Housing Advice Apprentice

The award-winning Housing and Communities Team are passionate about the people who live in our town; our vision is for everyone to have the opportunity to live in a good quality sustainable home within in a lively and thriving neighbourhood.

We are passionate about delivering innovative and creative solutions in tackling housing need and are looking for people that are enthusiastic, person centred and driven to support the delivery of our ambitious aims.

This role supports the Housing Needs Customer Access Officers to deliver a first-class customer orientated service which provides the customer with a suitable solution regarding their housing issues. You will provide a front-line filter service to customers making appointments or signposting where appropriate

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.

Please note this role is office based in central Reading.

About the role

You will contribute to an efficient and effective homeless prevention service, following documented processes and procedures to ensure consistency of practice across the service.

Alongside your responsibilities, you will undertake and complete Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard in Business Administration.

Main duties and responsibilities

Provide Excellent customer service in a pressurised environment
Assist to manage diaries, booking cars, book appointments & home visits
Signpost customers to appropriate departments or services
Keep accurate and up to date records on emergency accommodation use
Checking emergency accommodation invoices
Requesting & filing customers documents
Support Homelessness Prevention Officers with administrative tasks including monitor bidding for those accepted as homeless

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

Good general education including good standard of written & spoken English. Maths/English GCSE Grade C/4 or equivalent or be willing to work towards completion of Functional Skills Level 2
Eligible to undertake Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship Standard.
Ability to learn and use the legislative framework within which the Housing Needs service operates
Time working in a customer driven service and/ or in a busy office environment with general admin tasks, Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.

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 bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
A wide range of flexible working opportunities
Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax