East Suffolk Council, Ipswich or West Suffolk £30,559 - £33,366 per annum (pro rata for part time staff) 37 hours per week (part time working will be considered) Fixed term until 31 March 2026 East Suffolk Council is an exciting place to work and a great place to make a real difference to people’s lives, delivering vital services to a quarter of a million people across East Suffolk. We currently have 2 exciting opportunities to join the East Suffolk Council's Private Sector Housing team as a Suffolk Centres for Warmth Support Officer in either Ipswich or West Suffolk. The Suffolk Councils are delivering a 2-year programme to support residents struggling to keep warm across our County. The programme is funded by Cadent, the gas distributor, and hosted by East Suffolk Council. Having established the project East Suffolk, and Mid Suffolk/Babergh, we are now expanding and looking to recruit 2 Support officers to support those in West Suffolk area and Ipswich, and join our award winning team. Your role The key purpose of this role is to work directly with residents in community settings and in their homes to understand the issues they have that are impacting their health, well-being and financial security. You will be the key contact to assist them with applications for support and funding, assist with budgeting and carry out benefit entitlement checks. You will liaise closely with other teams and partner organisations to ensure expert support is brought in at the right time to make a difference. You will work closely with Community Teams and help build community support to make a sustainable difference. You will support the project manager in organising events and activities to encourage healthy eating and cooking on a budget activities and work with the Warm Homes Healthy People team to support applications for grant funding. The role will be based in West Suffolk Council or Ipswich council, but work closely with support officers in the other areas. This role has to opportunity for the successful candidate to work full or part time, including flexibly at evening and weekends. Below is a case study of the kind of client you may support An elderly couple attending a Suffolk Centre for Warmth needed to replace an essential household appliance. Their household income was low, and their physical health was declining. Their main income is state pension and although they are helped with some rent and council tax costs, they were struggling with rising household costs (particularly food and energy). They were finding it difficult to navigate the local support available, understand eligibility and make applications. They weren’t eligible for a local welfare assistance grant for appliance, as they had a small amount of savings, so the Support Officer explored other ways to maximise their income. As their health and mobility had deteriorated since their previous assessment, they were both entitled to Carers Allowance Underlying entitlement, as well as Pension Credit. A referral was also made via Suffolk Information Partnership for specialist advice from a local disability charity to help with Attendance Allowance application form. The support resulting in nearly £15,000 additional annual income, with the backdated payment more than covering the cost of purchasing the appliance. The support officer also suggested they explore ways to adapt their property to support their mobility issues and made a referral to the council’s Independent Living Services. What you will need You will have extensive experience in a customer facing environment and working knowledge of the benefits system, experience of budgetary support and basic domestic energy efficiency. You will be able to work flexibly as part of a team, with elements of lone working and have a caring and empathetic approach when dealing with the personal circumstances of vulnerable clients. This is a role for someone who wants to make a difference, enjoys being part of a team and enjoys a challenge. If you think you have what it takes to be successful in this role, even if you don’t meet all of the essential requirements, please apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application. Why work for us? East Suffolk Council is a great place to work, offering a wide range of benefits to our employees. Find out why we’re so proud of East Suffolk Council by watching our video " Why Work for East Suffolk Council ", where our staff explain why they think it’s such a fantastic place to work. Here are some of the main benefits: Great opportunities for training and development Generous leave entitlement (equivalent to 25 days a year, increasing to 31 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays) Local government pension scheme Free car parking (for when you are working in the office) Discounts on mobile phones, computers, holiday and travel, fashion and clothing, health and beauty and many other products and services. For more information, please see our benefits brochure (pdf). To find out more For an informal discussion regarding this post, please contact Tracy Cotterell on 01394 444649 or Tracy.Cotterell@eastsuffolk. gov.uk Closing date: 15 July 2025 Interview date: 23 July 2025 How to apply Step 1 - Read the advert and the Job Description and Person Specification (docx) Step 2 - Complete the Supporting Statement template (docx). Your statement needs to indicate how you meet each of the criteria contained within the Person Specification. Please use the template provided (other formats will not be accepted). Step 3 - Complete the online application and upload your statement. Please note, CV’s are not accepted. For more information, visit the How to Apply section of our Career Site. East Suffolk Council is an exciting place to work and a great place to make a real difference to people’s lives, delivering vital services to a quarter of a million people across East Suffolk. We hugely value our staff and know that in order for us to remain successful, it is essential for us to recognise talented employees, developing and retaining them within the organisation. We are therefore committed to investing in our staff and providing first-class support to ensure a positive culture and rewarding careers. To find out more about why we are so proud of East Suffolk Council and to hear why our employees think it is such a great place to work, take a look at our video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSWedQksWt0