Director of Housing Needs

Director Housing Needs

Hay 1: Starting salary £122,110 per annum

18-months Fixed Term Contract

About Us:

It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth’s communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan ‘Our Future, Our Lambeth. To deliver on these ambitions, we have embarked our transformational One Lambeth Programme ensuring we are ‘connected by purpose,’ in everything we do to deliver excellence. We are proud to have recently developed a refreshed set of One Lambeth Values and Behaviours that were develop for staff by staff; Equity, Ambition, Kindness, and Accountability. For more information, please have a look at our dedicated One Lambeth Values and Behaviours page. 

About the Borough:

Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community of over 317,600 residents. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ+ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community. 

With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment.

About the Team:

You will be leading an established housing needs team, who have made significant progress over the last 18 months in stabilising the number of households requiring TA. This has been achieved by changing policies and practice in relation to how we prevent homelessness and support those to whom we owe a housing duty. This has required cross council collaboration working with transformation programme managers and commissioners as well as the established team. There is an experienced Assistant Director within the team and a number of ADs across housing and finance will work closely with you.

About the Role:

As the Director of Housing Needs, you will lead the strategic vision across the service, focusing on rough sleeping, homelessness prevention, supporting vulnerable adults in housing pathways and reducing reliance on temporary accommodation.

You will have operational experience of delivering a housing needs service, including allocations, understand the responsibilities of local authorities in relation to homelessness and be able to demonstrate a track record in service transformation and financial recovery. 

Your leadership in partnership with the Director of Housing Strategy and Delivery, and the Director of Housing (operations) will be crucial in delivering the Council’s Housing strategy. You will also be responsible for delivering Lambeth’s Homelessness Strategy, with a focus on early intervention and reducing rough sleeping. Additionally, you will oversee significant programmes and budgets, ensuring financial efficiency while driving cultural and operational change across the department.

To be considered for interview, your CV and supporting statement will clearly evidence:

• Senior management (ideally at Director level) within housing needs
• Track record of delivering transformation within housing 
• Ability to lead a team and support culture change to improve delivery
• Operational experience within a housing needs service
• Excellent financial acumen and ability to demonstrate value for money
• Understanding of relevant housing legislation and duties for Local Government

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification in hyperlink below:

Job Description and Person Specification

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Ruth Hutt (RHutt@lambeth.gov.uk)

How to Apply:

If you're interest in this opportunity, click on the apply button and complete an online application. In your supporting statement, please clearly demonstrate how you meet the shortlist criteria marked with an 'A' at shortlist stage. 

We operate an anonymised application process, so be sure to remove personal details when uploading your CV or personal statement.

Recruitment Timelines:

Advert close date: 11:59pm on Sunday 20th April 2025

Benefits:

We believe in rewarding our staff. When you join us, you'll gain access to a range of benefits, including:

• Participation in our 5 Staff Networks: Black, Asian, and Multi-Ethnic, LGBTQ+, Disability, Young Professionals, and Women's.
• Generous annual leave entitlement starting from 27 days, increasing to up to 35 days depending on length of service.
• Membership in the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Hybrid Working.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Occupational Sick Pay based on length of service.
• Discounts at local restaurants.
• Discount at our Active Lambeth Gyms.
• Learning and Development opportunities, including Apprenticeships.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Secure Bike Storage facilities at our Town Hall and Civic Centre.
• Trade Union Membership.

At Lambeth, we are dedicated to providing quality services and equal opportunities for all. We are committed to safer recruitment and are proud to be a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer, and to guarantee interviews for all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. For a full list of our accreditations, please click here.

We actively support applications from Lambeth Care Leavers