Who You Are The ideal Housing Access Officer possesses significant knowledge and experience in managing conflicting deadlines efficiently while delivering exceptional customer service in a local authority housing environment. You are well-versed in working collaboratively with partners to enhance outcomes for homelessness applicants and have extensive understanding of temporary accommodation management, national and local welfare services, statutory homelessness frameworks, safeguarding, and housing IT systems. You demonstrate the ability to work flexibly and constructively, take ownership, and exhibit a problem-solving attitude. Adopting a transparent and respectful approach, you constructively challenge barriers to service delivery and listen actively to customer concerns, adapting as needed. Your collaborative spirit enables effective partnerships with other departments to find solutions. What the Job Involves As a Housing Access Officer, you will oversee the allocation of temporary and private rented sector (PRS) housing, align with statutory homelessness frameworks, and service priorities. Key responsibilities include managing the housing access register, coordinating PRS access, and ensuring all housing offers comply with legal standards. You will coordinate activities to prevent and relieve homelessness, reduce temporary accommodation placements via suitable offers, and facilitate rapid housing allocations with partners like Housing Gateway. Your duties also involve recording accurate housing casework, providing advice to applicants, processing tenancy setups, conducting checks, and negotiating with suppliers. Engagement with both internal and external stakeholders is vital to ensuring comprehensive service delivery. Compliance with Council policies on equality, health, safety, and information security is essential, alongside a commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.