Deputy Director, Housing and Regeneration Strategy

The work we do shapes the lives of people across the country from the homes people live in, to the places and communities they are part of. Housing is central to the Governments growth mission and is high on the political agenda, making this an exciting time to join the Housing Markets and Strategy leadership team.

This is one of the Departments most high-profile roles, sitting at the heart of decisions on growth, regeneration policy and housing reform.

We are looking for a Deputy Director to lead the Housing and Regeneration Strategy function. This is a senior leadership role for a strategic policy professional who can set long-term direction while remaining focused in delivery realities.

The role plays a central part in shaping the Departments overall housing strategy, working across tenures and policy areas to support delivery of the Governments ambition to build 1.5 million homes this Parliament, alongside improving quality, affordability and outcomes for residents. This includes leading the Governments strategy to deliver 1.5m homes, working across the department, government and with external stakeholders to shape our approach. The postholder will ensure that housing policy responds effectively to the economic, fiscal and delivery context -supporting growth, unlocking supply, and driving reforms to support housing supply.

You will lead a team of around 30 staff and be part of the senior leadership team in Housing Markets and Strategy. You will work closely across the Department, with HM Treasury and No.10, and with key delivery partners including Homes England and the housing sector.

Success in the role will involve shaping a clear and deliverable long-term housing strategy, strengthening cross-government alignment, and ensuring the Department is well positioned for fiscal events and delivery against the 1.5 million homes target.

You will be a visible and collaborative senior leader, contributing to a high-performing and inclusive culture, and role modelling Civil Service leadership behaviours.

Why Join Us

As Deputy Director for Housing Strategy, you will work on one of the Governments highest priorities - driving the delivery of 1.5 million homes while improving quality, affordability and outcomes for residents. You will operate at the interface of policy, delivery and fiscal decision-making, coordinating major Spending Reviews and Budgets and working closely with HM Treasury, No.10 and key delivery partners.

You will engage with senior stakeholders across Whitehall and beyond, including Ministers, regulators and industry leaders, and play a central role in shaping how the housing system responds to economic, fiscal and delivery challenges.

You will join a high-performing and collaborative leadership team, with the opportunity to build capability, develop talent and contribute to a strong and inclusive culture. The role offers significant scope to make a lasting impact on housing outcomes across the country, while developing your own leadership at the most senior levels of the Civil Service.

The Role

Working closely with the Director and wider senior leadership team, key responsibilities include:

• Setting and leading the Departments overarching housing strategy, aligned to the Governments growth mission and wider economic priorities

• Driving cross-cutting strategy across housing tenures, ensuring coherence between supply, demand, affordability and quality

• Leading the Departments approach to fiscal events, including Spending Reviews and Budgets, working closely with HM Treasury and No.10

• Shaping delivery of the Governments ambition to deliver 1.5 million homes this Parliament, reporting to No.10 through regular PM stocktakes.

• Leading cross-government work to unlock housing supply and address systemic barriers to delivery.

• Providing high-quality advice to Ministers on complex, sensitive and politically significant issues

• Leading a central housing strategy and briefing function, ensuring clear, evidence-led and timely advice

• Playing a full role in the leadership of the Directorate and wider Group, including corporate and cross-cutting priorities

• Leading, developing and deploying the team effectively, ensuring clear prioritisation, strong capability and resilient delivery in a fast-paced environment

The Person

You will be an experienced and visible leader who can motivate and empower teams delivering at pace, and who actively contributes to corporate leadership across the Directorate and Department.

You will be comfortable operating with ambiguity, bringing clarity and structure to complex problems, and using evidence and judgement to shape strategy and advice in a politically and economically dynamic context.

You will bring strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the credibility to engage senior leaders across Whitehall and externally, including Ministers or equivalent senior stakeholders.

You will combine strategic thinking with a strong grip on delivery, and be confident working with specialist professions (including analysts, legal, finance and commercial) and in commercially informed policy environments.

Prior experience in housing, market or competition policy, or finance and investment is welcomed but not essential.

Given the national scope of the role, hybrid working and some travel to meetings and other UK locations should be anticipated.

You will be expected to attend the office in accordance with the Departments office attendance policy which is currently set at 60% for SCS.

Essential Criteria

• Leads complex, cross-cutting strategy across policy and delivery contexts, using strong analysis and evidence to inform decisions

• Delivers at pace, managing risk effectively and adapting to changing priorities

• Influences at senior level, building strong relationships across Whitehall and externally, and advising Ministers with sound judgement and political awareness

• Provides inclusive leadership, leading through ambiguity and building high-performing teams

• Demonstrates strong understanding of fiscal and public spending processes, including experience of working with HM Treasury and in financially or commercially informed contexts

• Brings a creative, innovative and problem-solving approach to complex policy challenges