Clerical Assistant

Who We Are & What We Stand For

Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives? If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match.

We’re delighted that you’re interested in working with us. You’d be joining us at a very exciting time.

We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward-thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive.

At Gateshead Council you’d be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work/life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi-time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we’re confident that it isn’t just the salary that attracts our staff.

The Neighbourhoods & Localities team play a key role in several important areas, such as homelessness prevention work, older person’s housing support and case management of antisocial behaviour work. They do all of this and more, through proactive and strategic approaches that are designed to agree and deliver on local priorities via both internal and external partnerships. The team also offer a comprehensive housing service, managing over 17,000 properties through a team of housing officers, support staff, caretaking staff, concierge and handypersons.

As a Clerical Assistant, you will be responsible for processing housing and medical applications to support applicants in their efforts to rehouse. You will be able to retain and recall our Gateshead Housing Allocations Policy so you can make quick decisions about the information you are working. You’ll use IT systems to process electronic data accurately and at a good pace.

We want to provide excellent customer service while offering accurate advice and support to customers; this will be over the phone, in writing and occasionally face to face.

Gateshead Civic Centre will be your place of work, but the role has the option of some home working. You will need to be available to work from the Civic Centre when required and, initially, you will need to work within the Civic Centre each day to undertake essential training.

• Register and update housing applications to confirm customers are eligible for social housing and ensure they have the correct level of housing need priority.
• Apply the Gateshead Housing Allocations Policy accurately by assessing the individual circumstances of each housing application.
• Process applications on the IT system, ensuring customer data is checked, transferred, and updated accurately and efficiently.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with customers so they receive accurate, high‑quality advice about their housing application. This includes face to face, telephone, post, email, and online messages.
• Liaise with internal departments and external organisations to gather information and ensure applications are processed correctly.
• Demonstrate a positive and inclusive attitude when dealing with internal and external customers and colleagues.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of the Gateshead Council Allocations Policy and relevant housing legislation.
• Work collaboratively as part of a team, sharing knowledge to meet the objectives of the service.
• Provide general clerical and administrative support to the wider Lettings Team.

• A good standard of numeracy and literacy, shown by GCSE Maths and English at Grade 4/C (or equivalent), or relevant work experience in a similar role.
• Experience using IT systems, including basic competence in Microsoft Office such as Outlook, Word, and Excel. Experience of the NEC system is beneficial.
• Experience in providing excellent customer service, using a professional, caring, and helpful approach, including when a customer disagrees with a decision.
• Ability to process electronic data accurately and efficiently.
• Ability to retain and apply a wide range of policy information to support effective and timely decision‑making.
• Strong communication…