About Us

With a new ambitious four-year corporate plan, it’s an exciting time to work in housing at the Royal Borough of Kingston. This new high profile role is fundamental to delivering an ambitious and transformal agenda that will positively impact on outcomes for our tenants, leaseholders and our wider communities by providing high quality, resident centred housing services. We have a new leadership team right across the Directorate and are now looking for a proactive and passionate Assistant Director of Housing to complete our top team.

We have c6,200 council and leasehold homes across our Borough and have big plans to increase our affordable housing stock over the next few years. In March this year, eligible Cambridge Road Estate residents voted yes in the ballot to redevelop our largest estate. The redevelopment will provide approximately 2,000 new homes of which there will be a minimum 767 council homes and 100 shared equity homes.  We also have an emerging pipeline of small sites housing developments and have secured significant grants from the GLA to deliver affordable new homes.

COVID-19 has seen the Housing service proactively supporting our street community and most vulnerable residents in new and innovative ways. This role will be at the forefront of devising new models of support and ensuring the long term impacts of the pandemic are managed as we move forward. You will also have responsibility for a large capital programme, ensuring that our current maintenance and compliance work continues whilst ensuring a sustainable HRA business plan in the medium to long term.

This role will be at the forefront of ensuring our housing services and our approach to supporting our existing and new tenants is high quality, sustainable and most importantly resident focussed.

We are looking for you to build an excellent Housing Service, that will encourage and deliver innovation through both the commercial acumen and expertise needed to maximise the value from our new and existing stock

The Role

Reporting to the Executive Director of Place, this role is responsible for the design, development, implementation and review of all Housing  strategies and initiatives as well as capital programmes of work.

The Assistant Director of Housing will provide exceptional strategic leadership and be commercially astute, they will have a skilled and experienced understanding of the mechanisms for the delivery of capital projects and a sustainable HRA business plan. The person appointed will provide the leadership to involve and inspire partners, and colleagues, to take forward the development and delivery of a comprehensive programme of transformation which will deliver the Council’s ambitious housing plans.

If you join Kingston Council, as part of our Corporate Leadership Group you will play a key role in achieving these ambitions.

The Council is focused on progressing its thinking to deliver the best possible outcomes for its communities. To do this the Council needs people who thrive in a collaborative organisation, and who can work corporately, across complex networks - providing strong operational leadership within a strategic context. 

About You

You are self motivated, innovative and passionate about driving an ambitious Growth programme to support the lives of residents within the Borough, whilst managing the significant financial challenges councils are facing. You will be able to apply the right skills and confidence to work corporately across complex networks and organisations. The ideal candidate will have strong operational leadership, commercial acumen, significant housing management experience with expert skills and a proven track record in delivery, actively engaging with stakeholders across public, private or voluntary sectors.

You will be politically astute, comfortable working with the senior leadership team and able to build high levels of credibility and impact quickly across the council, while working successfully with key external partners and stakeholders including residents, businesses, communities, organisations and other public services. You can constructively build and manage teams to ensure it embeds a positive and motivated culture that inspires the confidence and develops the skills in others around you. 

Our Offer

We offer the chance to join a forward thinking organisation that is committed to transforming its and improving outcomes for residents and driving improved value for money. You will be listened to and supported by your colleagues and the senior management team together with a commitment to learning and development of your career, and you as a person. We have a modern working environment for our staff allowing you to work flexibly, whilst on the move from your mobile or Chromebook, and at home following the introduction of Google Mail and Apps which have acted as a key enabler for collaborative and streamlined working.

We also offer a range of staff benefits, including:

●     32 days leave per year, in addition you receive 8 statutory bank holidays

●     Local discounts for shopping, eating out and leisure activities

●     Interest free season ticket loans

●     Local Government Pension Scheme

●     Cyclescheme - enabling you to get a brand new bike and safety equipment for your commute    

●     Access to our Zipcar scheme for work use and discounted rates for personal use

●     Comprehensive Learning and Development programme

●     A forward thinking and networked organisation where employee’s views are valued.

How to Apply

Before applying please refer to the job profile and ensure you meet the essential criteria. You will then need to complete the online application form and upload your current CV, adding a supporting statement addressing how you meet the criteria, as outlined in the job profile referencing your experience with examples.

Job Profile - click here to view/download

For an informal chat about the role, please contact Nazeya Hussain - Executive Director, Place - nazeya.hussain@kingston.gov.uk

Recruitment Timetable

●     Closing Date - Sunday 14th June 2020

●     Longlisting - Tuesday 16th June 2020                                                  

●     Technical Interviews - Thursday 25th June 2020 (will be done via video due to COVID-19)

●     Stakeholder Panel and Final Panel Interviews - Week commencing 29th June 2020, exact date to be confirmed (will be done via video due to COVID-19)

The Royal Borough of Kingston is Disability Confident Committed. We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised role and ensure that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.  We particularly welcome applications from black and minority ethnic candidates as they are under represented within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

The Royal Borough of Kingston is now an accredited London Living Wage Employer. The real Living Wage is higher than the government’s minimum, or National Living Wage, and is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay that is based on the actual cost of living. Our Living Wage commitment means that everyone working at the Royal Borough of Kingston, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers receive the London Living Wage.