Croydon is a council on a journey. By accepting and addressing the challenges of its past, the council is transforming itself into a modern, sustainable, and resident-focused local authority.

This is an opportunity to be part of a new chapter for Croydon and help shape the future of the council. A council with a passion for driving positive change and delivering excellence; a community with a rich heritage, a diverse population and a distinct identity. It’s an environment in which you can find fresh inspiration and inspire others in equal measure.

Welcome to Croydon Council – and a role that will challenge you and fulfil you like never before. As our Director of Commercial Investment, you’ll manage our current portfolio of investments and shareholdings. You’ll act as the corporate client to Brick by Brick and Croydon Affordable Housing, minimising risk and improving efficiency.

The impact you’ll have

This is an opportunity to make your skills count on a broad scale as you manage our division to help drive the development and transformation of a range of services in line with our budgets and medium-term financial strategy 2021-2024. You’ll provide expert property and commercial services, working very closely with other divisions and our finance, legal and commissioning services to achieve the perfect balance between quality and value. Across everything you do, you’ll support our ongoing financial sustainability so that we can better support and empower our residents.

There will be difficult decisions to make and tough budgets to deliver. But you’ll relish the chance to apply your ideas and ingenuity to find the best ways forward.

Your specific responsibilities will include:

• Taking the lead on and delivering any land or property-based commercial transactions, including housing disposals and acquisitions
• Ensuring robust governance and control around our shareholdings, asset investment funds and any other entities
• Overseeing the recruitment of non-executive directors to all council company boards, ensuring they have the right level of training, development and support
• Meeting all shareholder requirements both contractually and operationally, and upholding our governance requirements in briefing members appropriately and ensuring transparent and effective decision making
• Acting as the client representative on all future affordable housing development, managing all asset purchases and disposals, and creating an asset management register

The skills and experience you’ll bring

We’re looking for someone who’ll be passionate about and experienced in delivering outstanding commercial services and shaping the future of our organisation as a whole. An inspiring, engaging and motivational leader who’ll live and breathe our values, you’ll be adept at identifying and developing talent, driving high standards and value for money, and embedding a culture of trust and respect. You’ll empower people within your team to bring new ideas and try new approaches as well as inspiring them through your own. You should also be a natural and inclusive collaborator – someone who can work well with a range of stakeholders, establish productive relationships, and see things from different perspectives.

Who we are – and where we’re going

We fully acknowledge the fact that we haven’t got things right in the past and have strengthened our resolve do them better. With a clear financial strategy in place together with an unwavering commitment to listening to our residents and putting them first, this is a reenergised Croydon. A determined Croydon, with a fantastic team of people who care about our community, and how we can support the many different people who live and work here.

We have a vision of what improvement success looks like for us – a future where we have a vibrant local economy, a great team of people, and delivering new ideas that will mean we can be at our best for the communities in Croydon.

How to apply

If you’d like to find out more, please click on the Apply Button below.

Croydon Council is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We are happy to consider applications from candidates seeking flexible working arrangements.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised role. We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and we expect every member of our team to share this commitment.