Head of Housing Operations

Head of Housing Operations

Final date to receive applications: 18 September 2026

Department:
Housing

Employment Type:

Permanent

Location:

East Sussex - Lewes

Reporting To:
Director of Housing and Assets

Compensation: GBP 66,683 / year

Location:

Lewes, with travel across Sussex area

Hours:

37 hours per week

At Southdown, we believe everyone should have a safe home, strong support, and the opportunity to live well.

As one of the South East's leading housing, care and support providers, we're looking for an exceptional leader to join us as our new Head of Housing Operations.

This is a pivotal senior leadership role with responsibility for housing management and property services across our organisation.

You'll lead high-performing teams, shape service delivery, drive continuous improvement, and ensure hundreds of residents receive excellent services that are safe, compliant and customer focused.

As a member of the Chief Operating Officer Leadership Team, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across housing management and property services, translating organisational priorities into excellent services and measurable outcomes.

• Housing management services
• Repairs and maintenance
• Property compliance and safety
• Tenancy sustainment
• Rent collection
• Allocations and lettings
• Void management
• Service performance and customer experience
• Operational budgets of approximately GBP 4.5 million

This is an exciting opportunity to lead change, champion innovation, and help shape the future of housing services at Southdown.

Provide operational leadership and translate strategic objectives into operational priorities and deliver measurable improvements.

• Lead and develop Housing Services and Property Services managers, creating a high-performing and accountable leadership team
• Use performance data and customer feedback to drive decision-making and continuous improvement
• Drive a culture of customer focus, continuous improvement and innovation
• Contribute to organisational leadership as a member of the wider senior leadership team
• Deliver outstanding services to our tenants, shared owners and operational teams
• Manage significant operational budgets and reinvestment programmes
• Ensure effective, efficient and resident-focused housing and property services
• Improve tenant satisfaction through insight, engagement and excellence in service delivery
• Lead operational change programmes and technology-enabled service improvements
• Ensure property safety and compliance and ongoing assurance
• Maintain robust governance, assurance and risk management arrangements
• Ensure compliance with housing regulation, consumer standards, health and safety requirements and organisational policies
• Provide confidence to C‑Suite leaders and board members through effective reporting and performance management
• Manage resources effectively
• Deliver value for money while maintaining high-quality services
• Build productive relationships with contractors, local authorities, commissioners and partner organisations

• You will be an experienced housing leader who combines strategic thinking with operational excellence
• You will have experience in leading operational functions within a registered provider of social housing - be that within Housing Services, repairs and maintenance or asset management

We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We particularly encourage applications from people from minority ethnic backgrounds, who are currently underrepresented within our leadership. All appointments are made on merit through a fair and transparent recruitment process.

• Health cost cash-back scheme: access to our health…