The Head of Strategic Housing and Development (SHAD) will have overall responsibility for leading and delivering the vision and key priorities of the Council’s Housing Strategy; and for the delivery of the Council’s housing development programme and its wider housing growth programme.
The postholder will work in collaboration across the Council, and with key partners and stakeholders in Rotherham, regionally and nationally, including the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Homes England, DLUHC, housing associations and developers and the voluntary and community sector. The postholder will provide advice, guidance and support on policy and strategy development which significantly influences, either directly or indirectly, on the Council and the Borough. This includes maintaining a proactive, horizon-scanning approach to housing and related policy development, ensuring that national and regional changes are translated into the local context and assessed in terms of impacts and opportunities for Rotherham and its residents; and that as far as possible those changes are influenced by what Rotherham and its residents need.
This role has lead responsibility for the delivery of the Council’s housing development programme and supporting the wider delivery of housing growth in the Borough, including shaping affordable housing policy and provision, to meet current and projected future housing need. The postholder will lead a complex capital delivery programme, ensuring it delivers to time, quality and on budget. Other activity includes optimising the use of the Council’s land and property assets and external funding streams to support Council housing development, developing innovative partnership working within the public, private and voluntary sector, and building a longer term pipeline of development.
In addition to these duties, the postholder also has responsibility for areas of service delivery including the Council’s Right to Buy functions, Council leaseholder services and strategic private sector housing initiatives.
The post holder will lead one of five Housing Services teams within the Adult Social Care, Housing and Public Health Directorate. The other teams are Contracts, Investment and Compliance (CIC); Housing Options; Business and Commercial; and Housing Estates Services.
Shortlisting and interview criteria
- Substantial and successful direct leadership and management experience within the specialisms of this post, including policy and strategy development, and initiating, leading, and managing complex delivery programmes.
- A demonstrable track record of building and sustaining effective partnerships, internally and externally, and ability to use high level challenge, influencing and negotiating skills that bring about consensus and shared endeavour in the delivery of key strategies and priorities.
- Successful budget management experience, including evaluation of competing budgetary priorities within tight financial limits and overseeing a large, complex capital programme to time, budget and quality.
- Knowledge and demonstrable experience of Local Government democratic processes, and understanding of the political context, and relevant legislative frameworks and Government policy agendas.
- Knowledge and demonstrable experience of leading housing delivery including appraisal and pipeline development, accessing grant funding, procurement and contract management, the planning process and development management.
- A demonstrable track record of effective leadership of teams, including performance and talent management, workforce planning and promoting an inclusive culture.
- Experience of performance management and quality assurance processes in service delivery, including the pursuit of best practice and value for money.
For more information on this role, please complete the form or contact the team on rotherham@osbornethomas.org