Location: York / Hybrid Contract: Full-time / Permanent Salary: £81,174 – £89,956 per annum (pay award pending), plus relocation support Now is an exciting time to take a leading role in shaping York’s housing future. York is a place where big things are happening. From major regeneration schemes and housing developments to clean transport projects, innovative digital infrastructure and award-winning community engagement, we are creating the conditions for people and places to thrive. You’ll be empowered to lead in a supportive, values-led culture where collaboration, creativity and improvement are championed at every level. Reporting to the Director of Housing & Communities, the Assistant Director of Housing will lead York’s Housing portfolio, ensuring all residents of our beautiful city have access to safe, affordable homes. You will play a vital role in developing and delivering housing services that support the public and vulnerable populations, working closely with the Combined Authority and a wide range of local partners. You will be responsible for overseeing and driving the delivery of housing provision, maintaining rigorous standards to meet current and evolving housing regulations. As City of York Council moves towards a ‘one public estate’ approach and having approved a new local plan that will unlock housing developments across the city, you will be a key stakeholder in these transformative initiatives. You will lead the housing workforce and deliver the council’s housing strategies to: Discharge statutory housing duties related to homelessness, housing allocations, private sector housing, adaptations, and home energy efficiency, alongside statutory landlord services for council homes; Deliver the council’s housing development programme. Your specific portfolio will cover: Housing Registration & Options Resettlement Services Temporary Accommodation Building Services and Responsive Repairs Private Sector Enforcement Housing Standards & Adaptations Housing Delivery Housing Strategy and Partnerships Some key accountabilities will be to : Set clear performance targets and develop robust monitoring systems to assess progress against housing strategies and standards set by the Housing Regulator, reflecting local, regional, and national goals. Lead strategic planning across all housing services, including council provision, other landlords, and private sector options, to create sustainable housing solutions for all residents. Monitor and respond proactively to political and external developments to ensure housing strategies meet the council’s objectives/council plan, the administration’s political ambitions alongside regional devolved and national government /statutory requirements. Ensure that the council’s overall housing ambitions are fully integrated into the council’s overarching goals and strategic direction. Drive the development and delivery of collaborative programmes with key partners to: o Expand and diversify housing supply to meet current and future needs; o Uphold and enforce high housing standards across all sectors, reinforcing York’s reputation as a great place to live; o Reduce homelessness across the city. Oversee the effective management and maintenance of the council’s housing stock to ensure well-maintained properties, sustainable tenancies, and safe, thriving communities. Annually set and review ambitious, meaningful performance measures that reflect local priorities and the operating environment. Monitor and analyse key performance data to drive continuous improvement and identify necessary corrective actions. Benchmark performance against industry best practices to maintain high standards Direct, lead and manage the Housing team, budgets, and assets, including the Housing Revenue Account and Business Plan, ensuring financial and operational efficiency. Provide regular briefings and expert advice to the Chief Operating Officer, Director, Executive, and elected members on strategic performance and statutory housing responsibilities, supporting informed decision-making and governance. Apply innovative thinking to build strong relationships, influence complex negotiations, and foster a results-driven, customer-focused culture that delivers cost-effective, high-quality services. Develop and implement community engagement strategies that empower residents to participate in service redesign and explore new delivery models. Collaborate closely with national government bodies—such as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Homes England, and the Housing Regulator—and professional organisations to secure funding, stay informed of emerging trends, and elevate York’s profile. Work in partnership with the statutory Children’s and Adults Corporate Directors to create housing strategies for vulnerable people, focusing on pathways to reduce homelessness and rough sleeping. York is a modern city, and we adopt modern working practices, this enables us to visibly lead services in York and really know and understand our great city and our communities, whilst practicing effective hybrid working to maximise our efficiencies. In practice this typically results in working within the city 2 to 3 days per week. York is well-connected and only 2 hours from London and Edinburgh on the main train line. In the Housing & Communities Directorate we work across 2 sites so the expectation is that some office time will be split between our city centre headquarters in West Offices opposite the railway station and the Depot at Hazel Court on the edge of the City Centre (within walking/cycling distance). About City of York Council Come and join our team At City of York Council we are focused on four core principles at the centre of everything we do: Equalities, Affordability, Climate and Health and Wellbeing. Our One City, for all, the City of York Council’s Council Plan (2023-2027 ), sets a strong ambition to increase opportunities for everyone living in York to live healthy and fulfilling lives, and supports our 10 year plan. We have started the decade long journey of our 10-year plan, which sets a clear vision for the city. By 2032 we will be a city that is vibrant, prosperous, welcoming and sustainable, where everyone can share and take pride in its success. Our 10 year strategies underpin this plan and include the Climate Change Strategy, the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the York Economic Strategy. Our strategies also have a strong alignment to the Combined Authority priorities. This in turn offers the opportunity for this role to play a key part in achieving many of the Council Plan objectives and to work closely with Executive and Corporate Management Team to shape and steer the council to achieve its ambition. We had already made a commitment to developing 600 new homes across York in Council owned sites and this is set out in our Housing Delivery Programme, and have now committed to an additional 250 1 bed tenancies with other providers across the city to deliver Housing First, and expansion of social housing and the delivery of more affordable homes. Our Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-2029 will seek to enlist partners, stakeholders and citizens in a plan to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. The council’s Housing Charter vision of One Team, Healthy Homes, Better Lives and principles including We Think Forward, We Think Together and We Think You are embedded within the person- centred, partnership based and wellbeing focused approach taken in this Strategy. Our key Homelessness and Rough Sleeping objectives are; to build on existing successful delivery and partnership to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring; Supported by an action plan focussed on key priorities and investment opportunities, including Housing First led system transformation, more affordable homes for client groups with and without children, and high-quality homelessness prevention services. Our strategy provides a basis for partnership work and strategic partnership development; Progress during 2018-23 informs the identification of needs to build on; Implement enhanced performance monitoring, data and governance frameworks. Building independence is a core principle of support provision, with services designed to develop people’s skills and capacities and to avoid creating dependence. Delivery and outcome monitoring of a distinct offer dependent on local connection status, with specialist pathways developed for individuals with a local connection to the City of York. Alternative resolution options such as supported reconnection with another locality are provided for individuals without local connection status. It may be noted that local connection has a broad definition and encompasses for example, people fleeing domestic abuse who would not be a safe in another area. Our new 10-year Economic Strategy sets out to improve living standards and livelihoods for all of York’s residents and businesses. We aim to do this through increasing productivity, raising earnings, and maintaining our skills advantage. Building on York’s strengths as a leading economy in the North of England, we’ll work inclusively to support all of our residents and businesses to thrive in a fair, healthy and green city. We are made up of passionate, committed problem-solvers working together for the benefit of York. We invest significantly in the development and wellbeing of our staff, creating an environment where individuals can flourish in many ways, including: Providing meaningful work that makes a tangible difference to the lives of residents and colleagues; A supportive management culture that empowers you to reach your full potential; Recognition for your contributions through appreciation initiatives; Guidance and encouragement to navigate the changing environment we are all living in; Flexible working arrangements to help you balance work and life effectively; and A comprehensive rewards package. As an organisation we promote continuous professional development, hybrid working, employer-supported volunteering, and foster a healthy, inclusive work environment. We offer a generous benefits package which includes 30 days annual leave increasing to 35 days upon completion of 5 years local government service, access to the Local Government Pension Scheme together with high street discounts and salary sacrifice schemes. If you’re interested in applying for this position, please click apply now. Closing: Midnight Sunday 29th June 2025 Shortlisting: Thursday 3rd July 2025 Interviews: Thursday 10th July 2025 – in person at the offices of City of York Council (with Peer, Partner, Resident and Main panels)