Head of Building Repairs

Portsmouth City Council; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Portsmouth City Council's Housing, Neighbourhoods and Building Services Directorate seeks a strategic Head of Building Repairs to lead responsive repairs, void refurbishments and maintenance across a portfolio of council homes and assets.

You will drive continuous improvement, oversee a £50 million annual repairs budget, manage major maintenance contracts, and ensure compliance with Awaab's Law and HHSRS standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead responsive repairs, maintenance and void refurbishments across ~ council homes and assets.
• Oversee budgets and major maintenance contracts, ensuring value for money and timely delivery.
• Drive continuous improvement and ensure compliance with regulatory standards and safety requirements.

Job description

The role sits within Building Services in the Housing, Neighbourhoods and Building Services Directorate and provides an exciting opportunity to lead and shape our repairs and voids services. Building Services is responsible for the repair, maintenance and statutory compliance of a diverse property portfolio, including more than 15,500 council homes, around 1,800 leasehold properties and nearly 900 corporate assets across Portsmouth and the surrounding area.

This is an important time to join Portsmouth Homes. Following our Regulatory Judgement in January 2025, alongside the introduction of new regulatory and legislative requirements including Awaab's Law, we have undergone significant change to strengthen our services and ensure residents receive safe, high-quality and responsive services. Our wider Portsmouth Homes - Buildings Project 2030 brings together a range of workstreams designed to strengthen regulatory compliance, deliver major investment and prepare our services for future requirements.

As Head of Building Repairs, you will have strategic responsibility for responsive repairs, maintenance and void property refurbishment, including the delivery of approximately 900 void refurbishments each year. You will also lead our response to Awaab's Law and repairs associated with Category 1 and Category 2 HHSRS hazards, ensuring services are safe, efficient and delivered within required timescales.

A key part of the role will be driving continuous improvement and ensuring that resident experience is at the heart of the service. You will use performance information, resident insight and learning from complaints to improve outcomes, strengthen accountability and ensure that our services and contractors consistently deliver the standards residents should expect.

The role also carries significant commercial and financial responsibility. You will oversee repairs and maintenance budgets of approximately £50 million per annum and lead mobilisation and performance management of major maintenance contracts. We are therefore looking for someone who can combine strong technical and operational knowledge with effective commercial leadership, using collaborative contract management and robust performance information to deliver quality and value for money.

You will report to the Assistant Director of Buildings and be a key member of the senior management team, working collaboratively with other Heads of Service and colleagues across the wider Directorate. You will build strong relationships with residents, elected Members, contractors, regulators and other stakeholders, representing Portsmouth Homes at both internal and external forums.

This is a demanding but rewarding opportunity to lead a high-profile frontline service at a time of considerable change. We are looking for an experienced and forward-thinking leader who can develop our people, manage change effectively and translate increasing regulatory expectations into consistently high-quality services and positive outcomes for residents.