Southwark Council
Are you ready to lead a service that sits at the heart of some of the most complex housing challenges facing London today? Do you have the leadership experience and ambition to shape decisions that directly impact residents' lives and deliver fair, sustainable housing outcomes? If yes, we have a great opportunity for you! Southwark Council is seeking an experienced and driven housing leader to become our next Housing Applications and Assessment Service Manager. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a critical frontline service, influence strategic direction and ensure residents receive a service that is fair, legally robust and focused on achieving the best possible outcomes. About the Role: Working in one of London's most dynamic and high-profile housing environments, you will lead a complex, high-volume Housing Applications and Assessment Service, with responsibility for housing register applications, homelessness assessments, reviews and tenancy-related matters. You will play a key role in ensuring statutory decisions are delivered to the highest standards, reducing legal risk through evidence-based decision making and embedding a culture of quality, accountability and continuous improvement. Southwark is a borough of ambition, diversity and significant housing complexity. With a strong commitment to prevention, fairness and improving outcomes for residents, this role provides an opportunity to influence service delivery at scale and make a visible difference to communities across the borough. As Service Manager, you will be at the centre of this agenda - shaping policy, driving innovation and using data and insight to improve services, strengthen decision making, and enhance the resident experience. You will work across organisational boundaries, building effective partnerships with internal services, registered providers and external stakeholders to deliver a coordinated and effective response to housing need. What You'll Be Doing As Housing Applications and Assessment Service Manager, you will: Lead and inspire a complex, high-volume housing applications and assessment service, ensuring residents receive timely, consistent and legally sound decisions. Provide strategic and operational leadership across multi-disciplinary teams covering assessments, reviews and tenancy relations, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement. Ensure statutory housing decisions are fair, evidence-based, legally compliant and defensible, reducing risk and maintaining robust processes under housing legislation. Drive performance management and quality assurance frameworks, using data and intelligence to identify improvements, manage risk and deliver better outcomes for residents. Lead service transformation, policy development and improvement initiatives that support Southwark's wider housing and homelessness priorities. Oversee complex casework, complaints, legal challenges and member enquiries, ensuring responses are clear, timely and focused on achieving positive resident outcomes. Build strong relationships with internal and external partners, representing the council confidently and ensuring a joined-up approach to meeting housing need. Provide strategic insight and leadership on statutory housing matters, contributing to wider organisational priorities and deputising for senior leaders when required. What We're Looking For We are looking for an accomplished housing leader with significant experience of delivering high-quality services within homelessness, allocations and statutory housing assessments. You will bring: A strong understanding of housing legislation, statutory duties and the complexities of delivering legally robust housing decisions. Proven experience of leading and motivating multi-disciplinary teams within a challenging frontline environment. The confidence and judgement to make complex, high-risk decisions, ensuring outcomes are fair, evidence-based and defensible. Strong performance management and service improvement experience, with the ability to use data and insight to drive meaningful change. Excellent communication and partnership skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior stakeholders, elected members, residents and external organisations. Experience managing complex casework, complaints and legal challenges while maintaining a strong focus on service quality and resident experience. A strategic mindset, with the ability to influence policy, shape future service delivery and contribute to wider housing priorities. Most importantly, you will be a passionate and resilient leader who understands the impact housing services have on people's lives and is committed to delivering fair, effective and resident-focused services. Location: 25 Bournemouth Road, Peckham, London, SE15 4UJ Advert close date: 11:59pm on Friday 14 th August 2026 Shortlisting date/s: 17 th - 19 th August 2026 We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through ourSouthwark Stands Together initiative . We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council. As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria: Members of the Armed Forces and veterans Are currently in care, or have previously been in care If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition Salary Range (Full time equivalent) £59,526 - £74,040
Are you ready to lead a service that sits at the heart of some of the most complex housing challenges facing London today? Do you have the leadership experience and ambition to shape decisions that directly impact residents' lives and deliver fair, sustainable housing outcomes? If yes, we have a great opportunity for you! Southwark Council is seeking an experienced and driven housing leader to become our next Housing Applications and Assessment Service Manager. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a critical frontline service, influence strategic direction and ensure residents receive a service that is fair, legally robust and focused on achieving the best possible outcomes. About the Role: Working in one of London's most dynamic and high-profile housing environments, you will lead a complex, high-volume Housing Applications and Assessment Service, with responsibility for housing register applications, homelessness assessments, reviews and tenancy-related matters. You will play a key role in ensuring statutory decisions are delivered to the highest standards, reducing legal risk through evidence-based decision making and embedding a culture of quality, accountability and continuous improvement. Southwark is a borough of ambition, diversity and significant housing complexity. With a strong commitment to prevention, fairness and improving outcomes for residents, this role provides an opportunity to influence service delivery at scale and make a visible difference to communities across the borough. As Service Manager, you will be at the centre of this agenda - shaping policy, driving innovation and using data and insight to improve services, strengthen decision making, and enhance the resident experience. You will work across organisational boundaries, building effective partnerships with internal services, registered providers and external stakeholders to deliver a coordinated and effective response to housing need. What You'll Be Doing As Housing Applications and Assessment Service Manager, you will: Lead and inspire a complex, high-volume housing applications and assessment service, ensuring residents receive timely, consistent and legally sound decisions. Provide strategic and operational leadership across multi-disciplinary teams covering assessments, reviews and tenancy relations, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement. Ensure statutory housing decisions are fair, evidence-based, legally compliant and defensible, reducing risk and maintaining robust processes under housing legislation. Drive performance management and quality assurance frameworks, using data and intelligence to identify improvements, manage risk and deliver better outcomes for residents. Lead service transformation, policy development and improvement initiatives that support Southwark's wider housing and homelessness priorities. Oversee complex casework, complaints, legal challenges and member enquiries, ensuring responses are clear, timely and focused on achieving positive resident outcomes. Build strong relationships with internal and external partners, representing the council confidently and ensuring a joined-up approach to meeting housing need. Provide strategic insight and leadership on statutory housing matters, contributing to wider organisational priorities and deputising for senior leaders when required. What We're Looking For We are looking for an accomplished housing leader with significant experience of delivering high-quality services within homelessness, allocations and statutory housing assessments. You will bring: A strong understanding of housing legislation, statutory duties and the complexities of delivering legally robust housing decisions. Proven experience of leading and motivating multi-disciplinary teams within a challenging frontline environment. The confidence and judgement to make complex, high-risk decisions, ensuring outcomes are fair, evidence-based and defensible. Strong performance management and service improvement experience, with the ability to use data and insight to drive meaningful change. Excellent communication and partnership skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior stakeholders, elected members, residents and external organisations. Experience managing complex casework, complaints and legal challenges while maintaining a strong focus on service quality and resident experience. A strategic mindset, with the ability to influence policy, shape future service delivery and contribute to wider housing priorities. Most importantly, you will be a passionate and resilient leader who understands the impact housing services have on people's lives and is committed to delivering fair, effective and resident-focused services. Location: 25 Bournemouth Road, Peckham, London, SE15 4UJ Advert close date: 11:59pm on Friday 14 th August 2026 Shortlisting date/s: 17 th - 19 th August 2026 We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through ourSouthwark Stands Together initiative . We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council. As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria: Members of the Armed Forces and veterans Are currently in care, or have previously been in care If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition Salary Range (Full time equivalent) £59,526 - £74,040
Southwark Council
Southwark Council is embarking on a number of ambitious regeneration projects including Old Kent Road, Aylesbury, Elephant & Castle and Canada Water. And you can be a part of this unique challenge. The Highway Development Team contribute to the overall Highway Authority's response to planning enquiries and applications ensuring that suitable arrangements are put in place to mitigate any adverse effects and maximise street scene improvement. The Highway Development Team also ensure that all highway projects are dealt with, from developers and others, and meet the council's highway design standards by managing their progress through design review process, ensuring a high quality of public realm. Taking on highways infrastructure services and projects, you will design and deliver these projects to an agreed timescale and within budget. Overseeing the work of contractors, you will ensure they meet your high standards and that all elements of the project are meeting appropriate regulations and health and safety standards. You will also take charge of a programme of maintenance programmes throughout the year and conduct surveys and site inspections, applying your knowledge of the latest developments in the field of engineering. When you take on a role in the Highways Team, you can expect to work on huge schemes that will define not just London, but the careers of those entrusted with them too. And this role is most definitely career-defining. What we're looking for: HNC or NHD in Engineering, a recognised degree in a relevant discipline and professional membership of an engineering institution. Experience of overseeing responsive maintenance plans and of delivering projects that are in line with Construction Design and Management 2015 regulations. Experience in the design of engineering works including identification of technical options. Knowledge of current street scene and transport infrastructure issues in the UK and London and an understanding of how these will impact on the Council. Evidence of continuous professional development and outstanding knowledge of all relevant regulations and standards including NRWSA, HAUC and Health and Safety. Good IT skills including an intermediate level of bespoke design and engineering related software. The ability to develop and mentor junior members of staff. Solid verbal, written and numerical skills. Why Southwark? We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark's residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse, and growing population. At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark's communities and the council's staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do. Employee benefits: You'll join a motivated, driven, and supportive team that values each of its members and strives for excellence. You'll also be part of a successful, high-achieving development team making a real difference to the lives of residents across the borough. In return for all your hard work, skills and experience, you will receive: A competitive base salary (pro rata for part time staff) Strong supportive senior management team Regular one to one supervision Professional development & training opportunities Agile and flexible working arrangements Season ticket and cycle loans Annual Leave starting at 29 days per year, increasing to 37 (with length of service) (pro rata for part time staff) HSF Health plan and eye care scheme EAP employee assistance programme, confidential counselling and support Social clubs and staff groups Full time, 36 hours per week, Monday to Friday. This role offers a flexible hybrid working arrangement, with time split between working from home and our Tooley Street offices a minimum of 3 days per week. Disability Confident (guaranteed interview) scheme: As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria: Members of the Armed Forces and veterans Are currently in care, or have previously been in care If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition Recruitment timetable Closing date: 27th July 2026 at 23:59 We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role, in which case we will move the key dates for the process. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. Salary Range (Full time equivalent) £45,852 - £53,319
Southwark Council is embarking on a number of ambitious regeneration projects including Old Kent Road, Aylesbury, Elephant & Castle and Canada Water. And you can be a part of this unique challenge. The Highway Development Team contribute to the overall Highway Authority's response to planning enquiries and applications ensuring that suitable arrangements are put in place to mitigate any adverse effects and maximise street scene improvement. The Highway Development Team also ensure that all highway projects are dealt with, from developers and others, and meet the council's highway design standards by managing their progress through design review process, ensuring a high quality of public realm. Taking on highways infrastructure services and projects, you will design and deliver these projects to an agreed timescale and within budget. Overseeing the work of contractors, you will ensure they meet your high standards and that all elements of the project are meeting appropriate regulations and health and safety standards. You will also take charge of a programme of maintenance programmes throughout the year and conduct surveys and site inspections, applying your knowledge of the latest developments in the field of engineering. When you take on a role in the Highways Team, you can expect to work on huge schemes that will define not just London, but the careers of those entrusted with them too. And this role is most definitely career-defining. What we're looking for: HNC or NHD in Engineering, a recognised degree in a relevant discipline and professional membership of an engineering institution. Experience of overseeing responsive maintenance plans and of delivering projects that are in line with Construction Design and Management 2015 regulations. Experience in the design of engineering works including identification of technical options. Knowledge of current street scene and transport infrastructure issues in the UK and London and an understanding of how these will impact on the Council. Evidence of continuous professional development and outstanding knowledge of all relevant regulations and standards including NRWSA, HAUC and Health and Safety. Good IT skills including an intermediate level of bespoke design and engineering related software. The ability to develop and mentor junior members of staff. Solid verbal, written and numerical skills. Why Southwark? We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark's residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse, and growing population. At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark's communities and the council's staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do. Employee benefits: You'll join a motivated, driven, and supportive team that values each of its members and strives for excellence. You'll also be part of a successful, high-achieving development team making a real difference to the lives of residents across the borough. In return for all your hard work, skills and experience, you will receive: A competitive base salary (pro rata for part time staff) Strong supportive senior management team Regular one to one supervision Professional development & training opportunities Agile and flexible working arrangements Season ticket and cycle loans Annual Leave starting at 29 days per year, increasing to 37 (with length of service) (pro rata for part time staff) HSF Health plan and eye care scheme EAP employee assistance programme, confidential counselling and support Social clubs and staff groups Full time, 36 hours per week, Monday to Friday. This role offers a flexible hybrid working arrangement, with time split between working from home and our Tooley Street offices a minimum of 3 days per week. Disability Confident (guaranteed interview) scheme: As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria: Members of the Armed Forces and veterans Are currently in care, or have previously been in care If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition Recruitment timetable Closing date: 27th July 2026 at 23:59 We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role, in which case we will move the key dates for the process. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. Salary Range (Full time equivalent) £45,852 - £53,319
