Head of Tenant Services

Medway Council; Chatham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in England is seeking a Head of Tenant Services to lead tenancy and estate management functions. This pivotal role focuses on improving housing services and ensuring that tenants are prioritized in all decisions. The ideal candidate will have extensive leadership experience in housing, strong strategic vision, and excellent communication skills. Responsibilities include managing tenancy sustainment, overseeing leaseholder services, and engaging with tenants. The role offers generous benefits, including training, annual leave, and a flexible working scheme.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Local government pension scheme

Access to training and development

Flexible working scheme

Travel discounts

Employee discount scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in tenancy management and estate management functions.
• Proven ability to manage budgets and projects effectively.
• Willingness to achieve chartered status within 12 months.

Responsibilities

• Lead tenancy and estate management functions.
• Drive improvements for housing services.
• Manage income collection and eviction processes.

Skills

Leadership experience in housing services

Strong strategic vision

Excellent communication skills

Stakeholder management

Education

Chartered Institute of Housing Level 5 or above

Degree-level education

Job description

Interview Date: 23 or 26 January 2026

Join us at Medway Council and help shape the future of housing services for our community.

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of Tenant Services to lead our tenancy and estate management functions, including neighbourhood services, leaseholders, rental income, homes for independent living, tenant engagement, and housing ICT. This is a pivotal role within our Housing Senior Management Team, driving forward improvements and ensuring tenants remain at the heart of everything we do.

You Will Oversee Key Areas Such As

• Income collection (circa £17m) and tenancy sustainment.
• Leaseholder services, land sales, and Right to Buy applications.
• Tenancy management, including anti-social behaviour interventions and allocations.
• Homes for Independent Living, supporting residents to live independently.
• Tenant engagement and data insight to deliver a tenant-led landlord service.
• Leading client functions for estate cleaning and grounds maintenance.

This role is central to delivering the One Medway Plan (2024-2028) and achieving compliance with the Regulator for Social Housing Continuous Improvement Plan, following our C2 Judgement in November 2024 and our aspirations to achieve a C1 in 2026.

About You

• Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Level 5 or above (or willing to achieve within 12 months).
• Degree-level education or equivalent experience.
• Significant leadership experience in housing services.
• Strong strategic vision and ability to drive change.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, projects, and service plans.

If you would like an informal discussion with the recruiting manager, please call Becs Wilcox, Chief Housing Officer on 01364 333581.

Ready to make a difference?

Apply now and help us deliver high-quality housing services that transform lives.

In Return We Offer You

• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Generous local government pension scheme package.
• Access to wider training and development qualifications.
• Flexible working scheme.
• Travel plan discounts.
• Car Benefit Scheme from Tusker.
• Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service.
• Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers.
• The Government has introduced new ways of supporting parents with childcare costs. Further details are available here: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

We're committed to making Medway carbon neutral by 2050. We have developed an action plan to ensure we play our part in addressing the climate emergency. Our declaration fits into our Council Plan priority of making Medway a place to be proud of. The main outcome being a 'clean and green environment'. All Medway Council staff can access an additional days paid leave to undertake a volunteering activity which supports climate change.

Our Organisation

Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula. Situated in Kent in the South‑East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London. We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more — everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively. Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.

Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement

Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, family commitments, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, religious or political beliefs, social class or trade union activity or irrelevant spent conviction.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile.

For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online.

Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted. All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.

Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.