Director of Housing Standards, Assets & Investment

Westminster Council
Up to £165,000
Hackney

Westminster sits at the heart of the capital – a global city with one of the most complex and high‑profile housing portfolios in the country. We are seeking an exceptional Director of Housing Standards, Assets & Investment to provide strategic leadership across housing standards, asset strategy and investment, ensuring residents live in safe, well‑maintained and sustainable homes.

THE ROLE

This is a pivotal leadership role at a moment of real progress and opportunity. The service has achieved a C1 rating from the Regulator of Social Housing, reflecting significant improvement and strengthened assurance. The next phase is about sustaining and deepening that performance – embedding consistency, building resilience and delivering at scale across a large and diverse portfolio.

This is a role of significant breadth, responsibility and influence, overseeing:

  • Around 22,000 homes, including 12,000 social rent and 10,000 leasehold properties
  • Over 5,000 temporary accommodation properties
  • 148 high‑rise buildings registered with the Building Safety Regulator
  • More than 100,000 responsive repairs each year
  • 63 heat networks serving over 7,000 homes
  • A £2.5bn+ long‑term HRA investment programme, including c.£500m over the next five years
  • A £234m temporary accommodation acquisitions programme
  • A large, multidisciplinary service, with up to seven direct reports and more than 160 staff.

As Director, you will provide clear accountability and visible leadership across a critical portfolio. You will set and deliver an evidence‑led housing asset strategy aligned to risk, resident outcomes and long‑term sustainability. You will lead building safety and compliance, ensuring robust assurance frameworks, strong property data and regulatory readiness. You will drive performance and resident experience across repairs, maintenance, M&E and damp and mould, while providing strong commercial leadership across commissioning, procurement and contract management. You will also shape and deliver decarbonisation and energy efficiency programmes at scale, oversee property standards and acquisitions within temporary accommodation, and work closely with residents, Members, partners and regulators to ensure delivery is transparent, consistent and focused on outcomes.

This is a demanding role in a highly regulated and high‑profile environment. You will be expected to operate with grip, pace and accountability as you embed recent service improvement, maintain regulatory assurance through a changing legislative landscape, and deliver consistent standards across a complex portfolio. You will need to respond confidently to increasing expectations around building safety, Awaab’s Law and heat network regulation, while also ensuring long‑term asset sustainability and progress toward decarbonisation.

We are looking for a proven senior leader in property services, asset management or a related built environment discipline, with the ability to lead at scale. You will be commercially astute, comfortable using data and insight to drive prioritisation and improvement, and confident operating with Members, residents, partners and regulators. Your leadership style will be visible, inclusive and delivery‑focused, with a strong emphasis on accountability, learning and continuous improvement.

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of London’s most significant housing portfolios at a time of sustained improvement and ambitious change. If you are motivated by scale, complexity and public service impact, Westminster offers a platform to make a lasting difference for residents across the city.

INFORMATION

For further details, please click on the role profile and useful links below, or for more information please contact Sunita Patel at sunita.patel@starfishsearch.com or 07561 708023.

Role Profile     Structure Chart    
Timeline

Closing Date: 31st May 2026

Technical Interviews: 8th – 12th June 2026 (Teams)

Shortlist Meeting: w/c 15th June 2026

Final Panel and stakeholder sessions: Between 22nd-26th June 2026 (In Person)

Useful Links
Strategic Asset Management Plan 2026-2031 VIEW
Regulatory judgement in February 2025 VIEW
Our performance across housing services VIEW
Housing news VIEW
Our anti-racist approach and commitment VIEW
Equality, diversity and inclusion action plan VIEW
Our workforce data and Employee Networks VIEW
How to apply

To make an application, please click on the apply now button below, with the following prepared:

  • Your CV (no more than three sides of A4).
  • A supporting statement (no more than three sides of A4) that sets out why you think this role is the right move for you and how you meet the knowledge and experience criteria.

If our client is a member of the Disability Confident Scheme and you would like to apply under the scheme, please state that clearly at the top of your supporting statement, along with any adjustments you require to be made if invited for interview.

Apply