Graduate Trainees x2 (Housing Solutions) Ref: 51-25

Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week
Place of work: Office-based in Dereham (with remote-enabled working arrangements and some travel within the district)
Contract: 2-year fixed term
Starting salary: £25,539 per annum within Grade 9

Are you interested in starting a career in local government, and passionate about improving local communities and the lives of residents? Would you like a job where what you do:

• Makes a tangible difference to local communities, businesses and residents
• Provides you with the knowledge and experience to develop your future career in local government

We are looking to recruit 2 x Housing Solutions Graduate Trainees.

The roles

You will:

• Work as part of a team providing advice and assistance to people facing homelessness
• Gain experience in the provision of temporary accommodation
• Work alongside the rough sleeper support and resettlement team
• Undergo training in housing legislation and apply this when investigating homelessness applications
• Be supported to study for a relevant housing qualification

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working with people and finding practical solutions to problems.

As one of our Graduate Trainees, you will:

• Specialise in Housing within local government, while also gaining an understanding of how Breckland Council operates as a whole
• Support the identification and development of new ideas and initiatives, thinking innovatively and offering your own suggestions

Job Description and Person Specification - Housing Solutions Graduate Trainee (PDF, 171 KB)(opens new window)

About you

You are highly self-motivated, you push yourself to achieve what you want out of life and are always looking for ways to grow and develop, whatever you are doing. You constantly look for better ways of doing things, for how things can be improved - approaching things in original and ingenious ways and striving to come up with new and different methods and applications.

You are looking to start a career working in the public sector and for an opportunity to gain experience of working on a number of different projects. You will be naturally inquisitive and will be comfortable bringing forward new ideas and initiatives.

There are five Core Behaviours (listed below) which set out the important shared attitudes, values, and behaviours that everyone is expected to demonstrate to our colleagues, partners, and communities:

• Collaborative: You recognise the skills, talent and experience of others and reach out for their contribution and input
• Ambitious: You are a proud ambassador for the Council, taking pride and responsibility in the work we do and encouraging others to do the same
• Results Driven: You are flexible and ensure you provide the best possible service, wherever and whenever it is best for the customer
• Empowering: You embrace new technology and look for ways our services can become more digital, while remaining accessible for all
• Supportive: You care for your colleagues, take an interest in them, and show support for their identities and what matters to them

A bit about us:

This role offers far more than a salary. You'll be joining an organisation that values collaboration, continuous learning and employee wellbeing. In return for your commitment, we offer a strong and attractive benefits package, including:

• Incremental pay progression through the grade (subject to annual pay award)
• Local Government Pension Scheme with a 14% employer contribution
• Attractive annual leave package: 25 days increasing after 3 years' continuous local authority service by one day per year up to a maximum of 28 days, plus bank holidays, with the option to buy more
• Additional paid leave: extra half-day to use in December, one Volunteering Day per year, Election leave, Reserve Forces leave
• Supportive employment policies, including Family Friendly, Flexible Working and Career Breaks
• Modern working environment: refurbished offices, remote-enabled working and free on-site parking

Read on to find out more about working at Breckland, and how to apply.

Closing date: 9am on Monday 26 January 2026
Interviews: 3 February 2026

What's it like to work for us?

We are passionate about our people and pride ourselves on being a great place to work, we genuinely care and know that a happy workforce is a productive and motivated one! If you're still not sure, here are some stats from our 2024 staff survey to convince you..

• 94% said they feel trusted and empowered
• 90% of staff recommend Breckland as a great place to work
• 89% said they have had opportunities to learn and grow in the last 12 months
• 94% think Breckland provide positive action on health and wellbeing
• 91% said they felt supported by their manager

If you STILL need convincing, here's what some of our staff say...

• "Breckland is a fantastic employer, lots of opportunities and support"
• "Having only just started, it is a great place to work, everyone says hello, is smiley and chatty. I like the groups that are on, like carers shed and neurodiversity"
• "We are encouraged to take regular breaks and there are mental health first aiders and a wide range of good promotional aspects of healthy living and wellbeing."
• "In times of need the council offers excellent support."
• "BDC really does seem to care about the wellbeing and happiness of their staff."

At Breckland Council we have embraced the Government's agenda to modernise local government. Our approach is to lead change rather than follow it, and to add the best value we can to our communities. We achieve this by developing our employees to their full potential, providing them with the relevant knowledge, equipment, and authority to carry out their duties.

We are a dynamic and innovative organisation that is always testing and learning as we seek to continually improve. We have never stood still in response to the emergence of new opportunities, changing customer demands, and ongoing funding challenges. We have exciting plans for how to deliver the best possible services to our residents and businesses.

Breckland as a district is a special place nestled in the heart of rural Norfolk, spanning over 500 square miles of beautiful countryside and forest, with five Market Towns and over 140,000 residents. We care, we listen, and we support people and businesses within our district. We have big ideas and we are innovative in our approach, coming up with ways to meet the needs of the local communities that we serve. Through our actions, we want to make things better.

But we know that we can't do it alone. We are a collaborative organisation and we work together with others to make a greater impact. We are also an organisation where our employees can grow and develop and are empowered to achieve and succeed. We are proud of our area, and by driving investment and enabling opportunities, we can maximise its full potential. We want to inspire aspiration to live, work, visit, or do business here: we want our district to be one of choice.

We will support and enable growth and change in our thriving, welcoming places where people and businesses choose to be, knowing their ambitions can be not just fulfilled but exceeded. By listening to people, by understanding what they need and by working together, we can shape what we have to offer. By doing so, we can benefit those who are already here and those who choose to come to live, work, visit, or do business.

We offer excellent conditions of service, including:

• A local government pension scheme (14 per cent employer contribution).
• Attractive holiday package (25 days increasing after three years' continuous Local Authority service by one day per year up to the maximum of 28 days, plus bank holidays)
• Free car parking.
• Remote-enabled working arrangements.
• A newly refurbished office. See what it is like working here by watching this short film: 
  

Our commitment to talent development, on the job learning and upskilling, training and professional memberships, will keep your knowledge and skills up to date.

If you would like an informal chat about our graduate roles please contact Jane Booth, Housing Solutions Team Manager, by emailing jane.booth@breckland.gov.uk

Closing date: 9am on Monday 26 January 2026
Interviews: 3 February 2026

Please review the Job Description and Person Specification, which can be found within the job advert, to ensure your application puts you in the best possible position to achieve an interview.
We look forward to hearing from you!

APPLY ONLINE

Please be aware that if you are selected for this role there will be a requirement to undertake a DBS check as part of pre-employment checks.

Equal Opportunities

We are committed to being an Equal Opportunities employer, recognising the benefits of sustaining a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community we serve. We welcome applications from anyone who feels they meet the requirements of our vacancies. These are listed as essential requirements on the person specification.