets.

     

    The Housing Solutions Officer will assist in managing demand for the council housing services while offering advice and support to members of the public.

     

    An instrumental element of the role will involve managing client expectations and building trusting relationships.

    To provide detailed and complex information, advice and assistance to individuals with a housing need and to prevent homelessness by providing assistance with a range of housing options across the full range of tenures including assessing applications for housing register. To make appropriate homelessness decisions in line with legislation and caselaw to ensure that applicants meet the relevant criteria and to determine duties owed. To work with partner agencies to ensure that the needs of the applicant are supported and met. 

  • Benefits

    We offer a range of benefits which include flexible working, staff benefits, pension, and the opportunity to make a real difference to our local community.

    Benefits of the role include:

    • Local Government Pension Scheme with a 19.5% % employer contribution
    • Excellent training, development, and progression opportunities
    • Generous annual leave entitlement, 23 days annual leave (increasing to 26 days after 5 years* service), plus bank and public holidays and two extra company holidays during the Christmas period.
    • The opportunity to buy up to another 5 days holiday, subject to conditions
    • Access to the Employee Assistance Programme
    • Provision of a smartphone and laptop
    • Discounted gym member – corporate membership rate at Leisure World and the Northern Gateway.
    • 1 Volunteering Day per year
    • Free Flu Jab
    • Exceptional flexible working arrangement
    • Agile Working at Colchester Borough Homes means having some flexibility about when, where and how we work to best meet the needs of our role and service area.

    Other employee benefits include payment of a professional subscription, Free yearly eye tests plus a contribution towards glasses for VDU use.

    If you wish to discuss the post further, please contact Louise Johnson, Housing Solutions Team Leader on 01206 282728 or Housing Solutions and Accommodation Manager, Syed Rizvi on 01206 506821.

    For further job details please click here.

    Recruitment, Selection and Interview Process

    Interviews are provisionally scheduled to take place during the week commencing 19 October 2026.

    The selection process will consist of:

    • A timed written assessment (1 hour total)

    o            Exercise 1: 20 minutes

    o            Exercise 2: 40 minutes

    • A 30-minute competency-based interview

     Further details regarding the assessment and interview arrangements will be provided in advance.

    Equality & Diversity Commitment

    Colchester Borough Homes are an equal opportunities employer. As part of our continued commitment to Equality and Diversity, and our workforce accurately reflecting the community we represent, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds, and applicants who have status as an individual with a physical or mental disability. We are a Disability Confident Employer and a Mindful Employer. We also hold accreditations for Working Well, Investors in People Gold status and the Armed Forces Covenant.

  • How to apply

    How to apply:

    You can find out more about Colchester Borough Homes at www.cbhomes.org.uk

    For further details and to apply please visit   https://www.new.colchester.gov.uk/jobs/vacancies#gsc.tab=0    and click on ‘apply via online portal’ at the base of the page.

    Step 1 – Read the advert, Job Accountability Statement and Person Specification

    Step 2 – Click Apply online below and complete the application form in full, ensuring that you indicate how you meet the criteria contained within the Person Specification

    Step 3 – Press submit