Head of Housing Service Centre

London Borough of Tower Hamlets; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff money-saving schemes

Rent deposit

Season ticket loans

Learning Academy

Job summary

London Borough of Tower Hamlets is recruiting a Head of Housing Service Centre to lead the first point of contact for housing management services. This senior role shapes strategic direction and operational delivery, driving improvements in customer experience and service design.

You will lead transformation using data insight, digital channels and Lean methodologies, manage budgets and partnerships, and inspire senior colleagues to deliver excellent outcomes for residents.

Qualifications

• Senior leader with a record of delivering high-volume housing/service outcomes.
• Experience leading transformation using data insight and digital channels.
• Ability to influence at senior level and build effective partnerships.
• Commercial and financial awareness with budgets/contracts handling.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Housing Service Centre.
• Drive performance culture balancing timeliness, quality and customer satisfaction.
• Deliver the Customer Access Strategy and target operating model.
• Use insight and performance data to reduce repeat contact and redesign processes.
• Lead change projects embedding Lean, digitalisation and continuous improvement.
• Ensure alignment with housing regulations and best practice.

Skills

Leadership

Customer experience

Strategic planning

Change management

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Education

CIH Level 5 qualification

PRINCE2 or Lean Systems Thinking

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

We are recruiting for a Head of Housing Service Centre to join our Neighbourhoods & Customer Services division.This is a senior leadership opportunity to shape the strategic direction and operational delivery of the first point of contact for customers accessing housing management services.

If you are passionate about delivering excellent housing services, improving customer experience and using insight, technology and service redesign to achieve better outcomes, we would love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• This role will provide strategic and operational leadership for the Housing Service Centre, setting a clear direction and developing a professional, proactive and responsive service.
• In this role, you will:
• Drive a strong performance culture, balancing timeliness, quality, customer satisfaction and first-time resolution while ensuring effective use of resources and budgets.
• Deliver the Customer Access Strategy and target operating model, enabling channel shift while protecting access for residents who need additional support.
• Use customer insight, root-cause analysis, segmentation and performance data to reduce repeat contact, redesign processes and support evidence-led decisions.
• Lead customer service change and transformation projects, embedding Lean methodologies, digitalisation, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Keep the service aligned with social housing regulation, legislation, policy, sector best practice and advances in customer-service technology.

Requirements

• We are looking for an inclusive and credible senior leader who can demonstrate:
• Substantial experience of leading teams to deliver demanding performance targets and excellent customer service in a complex, high-volume environment.
• Strong knowledge of customer experience disciplines and a sound understanding of housing or property-management services.
• A successful record of leading transformation, including the use of data insight, customer segmentation, digital channels and process redesign.
• The ability to inspire, influence and challenge at senior level, build effective partnerships and translate complex issues into practical solutions.
• Commercial and financial awareness, with experience of managing budgets, contracts or frameworks and securing value for money.
• A relevant professional qualification or membership, such as the Institute of Customer Service, PRINCE2 or Lean Systems Thinking, or equivalent senior-level experience.
• A CIH Level 5 qualification, or willingness to achieve this within three years.
• Generous annual leave: 29 days, rising to 33 days with five or more years’ service, plus bank holidays and three additional days at Christmas.
• Flexible and agile working to support work-life balance.
• Staff money-saving schemes, including rent deposit and season ticket loans.
• Learning and development through the Learning Academy, with clear career development and leadership pathways.

Additional information

• DBS: This post requires a basic DBS check. Working arrangements: The role may require occasional evening and weekend work and participation in out-of-hours emergency arrangements. Political restriction: The post is politically restricted.

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