Job details
- Salary: £37,028 to £38,957 per annum (inclusive of allowances)
- Location: Civic Centre, Gravesend
- Status: 12 months fixed-term contract
- Hours: 37 hours per week
- Closing date: 11 April 2026
Proposed interview date 16 April 2026.
The role
As a Housing Options Officer, you will provide high‑quality, customer‑focused support to single applicants, families, and vulnerable residents facing housing difficulties or homelessness. You will help customers keep their current homes where possible, provide early intervention to prevent homelessness, and support access to suitable accommodation across the public and private sectors. You will play a key role in homelessness prevention, rough sleeping support, and multi-agency collaboration.
In this role, you will:
- Provide high‑quality housing advice and support to customers, including vulnerable individuals and families.
- Assess housing needs in line with homelessness legislation and produce Personalised Housing Plans.
- Work proactively to prevent and relieve homelessness, including supporting access to suitable accommodation.
- Manage a varied caseload, ensuring accurate record‑keeping and timely decision‑making.
- Work collaboratively with internal teams, partner agencies and support services to achieve the best outcomes for customers.
- Support rough sleepers and participate in related outreach activities.
- Arrange emergency accommodation for eligible customers and provide ongoing case management during their stay.
- Maintain strong customer service standards and contribute to continuous service improvement.
About you
You will be someone who is passionate about supporting vulnerable people, committed to delivering excellent customer service, and confident navigating complex housing legislation. You thrive in a fast‑paced environment, work well with partner organisations, and can balance empathy with clear, evidence-based decision making.
Essential Skills
- Excellent written, numerical, and verbal communication skills.
- Strong negotiation skills and the ability to remain calm and effective with vulnerable or challenging customers.
- Good organisational skills with strong attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
- Problem-solving capability and confidence guiding others.
- Proficiency in MS Office, Locata, and other housing-related IT systems.
- Ability to write clear reports and understand corporate processes.
Qualifications
- 4 GCSEs (Grade C or above) including Maths and English, or equivalent.
- Level 3 Certificate and/or Level 4 Diploma in Housing Studies (or equivalent qualification).
Experience
- Housing-related experience in a busy environment.
- Experience making decisions in line with Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996.
- Experience dealing with difficult or vulnerable customers, including conflict management.
- Experience working with housing IT systems and case management tools.
Working for Gravesham
We are committed to delivering to the community and working with us means you are part of delivering the level of growth and improvement our community needs and deserves. A range of services have been provided to over 106,000 people and 4,000 businesses.
The Borough of Gravesham, situated in the north west corner of Kent, covers 25,000 acres of the most varied countryside in south east England. Bordered by the River Thames to the north, it is at the heart of Thames Gateway and has a significant role to play in the regeneration of a major government growth area.
Read more information about working for us.
Benefits
- A minimum of 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
- Membership to Local Government Pension Scheme - Local Government Pension Scheme
- Access to over 1000+ instant discounts from favourite retailers, restaurants, food delivery services and attractions via our benefits portal VivUp.
- Career development, training opportunities and access to e-learning
- Access to eye care vouchers and VDU Glasses
- External Occupational Health service
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Hybrid working
- Access to Employee Assistance Programme 24/7
- Free parking
Important Information
Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job description.
Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted. All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.
If you would like to have an informal discussion with the recruiting manager, please call Florentina Bela on 07591948494.
How to apply
Please send your CV and covering letter setting out why you are suitable to recruitment@gravesham.gov.uk by 11 April 2026.
All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email, if you require documentation in different format such as braille or large print, please contact the Human Resources Team on 01474 337374.