Housing Debt Adviser

Overview

We are excited to offer an opportunity for a Housing Debt Adviser to join our newly restructured Housing Team, supporting the delivery of our homelessness prevention and housing advice services.

This is a key role for an experienced and motivated officer who is ready to take the next step in their career within the homelessness and debt advice sector. You will play a vital part in helping individuals and families navigate housing-related financial challenges, prevent homelessness, and access the support they need.

We are recruiting for a permanent position, ideal for someone seeking to broaden their experience in a dynamic and supportive environment. You’ll be working alongside a dedicated team committed to making a real difference in the community.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

Our newly created Team is made up of seven dedicated professionals, including two skilled Debt Advisers and five proactive Triage Officers. Together, we work collaboratively to achieve our shared goals and deliver high-quality support to our residents.

By joining us, you become part of something bigger. At Buckinghamshire Council, everything we do is rooted in our commitment to the community. Whether you're directly supporting residents or contributing behind the scenes, your role helps shape the future of our county for generations to come.

As one of the largest local authorities in the UK, we are proud to work alongside a wide network of partners across both the public and private sectors. Our services are diverse, and the opportunities for growth and career progression are truly limitless.

About the role

We are seeking either an experienced Debt Adviser or a motivated individual ready to take the next step in their career by joining the local authority homelessness sector. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of vulnerable residents across Buckinghamshire.

As part of our frontline team, you will work proactively and compassionately with clients to address housing-related challenges, with a strong focus on preventing homelessness wherever possible. You will be expected to build trust quickly, demonstrating a non-judgmental and empathetic approach to every interaction.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide tailored advice and support to clients facing housing and debt issues.
• Engage with customers and partner agencies face-to-face, over the phone, and in writing.
• Deliver a high-quality, customer-focused service that reflects the values of the local authority.
• Assess complex situations and develop effective solutions to support clients in crisis.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure joined-up support.

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements. minimum of 2 days on site.

 

About you

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in delivering advice and support to the public, ideally in debt, housing, or welfare services.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to adapt your approach to suit different audiences.
• A natural problem-solver with the ability to assess needs and provide practical, effective solutions.
• Confidence in working independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
• A commitment to making a real difference in the lives of Buckinghamshire residents.
• Whether you're already working in the homelessness sector or looking to transition from a related advisory role, we welcome your application.

Other information

For roles that require Basic DBS check or no check please start using wording below:  

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

For roles that require Standard or Enhanced DBS checks please use wording below:  

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Our Planning, Growth and Sustainability directorate works with partners to help shape the future of Buckinghamshire.  We deliver services on planning, economic growth, regeneration, strategic infrastructure, transport and property.

 Our key priorities include developing the economic narrative for Bucks, creating more jobs and delivering the right infrastructure to help businesses and residents thrive. We also aim to provide a proactive planning service that is responsive, whilst making the best use of the Council’s land and property portfolio. This will in turn support community services and create housing, jobs, regeneration and income to support public services.

 It’s a great time to join one of our teams. As part of the Planning, Growth and Sustainability function you will not only get to help shape the economic future of Buckinghamshire; you’ll also be involved in delivering high-profile development projects and work on some of the biggest infrastructure projects in the UK. You will support us to deliver the results that our local residents and businesses deserve.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/