Head Of Governance

James Stevens Associates; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 89,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous pension scheme

Excellent annual leave allowance

Enhanced family leave pay

Health cash plan

Employee assistance

Staff discounts

Life assurance at four times annual-s薪

Job summary

James Stevens Associates are supporting a large social housing organisation in Central London to appoint a permanent Head of Governance at a pivotal stage. You will lead a multi-faceted governance function, spanning board/committee services, company secretarial support and corporate compliance, with responsibility for multiple entities and complex structures.

The role demands established leadership with credibility at boards and senior levels, a track record of strengthening governance and an

Qualifications

• Substantial experience leading a governance function within a highly regulated organisation.
• Social housing experience would be particularly valuable.
• Experience in NHS or other regulated environments with comparable complexity.
• Chartered Governance status or equivalent qualification.

Responsibilities

• Lead governance, company secretarial support and corporate compliance across the organisation.
• Oversee boards, committees, subsidiaries, joint ventures and shareholder arrangements.
• Develop forward planning with strong papers, accurate minutes and clear follow-through.
• Advise on complex decisions and coach colleagues to delivery, ensuring appropriate board assurance.
• Drive improvements to governance arrangements and build a more consistent, effective service.

Skills

Governance leadership

Board liaison

People management

Corporate compliance

Judgement & decision making

Education

Chartered Governance status or equivalent

Job description

James Stevens Associates are delighted to be working with a Large highly commercial yet people centric Central London based Housing Association, who are now looking for their next Head of Governance:

• Head of Governance
• £88,921 to £98,810
• Central London
• Hybrid | Permanent
• Social Housing or Well regulated Large Complex / Group Structure experience required

Some governance professionals come into their own when the structure gets complicated.

Multiple entities. Different boards and committees. Joint ventures. Competing priorities. Decisions that need careful judgement and the confidence to ask the right questions. If that sounds like the environment where you do your best work, this opportunity deserves a closer look.

We're supporting a large social housing organisation to appoint a permanent Head of Governance at an important point in its journey.

Following a regulatory downgrade, the organisation is working to strengthen its governance arrangements and build a more consistent, effective service. There is an existing team, experienced governance colleagues and wider specialist functions around you.

Now it needs an established leader who can bring those strengths together, create clarity and help move the function forward.

The challenge you'll take on:

You'll join an organisation where the scale and complexity make governance both demanding and consequential.

Working closely with the Director of Governance you'll lead a team spanning governance, company secretarial support and corporate compliance. Your reach will extend across boards, committees, subsidiaries, joint ventures and shareholder arrangements.

There will be immediate priorities to manage alongside longer-term improvements. You'll need to understand what the team has inherited, where responsibilities need sharpening and how to create space for more planned working.

That might mean advising on a complex decision one day, coaching a colleague through a difficult piece of work the next, and challenging whether the board is receiving the assurance it really needs.

The opportunity is to make that whole system work more confidently.

What you'll help shape:

• A dependable board and committee service, with clear forward planning, strong papers, accurate minutes and effective follow-through.
• Governance arrangements that make authority, accountability and escalation clear across a complex group.
• A capable, confident team with clear priorities and support to develop.
• Reliable company secretarial oversight, statutory records, filings and shareholder arrangements.
• Effective corporate compliance arrangements covering areas including fraud, whistleblowing, anti-money laundering and consumer credit.

Who will thrive here?

You'll have substantial experience of leading a governance function within a highly regulated organisation, ideally with a large or complex group structure.

Social housing experience would be particularly valuable. We're also interested in candidates from the NHS or other regulated environments who can demonstrate comparable complexity and responsibility.

You'll bring:

• Chartered Governance status or an equivalent qualification.
• Credibility with boards, committees and senior leaders.
• Strong people management skills and a willingness to stay close to delivery.
• Sound company secretarial knowledge and experience of corporate compliance.
• Evidence of improving governance arrangements and sustaining those improvements.
• Resilience, diplomacy and the judgement to stay constructive when priorities compete.

This appointment needs someone who has already carried meaningful responsibility for a governance service. Someone comfortable making decisions, developing people and working through challenges that take persistence to resolve.

Why consider the move?

Because you'll have the opportunity to influence how a substantial housing organisation operates at a point when your experience can make a visible difference.

There is a team to develop, a broad remit to take ownership of and an important social purpose behind the work: stronger oversight and better decisions for the people who depend on the organisation's homes and services.

For someone who relishes complexity and enjoys helping a function find its footing, this could be a rewarding next chapter.

London, with a minimum of two office days each week and flexibility for a third day around board, committee and business commitments.

Benefits include a generous pension scheme, excellent annual leave allowance, enhanced family leave pay, health cash plan, employee assistance, staff discounts and life assurance at four times annual salary. Eligibility and qualifying periods apply where relevant.