Housing Strategy & Commissioning Manager

Outline of job tasks

1. Manage the Housing Strategy and Commissioning team and be part of the wider housing, planning and regeneration leadership team.
2. Commission housing and related services and lead on managing the Council’s contractual relationship with the Housing Partnership, overseeing its service delivery and the future development of the Council’s landlord function.
3. Be responsible as lead client on behalf of the Council for the contractual relationship with Encompass, the Local Authority Trading Company responsible for the statutory housing functions (housing advice, homelessness, the housing register etc) as well as some adult social care activities.
4. Support the Council’s housing development company, the Councils Living Limited in the delivery of its functions.
5. Lead on the development and production of the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan, housing and other related strategies to ensure that they are effective, high quality documents.
6. Working with providers, establish performance management systems, set targets to monitor and measure performance across housing and related functions and have lead responsibility for the collection, collation and presentation of housing related performance data and for updating the Council’s corporate performance management system.
7. Collect and analyse information on housing needs, supply and market conditions to inform the Council’s housing enabling role and commission external consultants or others to carry out research into housing needs.
8. Lead on the co-ordination and submission of the Council’s annual housing statistical returns and other related submissions to government. Be responsible for meeting all the reporting requirements of the Department for levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) or its future equivalent, the Regulator of Social Housing and other agencies.
9. Play a leading role in the preparation of budgets for housing services including the HRA estimates and HRA capital programme, through effective joint working with the Housing Partnership.
10. Be responsible as the Council’s lead officer for ensuring the delivery of high quality services and investment at Roundshaw, reflecting the Council’s historic commitment to the local community.
11. Maintain an expert working knowledge of current and emerging policy and strategy relevant to all aspects of housing, and initiate reviews of the Council’s policies and practices in the light of national or regional policy and legislation.
12. Collaborate with colleagues in other divisions of Environment, Housing and Neighbourhoods, and the People and Resources Directorates, to implement strategic commissioning effectively in order to meet identified needs and organisational priorities.
13. Represent the Council at external high-level meetings with government or regional agencies such as DLUHC, the Local Government Association, Greater London Authority and London Councils.
14. Analyse, interpret and advise upon new legislative requirements and government policy affecting services and to develop plans, policies and procedures in order to ensure that these requirements are met.
15. Prepare the Council’s response to government and other housing and related consultations.
16. Produce and present reports to committees, Member Task and Finish Groups and similar forums and groupings.
17. Oversee and deal with Member enquiries, FOI requests, complaints etc, where these require client input.