Job Introduction
Our Housing Needs, Advice & Support service are recruiting for the role of Housing Triage Officer. The Housing Triage Officer is the first point of contact for customers needing help and advice with housing. This is an exciting and varied role dealing with a wide range of enquiries, giving advice and referring customers for further assessment where needed.
Your new role
Portsmouth City Council's Housing Needs Advice & Support team works directly with customers to deal with housing issues and prevent homelessness in the city. We are a busy front-line service dealing with customers who may be vulnerable and facing homelessness. We give advice, work to prevent homelessness, assist people to resolve their housing need and make assessments of housing and support needs in accordance with the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, the Housing Act 1996 and Portsmouth City Council's Allocations Policy. We are committed to excellent customer service, and to listening to and understanding our customers' circumstances, and working collaboratively with them to identify housing solutions. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting good practise and all employees are required to adhere to internal safeguarding policies.
You will be part of a team which deals with the initial contact from customers face to face and by telephone and email. You will need to listen carefully to understand the circumstances of each customer, showing understanding and empathy to each person. You will make an initial assessment of each customer's circumstances, gathering information and asking questions to clarify the circumstances. You will give advice on a range of housing issues including the Portsmouth Housing Register, homelessness and private renting. You will deal with enquiries yourself, explaining the criteria for accessing social housing and where appropriate will signpost to other relevant services. Where further assessment is required, you will understand the main presenting demand and identify the correct team to progress an assessment. Using our IT systems, you will make clear records of each contact. You will undertake other administrative duties as required.
You will need excellent listening skills, patience and empathy as well as resilience and an ability to think on your feet and manage multiple priorities. This is an excellent opportunity if you are looking for a career in housing as you will gain a wide range of experience and knowledge and an opportunity to enhance your skills working with customers.
Who is the person?
We are looking for somebody who:
- Has an interest and experience of the issues facing vulnerable and homeless people and households with housing needs, and a desire to work to assist customers to resolve these issues.
- Has excellent listening skills and is able process and gather information to understand what is needed and wanted by a customer.
- Is confident and can clearly and effectively communicate both verbally and in writing, giving advice and explaining housing policy to our customers.
- Has excellent organisational skills, and an ability to prioritise work to meet the daily demand from customers to the service.
- Is flexible and able to respond to changing priorities and levels of customer demand.
- Is an excellent team player.
- Is able to show empathy and understanding to customers contacting the service and deal tactfully and sensitively with their enquiry.
- Is adaptable, able think on their feet to find solutions to deal with the presenting issues.
- Is emotionally resilient and able to deal with the impact of being exposed to customer's difficult circumstances, and remain professionally detached and focused even if the message you deliver involves saying no.
- Has an awareness of equalities issues and is committed to equal opportunities.
- Has an understanding of safeguarding and ability to recognise safeguarding concerns and take appropriate action to manage risk.
- Works proactively and is able to remain motivated, working on their own initiative.
- Has IT skills suited to working in a busy office.
- The ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
About Portsmouth City Council
Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.
We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals. Learn more about our values and behaviours.
Additional Information
Group assessment: 15th May 2026 (09:30 - 12:00)
Interviews: 18th or 19th May 2026
Candidates who have applied within the last 12 months and have been unsuccessful at assessment/interview stage should wait 12 months before re-applying.
Our recruitment process
Full information about our recruitment process can be found on our support for applicants' page: Support for applicants - Careers portal
You must demonstrate why you are suitable against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person' points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience, which clearly illustrates what you did and the effect it had. If you apply without a detailed personal statement, it is unlikely that you will be successful.
We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal
You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.
Read more about working at Portsmouth City Council and our benefits on our career's portal homepage: Careers Portal - Find jobs with Portsmouth City Council
Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616 800.
If you need additional support looking for roles, you may be eligible for help under our Connect to Work programme, for more information please visit Connect to Work - Portsmouth City Council
