Housing Growth Lead

Essex County Counci; Chelmsford; Remote; GBP 43,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Housing Growth Lead to promote housing growth across Essex. This full-time, fixed-term role involves developing strategic interventions, managing partnerships, and ensuring effective housing delivery. As an 'Anywhere Worker', you will primarily work remotely but will occasionally visit various locations in Essex. Your expertise in housing policy, project management, and partnership building will be crucial in enhancing housing provision for diverse needs. If you are passionate about improving the quality of life through housing, this role offers an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact.

Qualifications

• A degree or equivalent experience in housing policy and project development.
• Proven track record in housing market understanding and partnership building.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategic housing growth interventions and manage partnership groups.
• Engage with developers to address viability and secure infrastructure.

Skills

Housing Policy Development

Project Management

Partnership Building

Communication Skills

Budgeting Skills

Understanding of Housing Markets

Knowledge of Planning System

Education

Relevant Degree or Equivalent Experience

Job description

Housing Growth Lead

Fixed Term, Full Time

£43,850 to £51,589 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 20th January 2025

Please note that this is a fixed-term contract / secondment opportunity until the end of March 2026.

This role is focused on promoting housing growth across Essex and delivering tangible improvements in the quality of life for residents through high quality housing provision.

The role sits in the team responsible for implementing the Council’s housing strategy: accelerating housing supply, diversifying housing delivery and securing provision which meets the diverse needs of Essex residents. The role will be responsible for a number of programmes to improve housing delivery, working with a wide range of partners to create the right conditions to support housing growth.

The role will require effective management and co-ordination of workstreams delivered in partnership, including contact with housing developers, housing associations, and local and central government partners. The role will focus on enhancing Supported and Specialist Housing provision in Essex through collating evidence, drafting and promoting policy guidance, and building relationships to assure effective provision.

As an “Anywhere Worker”, this role relies on the postholder being ‘remote first’, with a need to travel occasionally to various locations in Essex to perform the role effectively. Primarily, this includes the housing team spending Mondays based at County Hall in Chelmsford.

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing housing growth interventions of significant strategic importance including preparing quality bids for funding where necessary.
• Effectively managing partnership groups focused on ensuring the implementation of shared work programmes around housing delivery.
• Actively highlighting and promoting opportunities for collaboration and joint-working with public and private sector partners to improve housing related services.
• Leading County Council engagement with a portfolio of developers and housing associations, joining up engagement across ECC and district colleagues.
• Engaging with developers and external funding agencies to ensure development viability concerns are addressed, and infrastructure is secured.
• Supporting commissioning outcomes for key Essex resident cohorts to ensure diverse and high quality provision in the housing system, with particular reference to Supported and Specialist Housing.
• Ensuring business cases for housing interventions are robust; developing clear well-evidenced recommendations for key projects.
• Working collaboratively across professional groups to ensure that programmes are implemented including through acquisitions and/or land disposals, working closely with the Council’s property team.
• Providing clear, well-argued advice to elected members and senior officers on progress.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• A relevant degree or equivalent by experience and continuing professional development.
• A successful track record of housing related policy, project development and implementation.
• Experience and understanding of housing markets, investment, management and operations.
• Knowledge and understanding of the planning system, and care and support sectors.
• Project management experience and budgeting skills.
• Experience of partnership building/working relationships together with good oral and written communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to present complex information clearly and concisely in a way that others can understand.
• Understanding of the major factors, influences, and legislation facing local government and/or the challenges for its regeneration and housing activity.

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the link.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email [e-mail]