Head of Investment and Development

Advance; Witney; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holiday

Professional development

Perks at Work discounts

Long service awards

Golden Hello/refer a friend

Cycle to work

Employee Assistance Programme

Free DBS

Career progression

Pension scheme with employer match

Job summary

Advance, a national not-for-profit housing and support provider, seeks a strategic Head of Investment and Development in Oxfordshire. You will lead acquisition, development, and investment of properties and sites, delivering high-quality homes and services for people with long-term disabilities.

The role reports to the Executive Director of Housing and requires delivering complex development programmes, asset management and major investment projects with strong partnerships and robust governance.

Qualifications

• Extensive housing sector knowledge and leadership experience.
• Experience managing development, asset management and investment.
• Strong stakeholder management skills.
• Experience leading high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead Investment and Development Team to meet strategic objectives.
• Oversee site acquisitions and manage development from feasibility to completion.
• Support home ownership opportunities for people with long-term disabilities.
• Manage relationships with Homes England, authorities, developers and consultants.
• Lead Strategic Asset Management Plan delivery.
• Monitor project performance, budgets and funding for value and compliance.
• Identify development opportunities and produce financial and risk assessments.
• Prepare reports and funding submissions to support growth.
• Oversee disposals and grant recycling.
• Ensure activities comply with policies and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Team development

Microsoft Office

Education

Relevant professional qualification

Tools

Housing management systems

Asset management systems

Job description

Position: Head of Investment and Development

Location: Oxfordshire, Witney, Head Office (Hybrid working with 3 days per week based at our Head Office and 2 days working from home)

Hours: 35 contracted hours per week

Salary: Up to £60,875.17 per annum (depending on experience), plus a geographical allowance of £1,051 per annum.

Closing Date: 9 November 2026

Job ref: 5289

We regret to inform you that Advance is unable to accept any sponsorship requirements.

About the Role

We're looking for an experienced and strategic leader with substantial housing sector experience and a proven track record of delivering successful development and investment programmes

Reporting to the Executive Director of Housing, you will lead on the acquisition, development and investment of properties and sites, ensuring the delivery of high-quality homes and services that support people with long-term disabilities.

You’ll play a key role in delivering our strategic objectives, overseeing development programmes, asset management activities, home ownership initiatives and major investment projects.

This is an exciting opportunity for a senior housing professional with significant experience in development, strategic asset management and investment, who can build strong partnerships and drive performance across a diverse range of projects.

What you'll be doing

• Leading and managing the Investment and Development Team to deliver strategic and operational objectives.
• Overseeing the acquisition of sites and properties and managing development projects from feasibility through to completion.
• Supporting the delivery of home ownership opportunities for people with long-term disabilities.
• Managing relationships with Homes England, local authorities, developers, consultants and other key stakeholders.
• Leading the delivery of the Strategic Asset Management Plan.
• Monitoring project performance, budgets and funding streams, ensuring value for money and regulatory compliance.
• Identifying and appraising development opportunities and producing financial and risk assessments.
• Preparing reports and funding submissions to support growth and investment programmes.
• Overseeing property disposals and grant recycling requirements.
• Ensuring all development and investment activities comply with organisational policies, procedures and regulatory requirements.

About you

We're looking for a confident leader with substantial housing sector experience and a strong track record of delivering development and investment programmes.

• Extensive knowledge of housing legislation, policy and regulatory requirements.
• Significant experience of contract management, budget management and financial planning.
• Experience leading asset management functions and planned, cyclical and responsive maintenance programmes.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• High levels of competency in Microsoft Office applications and housing management or asset management systems.
• A relevant professional qualification (desirable).
• A genuine commitment to improving outcomes for people with disabilities and those who use our services.

At Advance, we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where colleagues can thrive. You'll be joining a values-led organisation that puts customers at the heart of everything we do while encouraging innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.

For more information about the role, please view the Job description.

About the organisation

Advance is a national, not-for-profit provider of housing and support services for people with disabilities and mental health conditions. Our vision is to transform lives; providing the best quality housing and support services so that people can live the lives they choose, achieve their personal goals, feel valued and know their voices are heard.

We recognise that our people are our greatest asset and we're passionate about making Advance a great place to work. We invest in our staff, providing the training and support you need to succeed in your role, gain industry-recognised qualifications and realise your career aspirations.

We are an equal opportunities employer who values its staff and the difference they make to their customers. There is no place for racism or discrimination of any kind in Advance. As an organisation, we will not tolerate it. We are firmly committed to recruiting the best colleagues regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation and to supporting customers from similarly diverse backgrounds.

All newly appointed staff receive an induction, during which they will learn about our PRIDE values, our expectations of how they should treat our customers and our commitments in relation to how they will be treated as a member of staff.

Benefits of working for Advance

• Paid holiday (from 25 days up to 30 days with long service in addition to bank holidays, pro rata for part time hours)
• Sector specific training is provided as part of induction plus opportunities for professional development
• Access to Perks at Work where you can obtain great discounts of cinema tickets, shopping vouchers and much more
• Long service awards payable in 5 year increments
• Golden Hello/refer a friend receive up to £500
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Free DBS (Disclosures and Barring Service)
• Excellent opportunities to progress your career within Advance
• Enrolment in a pension scheme with matched contributions above the statutory minimum (if you work enough hours to meet the threshold for enrolment)

Advance is regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing and the Care Quality Commission and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the people we support. You will be required to provide evidence of right to work. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this role, the cost of which will be covered by Advance.

Safeguarding

At Advance, Safeguarding is embedded in our organisational culture - it's reflected in our values, our behaviours, and the way we work together. We believe that creating a safe environment is not just about compliance, but about cultivating trust, openness, and accountability at every level.

As the organisation's Safeguarding Lead, Ryan Brummitt, Executive Director of Support, oversees our safeguarding arrangements and ensures that concerns are acted upon quickly, sensitively and in line with national legislation and local safeguarding procedures.

We believe that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Whether you are a customer, family member, colleague or partner organisation, if you have any concerns about the welfare or safety of someone we support - or of any member of our team - please don't hesitate to get in touch.

[e-mail]

Together, we can ensure that Advance remains a safe, supportive and inclusive organisation for all.

We value diversity and therefore welcome applications from everyone interested in working at Advance. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Advance Housing & Support Ltd reserves the right to close this job once sufficient applications have been received.