Head - Operational Readiness

Homes England; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working 50/50

33 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Job summary

Homes England invites applications for Head of Operational Readiness to join the Help to Buy Transformation & Reprocurement Programme. You will lead the activity to prepare the service for delivery, shaping governance and delivery frameworks to ensure continuous, compliant performance during a complex, multiyear public sector change.

You will coordinate across operational readiness, planning, risks and senior stakeholders, balancing priorities and signing off on critical decisions in a heavily

Qualifications

• Significant experience in operational delivery or programme management.
• Experience in developing and implementing process improvements and governance frameworks.
• Public equity mortgage loan management experience, e.g. Help to Buy, is important.

Responsibilities

• Lead the activity needed to prepare the Help to Buy service for successful programme delivery.
• Establish robust governance, reporting and operational frameworks.
• Manage resource requirements including staffing and training; coordinate across teams.
• Drive continuous improvement to strengthen efficiency, compliance and performance.

Skills

Operational delivery

Programme management

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Governance

Job description

Closing Date: 11th October 2026

Interviews from wc 2nd November

2 year Fixed Term Contract/Secondment

A bit about the role.

Working within our Help to Buy Transformation & Reprocurement Programme, the Head of Operational Readiness will play a key role in delivering a complex, multiyear public sector change programme.

You will join a highly skilled, collaborative programme team tasked with reshaping a nationally significant service at a critical point in its lifecycle. Our focus is on strengthening data integrity, reducing operational and financial risk, improving customer experience, and ensuring long‑term service portability while protecting public funds.

This is a programme that values disciplined delivery and thoughtful decision‑making. Our Programme Director champions evidence‑based choices and a diversity of perspectives, recognising that the best outcomes come from constructive challenge and collective problem‑solving.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future operating model of one of the UK’s most high‑profile home ownership public services. You will work closely with colleagues across a range of specialisms to design and deliver an integrated, coherent and defensible service model. One that can stand up to scrutiny from governance forums, audit and value‑for‑money assessments while delivering long term benefits for the Agency and our customers.

A bit about you.

As Head of Operational Readiness, you will lead the activity needed to prepare the Help to Buy service for successful programme delivery while maintaining continuity for customers. You will provide oversight and coordination across operational readiness, establishing robust governance, reporting and operational frameworks that enable clear, controlled delivery.

You will contribute to programme planning, align operational priorities with programme objectives and manage resource requirements, including staffing and training. Acting as a central point for risks, issues, dependencies, ad hoc commissions and senior requests, you will ensure that information is visible, accurate and appropriately signed off. You will also drive continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to strengthen efficiency, compliance and operational performance.

You will bring significant experience in operational delivery or programme management, with a proven ability to lead strategic planning and resource management in a complex organisation. You will understand performance reporting and programme assurance requirements, be experienced in developing and implementing process improvements, and be able to balance competing priorities while delivering under high scrutiny. Experience in public equity mortgage loan management, such as Help to Buy, is important for this role.

A confident communicator and influential stakeholder manager, you will provide expert operational readiness advice to senior leaders and build productive relationships across internal teams, corporate functions, government departments and other external stakeholders. You will use clear communication and sound judgement to influence decisions, support accountability and help the programme deliver effectively.

Who are we?

Homes England: The Housing and Regeneration Agency

We believe that affordable, quality homes in well-designed places are key to improving people’s lives. As the government’s housing and regeneration agency, we create thriving new places and transform urban areas, combining the full breadth of our powers, expertise, land, capital and influence to bring investment to communities and get more homes built.

How? We form long‑term partnerships that bridge the gap between the public and private sector to meet local needs and aspirations. We use our influence to champion the creation of sustainable homes, communities and places that are brilliantly designed for the people that live there now, and in the future. And we use our funding and support to build a more resilient, diverse and innovative housing sector, helping new entrants in the market, encouraging modern methods of construction and design, and promoting the utmost attention to building safety.

Together with our partners, we’re accelerating the pace of house building, remediation and regeneration across the country, as we seek to deliver ever more affordable homes in places people are proud to call home for generations to come.

What we offer.

As well as a competitive salary and 33 days annual leave, we are committed to 50/50 hybrid working. We’ll support you, wherever possible, so that you don’t miss out on what matters to you.

Membership of the Homes and Communities Agency Pension Scheme, which is a contributory defined benefit scheme with the amount you receive on retirement based on your salary and years worked at the Agency.

Internal applicants: please note that if you are successful, the salary you are offered will be in accordance with our pay policy. You can find details on the HR Hub SharePoint site.

If you ever need a bit of extra help, we have a great employee assistance programme, a wide range of healthcare plans, financial wellbeing support and access to many great discounts with leading high street names.

Our range of network groups are also there to support you to be yourself at work and play a key role in helping shape our future.

If you are a member of a professional body, we’ll pay for your membership and once you get your digital kit, you’ll be good to go.

Homes England are a geographically diverse community. We work to a 50/50 office/ home based model. Moving back into our office environments has enabled us to utilise our space and time together in the most collaborative way.

We’re a diverse team of more than 1,000 professionals spanning 17 professions, helping Homes England to be effective, efficient and deliver for communities.

Our people remain at the heart of everything we do, and we’re committed to building an Agency that not only reflects the diverse communities we serve, but also champions inclusion in how we shape homes and places across the country. For more information about our EDI strategy please see our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Report 2024 to 2025 — Second Edition - GOV.UK

You will be required to have the Right to Work in the UK and Homes England do not offer visa sponsorship. If your application is shortlisted to interview we will require you to provide proof of your Right to Work in the UK at this stage.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.