Director of Housing

YMCA North Tyneside; North Shields; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

YMCA North Tyneside invites a visionary Director of Housing to join its Executive Leadership Team in North Tyneside. This senior role leads housing management, homelessness services, asset management and development.

You will shape strategy, govern effectively, secure capital funding, drive building safety and sustainability, and build partnerships to expand affordable housing while maintaining a strong focus on residents.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3-5 years senior leadership in social housing or related sectors.
• Proven track record developing and delivering housing strategies, leading complex services and managing change.
• Experience securing public housing grants and capital funding, including Homes England programmes.
• Experience overseeing housing development pipelines, appraisals, capital projects or regeneration programmes.
• Strong knowledge of housing legislation, regulatory frameworks, consumer standards, landlord obligations and building safety requirements.
• Significant experience with revenue and capital budgets, financial modelling and commercial awareness.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement housing strategies, asset management and growth plans.
• Report to the Board on operational performance, governance and development activity.
• Lead regulatory engagement and ensure building safety compliance.
• Identify, appraise and deliver housing growth opportunities with capital funding.
• Oversee housing management, homelessness services and tenancy sustainment.
• Manage budgets with strong financial governance and long-term sustainability.

Skills

Strategic Leadership

Governance

Housing Development

Financial Acumen

Stakeholder Engagement

Regulatory Knowledge

Team Leadership

Education

Degree or equivalent

Housing qualification (Level 5+)

Job description

Location: North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear (Agile Working)

Hours: 35-37.5 hours per week

The Opportunity

YMCA North Tyneside is seeking to appoint an experienced, commercially astute and values driven Director of Housing to join its Executive Leadership Team at an important stage in the organisation's development.

This is a significant senior leadership appointment, offering the opportunity to shape the strategic direction, operational performance and future growth of an established, community focused housing provider with ambitious plans to expand its housing portfolio and strengthen its impact across the region.

YMCA North Tyneside is much more than a housing provider. Its work is rooted in creating safe, supportive and inclusive communities, providing accommodation alongside services that help individuals, young people and those experiencing homelessness build greater independence, stability and opportunity.

Having surpassed 1,000 accommodation units in April 2026, the organisation has continued to grow and currently supports approximately 1,250 tenancies, including more than 1,100 delivered through established partnerships with specialist support providers.

With a growing housing portfolio, increasing regulatory expectations and a clear commitment to developing new, affordable and sustainable homes, the organisation is looking for an exceptional leader who can combine strategic ambition with operational discipline, commercial judgement and a genuine commitment to improving people's lives.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, the Director of Housing will lead an integrated portfolio encompassing housing management, homelessness provision, tenancy sustainment, asset management, building safety and housing development.

Crucially, this is not simply an operational leadership appointment. The successful candidate will play a central role in identifying and delivering future housing growth opportunities, securing capital funding, developing strategic partnerships and ensuring YMCA North Tyneside is well positioned to respond to changing housing needs.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Governance

• Lead the development, implementation and review of the organisation's Housing, Asset Management and Housing Growth Strategies.
• Contribute as a senior executive to corporate strategy, organisational governance, business planning and risk management.
• Provide clear and effective reporting to the Board and its Committees on operational performance, financial management, regulatory compliance and development activity.
• Lead regulatory engagement relating to housing and property services, ensuring compliance with the Regulator of Social Housing's Consumer Standards, building safety legislation and Housing Ombudsman requirements.
• Work collaboratively with the Director of Finance to support compliance with Economic Regulatory Standards, including the Rent Standard.
• Develop a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration and high performance across housing teams.

Housing Growth, Development and Investment

• Lead the identification, appraisal and delivery of opportunities to expand YMCA North Tyneside's housing portfolio.
• Develop and manage a sustainable housing development pipeline, including new build opportunities, acquisitions, regeneration and partnership led schemes.
• Identify, secure and manage capital funding through programmes such as the Homes England Affordable Homes Programme, Combined Authority funding and local authority grants.
• Oversee housing development projects from initial feasibility and financial appraisal through planning, construction, handover and commissioning.
• Build effective relationships with Homes England, local authorities, housebuilders, developers and funding partners.
• Ensure that development proposals demonstrate financial viability, value for money, long term sustainability and positive social impact.

Housing Operations and Homelessness Services

• Provide executive oversight of housing management services, including tenancy management, allocations, income collection, rent arrears and anti social behaviour.
• Lead the continued development and effectiveness of homelessness prevention, supported accommodation and tenancy sustainment services.
• Ensure services are person centred, inclusive and responsive to the needs of vulnerable residents and young people.
• Strengthen resident engagement and ensure the tenant voice informs service design, decision making and improvement priorities.
• Champion innovation and digital transformation to improve operational efficiency, service accessibility and resident experience.

Asset Management, Compliance and Building Safety

• Provide strategic leadership of asset management, property maintenance, repairs and planned investment programmes.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements, including fire safety, gas, electrical, asbestos and water hygiene obligations.
• Oversee stock condition assessments and long term asset investment planning.
• Lead the development and implementation of energy efficiency and decarbonisation strategies.
• Ensure the organisation's housing portfolio remains safe, sustainable, well maintained and fit for the future.

Financial and Commercial Leadership

• Take responsibility for significant housing, asset management and development revenue and capital budgets.
• Ensure robust financial planning, budgetary control, investment appraisal and commercial decision making.
• Drive value for money, effective resource allocation and long term financial sustainability.
• Balance the organisation's social purpose with sound commercial judgement, ensuring growth and investment decisions support both financial resilience and positive community outcomes.

About You

We are seeking an accomplished housing professional with the experience, credibility and leadership capability to operate effectively at executive and Board level.

You will bring a strong understanding of the social housing environment, together with demonstrable experience of housing development, capital funding, regulatory compliance and operational leadership.

Importantly, you will recognise that successful housing leadership requires more than maintaining services and meeting regulatory requirements. It demands the ability to anticipate future challenges, identify opportunities for growth, build effective partnerships and create an environment in which residents and colleagues can thrive.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• A minimum of 3-5 years' senior leadership experience within social housing, supported accommodation or local authority housing.
• A proven track record of developing and delivering housing strategies, leading complex services and managing organisational change.
• Demonstrable experience of securing and managing public housing grant funding, including knowledge of Homes England programmes and regional capital funding opportunities.
• Experience of overseeing housing development pipelines, scheme appraisals, capital projects or regeneration programmes.
• Strong knowledge of housing legislation, regulatory frameworks, consumer standards, landlord obligations and building safety requirements.
• Significant experience of managing complex revenue and capital budgets, with sound commercial awareness and financial modelling capability.
• Successful leadership of housing management, homelessness, asset investment or tenancy sustainment teams.
• The ability to engage confidently with Boards, regulators, local authorities, funders, development partners and other senior stakeholders.
• Strong communication, influencing and relationship building skills, combined with the ability to lead, motivate and develop high performing teams.
• A genuine commitment to inclusive leadership, resident engagement and delivering positive social outcomes.

Candidates should be educated to degree level or possess equivalent professional experience. A relevant Level 5 or above housing qualification, Chartered Institute of Housing membership or a recognised development/project management qualification would be advantageous.

A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are required.

Why Join YMCA North Tyneside?

This is an opportunity to join an organisation with a strong social purpose, an established regional presence and genuine ambition for the future.

The next Director of Housing will inherit a growing portfolio and an organisation committed to delivering safe, affordable and supportive accommodation, but will also have considerable scope to influence what comes next.

With plans to expand housing provision, strengthen existing services, develop new partnerships and invest in sustainable homes, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to make a tangible and lasting contribution to the organisation and the communities it serves.

You will work closely with an engaged Executive Leadership Team and Board, helping to shape investment decisions, organisational priorities and the future direction of housing services.

Above all, this appointment offers the opportunity to combine executive leadership and commercial responsibility with meaningful social impact.

YMCA North Tyneside's values of Believe, Inspire, Serve and Thrive underpin its approach to supporting people and communities. The organisation is seeking a leader who shares those values and can translate them into effective leadership, high quality services and sustainable growth.

YMCA North Tyneside is committed to creating supportive, inclusive communities and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates who share its values and commitment to making a positive difference.