ROLE DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Head of Housing

Location: Leeds

Responsible to: Director of Customer Services

Reporting: (See Organisation Chart)

MAIN PURPOSE

Provide leadership and expertise in ensuring that the organisation meets the needs of customers, prospective customers, and stakeholders through the delivery of high-quality housing management services which meet or exceed regulatory requirements
Lead and maintain a culture of excellence in all areas of activity
Ensure high levels of core business performance in line with our Corporate Plan, strategic goals, and objectives
Lead the delivery of people-focused services, demonstrably influenced by engagement with customers
Engage effectively with committees, customers, and the wider leadership team to provide assurance on areas of responsibility
Contribute to the delivery of core business policies such as Health & Safety, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, and Value for Money
Uphold the organisation’s values and behaviours, and demonstrate leadership in relation to these

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

STRATEGY, POLICY AND PLANNING

Develop strategy and policy to deliver the organisation’s aims in relation to housing and neighbourhood management, supported housing, income management, and financial inclusion services
Establish and maintain clear plans for the development and delivery of services as part of the organisation’s wider corporate planning process
Anticipate possible emerging risks and performance challenges based on available information from internal and external sources, and plan accordingly
Set and phase budgets effectively based on sound service planning
Oversee and review the operation of applicable risks and controls forming part of our risk management framework
Work with regard to all applicable statutory, regulatory, and good practice requirements

PERFORMANCE

Maintain a team culture that aspires to, and delivers, a high level of performance
Establish and maintain clear performance standards for housing and neighbourhood management, supported housing, income management, and financial inclusion services, with a focus on outcomes for customers
Oversee and maintain a system of intelligent performance metrics across areas of responsibility which incentivises people-focused working and positive outcomes for customers
Ensure any applicable statutory or regulatory performance metrics are an embedded part of our understanding of performance
Set challenging and achievable performance targets for relevant operational areas
Use resources effectively to deliver agreed performance criteria
Take prompt and decisive action in response to any underperformance
Provide regular, timely, and accurate management information internally, and to board and committee structures
Ensure statutory and regulatory returns are completed accurately and submitted within notified timescales
Ensure safeguarding responsibilities to customers, team members, and the wider public are properly discharged
Manage budgets effectively, identifying and responding appropriately to any variances
Produce timely reports by exception on potential areas of concern
Ensure operational procedures are documented and up to date
Keep abreast of technological innovations & recommend changes offering demonstrable benefit

CORPORATE ROLE

Contribute to the wider function of the leadership team in confident, collegiate manner
Develop operating plans and service improvement plans for areas of responsibility, delegating actions appropriately
Contribute to the development of the organisation’s corporate strategies, corporate plan, and financial plan
Participate effectively in governance meetings, leading debate on own areas of responsibility and expertise, providing accountability and assurance
Represent the interests of the Association and its customers when dealing with partners, stakeholders and other parties, maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and integrity
Ensure internal and external communications content meets customer, stakeholder and colleague needs, and remains accurate and relevant
Work in accordance with the Association’s values and behaviours, supporting and promoting the organisation’s reputation

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Maintain a team culture that is focused on learning and continuous improvement, and which rewards curiosity, openness to change, and experimentation
Act as a catalyst for change, challenging the status quo and acting as an advocate for the customer
Maximise the use of customer insight and feedback in identifying opportunities for improvement
Maintain colleague engagement and support for change and improvement initiatives by communicating effectively and demonstrating organisational values and behaviours
Ensure effective communication with customers on improvement initiatives that affect service design and delivery
Implement and maintain appropriate systems to measure and monitor the impact and benefits of change and improvement initiatives
Lead designated corporate projects as part of agreed corporate plan programme

SERVICE QUALITY

Liaise effectively with Service Improvement Team colleagues to ensure our services are improved in line with business needs, reflecting customer needs/preferences and aspirations where appropriate
Maintain a team culture that is focused on, and motivated by, excellent service to our customers
Ensure the delivery of high quality, empathetic service through training, effective resource planning and quality monitoring
Implement and maintain systems to gather, analyse, and make use of customer feedback, including complaints
Deliver high levels of customer satisfaction across all areas of responsibility
Ensure complaints dealt are with efficiently and effectively, and with openness and transparency
Collaborate with the wider leadership team to maintain high standards for working with internal customers
Ensure customer data is handled in line with organisational policy and in line with data protection legislation

HOUSING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD MANAGEMENT

Lead the delivery of excellent housing and neighbourhood management services
Ensure the existence of comprehensive and efficient procedures for the management of tenancies, voids & allocations, anti-social behaviour, safeguarding, and other complex cases
Maintain a necessary level of knowledge and skill across the team to ensure that services can be delivered to the required standards
Ensure compliance with all applicable statutory and regulatory standards, codes of practice, and local agreements with partner and stakeholder organisations
Work effectively with partner agencies in delivering effective neighbourhood and estate management, developing new partnerships where this delivers improved outcomes
Liaise effectively with Asset Management and Development colleagues to ensure housing stock is built, maintained and improved in line with business needs, reflecting customer preferences where appropriate
Ensure all communal areas are well-managed and periodically inspected in line with insurance requirements

INCOME management AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION

Lead the delivery of excellent income management and financial inclusion services
Ensure the existence of comprehensive and efficient procedures for the management of income collection and financial inclusion services, focusing on maximising tenancy sustainability
Maintain a necessary level of knowledge and skill across the team to ensure that services can be delivered to the required standards
Maintain strong partnerships with external agencies to deliver positive outcomes for customers and for the business

SUPPORTED HOUSING

Maintain high standards of tenancy support in directly-managed older person’s housing services, ensuring these remain in line with internal and external requirements
Ensure effective liaison with, and oversight of, the activities of managing agents delivering services in our accommodation, ensuring that we are able to meet our landlord responsibilities
Prepare and present option appraisals where necessary in relation to housing stock proposed to be used for supported housing or where housing stock has no future supported housing use
Ensure adherence to established management agreements and service contract agreements.

No job description can be entirely comprehensive and the job holder will be expected to carry out such other duties as may be required from time to time and are broadly consistent with the job description and position of the post within the organisation.