Head of Empty Homes

Peabody; Slough; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Peabody is seeking a Head of Empty Homes to lead the performance and delivery of the empty homes service across all regions in the UK. You will oversee end-to-end restoration to lettable standards, focusing on faster turnaround, cost control, and reducing void losses.

You will drive data-led improvements, manage a circa £27m budget, coordinate regional surveying and void coordination teams, and foster a proactive, performance-driven culture with strong contractor and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Lead Peabody’s Empty Homes service and establish consistent standards across all regions.
• Manage a approx £27m budget, ensuring strong cost control and value for money.
• Lead regional surveying teams and void coordination teams to drive clear accountability for performance.
• Improve void turnaround times and remove blockers across the end-to-end process.
• Use data to identify delays, monitor productivity, and drive operational improvement.
• Scrutinise specifications, contractor costs, and variations to prevent unnecessary expenditure.
• Balance pace with quality, compliance, and long‑term property condition.
• Improve collaboration between Repairs, Housing, Allocations, Commercial, and contractors.
• Support the development of surveyors and create a proactive, performance-focused culture.
• Drive contractor performance through effective challenge, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Job description

The Opportunity

Peabody is looking for a Head of Empty Homes to lead the performance and delivery of its empty homes service across all regions.

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Repairs Delivery, you will be responsible for ensuring empty homes are returned to use quickly, safely and to a consistent lettable standard, while improving turnaround times, controlling costs and reducing void loss.

This is an opportunity to lead a service through meaningful operational improvement. Peabody has strengthened the information available around void performance and is moving its end-to-end void process onto a new CRM. The successful candidate will use better data, stronger processes and clear management accountability to identify where homes are being delayed, remove blockers and drive sustained improvements in performance.

Key responsibilities

• Lead Peabody’s Empty Homes service and establish consistent standards across all regions.
• Manage a approximately £27m budget, ensuring strong cost control and value for money.
• Lead regional surveying teams and void coordination teams to drive clear accountability for performance.
• Improve void turnaround times and remove blockers across the end-to-end process.
• Use data to identify delays, monitor productivity, and drive operational improvement.
• Scrutinise specifications, contractor costs, and variations to prevent unnecessary expenditure.
• Balance pace with quality, compliance, and long‑term property condition.
• Improve collaboration between Repairs, Housing, Allocations, Commercial, and contractors.
• Support the development of surveyors and create a proactive, performance-focused culture.
• Drive contractor performance through effective challenge, innovation, and continuous improvement.

About you

You will have significant experience in empty homes, repairs, surveying or property services, together with a strong track record of leading operational teams.

You will be highly data‑led, commercially aware and comfortable getting into the detail of performance to understand why homes are delayed and what needs to change. Strong leadership, contractor management and stakeholder skills will be essential.