Assistant director of neighbourhood

Salary: £99,166 + £4,936 salary supplement

Location: This role requires regular working time across two of our office locations. You will be expected to work one day per week at our Baldock office in Letchworth Garden City and one day per week at our Wooburn Green office in High Wycombe. This will form part of your standard weekly working pattern. The other three days can be done working from home.

Contract: Full time, Permanent

Hours: 37 hours per week (Monday–Friday)

Are you looking to join a growing, values‑led organisation with a clear social purpose? At SettleParadigm, we’re proud to be the largest housing group in the region, managing over 30,000 homes across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshire. Everything we do is about delivering excellent services, high quality homes, neighbourhoods we can be proud of and maximising number of new affordable homes we build. Through our merger we’ve brought together shared values, skills and ambition, so we can build more affordable homes and make an even bigger difference in the communities we serve. If you're ready to grow your career in a supportive, inclusive environment while helping to shape stronger communities, we’d love to welcome you on our journey. Together, we’re building a better future. If you’re an ambitious, visible and improvement‑driven leader with a passion for neighbourhoods, this is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of our communities.

About The Role

We’re looking for a forward‑thinking Assistant Director of Neighbourhood to join our Customer Directorate and play a key role in delivering outstanding neighbourhood and tenancy services. You will work alongside the Neighbourhood Director to lead high‑performing teams, drive continuous improvement and ensure our neighbourhoods are safe, well‑managed and places residents are proud to call home. You’ll bring a strong focus on customer perception, community impact and service transformation; using data, insight and resident feedback to design interventions that make a measurable difference. This is a highly visible leadership role. You’ll be out in our communities, building trust with residents, working closely with partners and ensuring our services are responsive, compliant and aligned to regulatory expectations. You’ll champion innovation, drive cultural change and lead with clarity, confidence and compassion.

This role requires regular working time across two of our office locations. You will be expected to work one day per week at our Baldock office in Letchworth Garden City and one day per week at our Wooburn Green office in High Wycombe. This will form part of your standard weekly working pattern. The other three days can be done working from home.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead neighbourhood and tenancy services, driving high performance, service improvement and positive resident outcomes
• Drive continuous improvement using data, insight and feedback to shape services and interventions
• Improve customer perception of neighbourhoods, communal areas and our contribution to local communities
• Act as a visible leader, building trust with residents, colleagues and partners
• Lead change management activity to modernise services and embed new ways of working
• Use TSMs and performance data to drive decision‑making and service design
• Develop neighbourhood improvement plans that deliver measurable community impact
• Champion community investment and social value initiatives
• Ensure compliance with housing legislation, regulatory standards and consumer requirements
• Lead and develop teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and high performance
• Represent SettleParadigm with external partners, local authorities, resident groups and stakeholders

What We’re Looking For

You’re an ambitious, strategic and people‑centred leader who thrives in a fast‑paced environment. You combine deep neighbourhood management expertise with strong analytical capability, a passion for improvement and a commitment to resident experience.

Must Haves

• Substantial leadership experience at Head of Service level or above
• Proven experience in neighbourhood management, tenancy services and community‑focused operations
• Strong track record of continuous improvement and change management
• Highly experienced in TSMs, performance frameworks and regulatory expectations
• Ability to turn data into actionable plans that drive measurable outcomes
• Experience in improving customer perception, communal areas and neighbourhood environments
• Visible, influential and confident leadership style
• Strong stakeholder management and partnership‑building skills
• Either CIH qualified, working towards, or willing to undertake a qualification

Nice To Haves

• Experience in community investment, social value or place‑based initiatives
• Experience working with regulatory bodies or through inspections

Benefits

• annual salary: £99,166 per annum + £4,936 salary supplement
• 25 days holiday, increasing with service, plus Christmas closure and buy options
• Generous pension scheme – up to 9.5% employer contribution via salary sacrifice
• Family‑friendly leave: Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
• Health cash plan – claim up to £1,800 for everyday health costs (plus free kids’ cover)
• Life cover and income protection
• Flexible working – hybrid options, modern offices, free parking & EV charging

And that’s just the beginning! We’re also thrilled to provide

• Mental Health First Aiders available to support
• Car leasing via salary sacrifice (for permanent colleagues subject to conditions)
• Funded training, qualifications & apprenticeships
• 3 paid volunteering days in the local communities
• Peer‑recognition rewards platform
• Paid professional subscription (one per year)

Working Hours & Additional Pay

• 37 hours per week.
• Monday - Thursday 09:00 - 17:30
• Friday 09:00 - 17:00

Our Commitment

We are committed to creating an inclusive workforce, by reflecting and representing the diversity of the communities we serve. We would like to encourage applications from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds; people who identify as disabled, neurodiverse, members of the LGBTQ+ community and people from underrepresented groups.

Accessibility and Adjustments

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. Please let us know in advance of any suitable arrangements required.

Due to the nature of some of our roles involving work with vulnerable members of society, this post may be subject to a basic or enhanced Criminal Disclosure, which will be carried out when a conditional offer is made.

Please ensure you fully answer the questions on the application form.

Closing Date: 05.07.2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the closing date should we find a suitable candidate.