Housing Development Manager

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council; Welwyn Garden City; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Free parking

Electric pool cars

Generous annual leave

LGPS

Learning and development

Employee benefits package

Job summary

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council is seeking an experienced Housing Development Manager to lead a portfolio of affordable housing schemes from feasibility through delivery.

You will work with registered providers and developers to maximise affordable housing within the borough, secure homes via Section 106 and other delivery models, and provide expert advisory support on housing development matters while managing timelines and governance.

Qualifications

• Degree or housing qualification (CIH/RICS or equivalent)
• Proven experience in housing or property development
• Understanding of planning and legal requirements
• Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills
• Ability to build partnerships across organisations
• Strong organisational skills and decision-making ability
• Full driving licence and travel to sites/meetings

Responsibilities

• Lead a portfolio of affordable housing development schemes from feasibility to delivery.
• Collaborate with registered providers and development partners to maximise affordable housing provision.
• Secure and oversee homes through Section 106 and other delivery models.
• Provide expert advice on housing development matters and strategic objectives.
• Build strong partnerships with colleagues, external organisations and community stakeholders.
• Manage timelines, budgets, risks and governance for successful delivery.
• Represent the council at meetings, consultations and events.

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Partnership building

Project management

Organisational skills

Driver's licence

Education

Degree or housing qualification

Job description

Starting salary £47,907 per annum with progression to £51,246 per annum through annual increments, subject to satisfactory performance (inclusive of outer fringe allowance)

37 hours per week (hybrid)

Permanent contract

Help deliver the affordable homes our communities need.

Are you passionate about creating high-quality affordable housing and making a lasting difference to local communities

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council is looking for an ambitious and experienced Housing Development Manager to play a key role in delivering our Affordable Housing Programme. This is an exciting opportunity to influence housing delivery across the borough, working on schemes that will provide much-needed homes for residents both now and in the future.

As part of our Housing Development Team, you will lead a varied portfolio of development projects from concept through to completion, working with registered providers, developers, consultants and internal stakeholders to maximise affordable housing opportunities.

If you are looking for a role where you can shape projects, build partnerships and see the tangible impact of your work, we'd love to hear from you.

About the role

As Housing Development Manager, you will:

• Lead and manage a portfolio of affordable housing development schemes, from feasibility through to delivery.
• Work collaboratively with registered providers and development partners to maximise affordable housing provision across the borough.
• Secure and oversee the delivery of homes through Section 106 agreements and other innovative delivery models.
• Provide expert advice on housing development matters and contribute to strategic housing objectives.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with colleagues, external organisations and community stakeholders.
• Manage project timelines, budgets, risks and governance arrangements to ensure successful delivery.
• Represent the council at meetings, public consultations and stakeholder events.

About you

We're looking for someone with a strong understanding of housing development and project management who is motivated by delivering positive outcomes for communities.

You will have:

• A degree, professional housing qualification (such as CIH or RICS membership), or equivalent relevant experience.
• Proven experience managing housing or property development projects.
• Experience in local government preferred but not essential.
• Up-to-date knowledge of housing development processes, planning and legal requirements.
• Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills.
• The ability to build effective partnerships and work collaboratively across multiple organisations.
• Good organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and make informed decisions confidently.
• A full driving licence and access to a vehicle for travel to sites and meetings both within and outside the borough.

At Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, our CORE values underpin everything we do:

In return, we offer:

• Hybrid working with an expectation of approximately two office-based days per week (subject to service needs). This will be more frequent during your training period.
• A modern working environment in the heart of Welwyn Garden City
• Free parking
• Access to electric pool cars
• Generous annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Local Government Pension Scheme – to work out how much it is worth click on the pension calculator
• Ongoing learning and professional development opportunities
• A comprehensive employee benefits package - see My Rewards – Careers

This role may occasionally require attendance at evening meetings and public consultation events.

Please note we do not provide sponsorship for employment in the UK.

We recommend downloading the role profile as this will not be available online once the vacancy closes.

Closing date for applications is 23 November 2026

Remote assessments will be held on 30 November 2026

Face-to-face interviews will be held on 7/8 December

Looking Ahead

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (WHBC) is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by WHBC on 1 April 2028, it is expected that the majority of roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.

LGR is one of the biggest changes in local government we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better.

To find out more, visit Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation – Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council