Please read before applying:

To apply for this role you will need to submit a CV and statement of suitability. These need to be merged into one document. When submitting your application Applied will ask you to upload a CV, when doing this you should upload your merged document of your CV and statement of suitability. There are further details in the Selection Process section further below in this advert.

If you experience technical issues during the application process we have found using a different browser or device in the first instance can be a quick fix.

If those don't work please email scs.recruitment@communities.gov.uk with your application and/or CV before the submission deadline. Any applications received after the deadline may not be considered.

Short Summary

A fundamental shortage of supply underpins many of the failures in our housing market, including lack of affordability, quality and lack of consumer choice. The Housing Supply and Markets DD role is a critical role in MHCLG, looking to address these challenges by delivering against the Government’s commitment to build 1.5m homes over this parliament, crucial for improving housing affordability in this country.

Job Description

The role will involve driving through a major package of reforms to the housing market as part of the long-term housing strategy to be published in 2025. These include supporting skills, growth and productivity of the housebuilding industry, driving diversification of the developer market, encouraging faster build out through mixed tenure and responsibility for bringing institutional investment into the sector, working with Homes England. This is a great opportunity for individuals who thrive in complex and fast paced environments, working collaboratively across a broad systems to develop coherent policies, enjoy problem solving and managing rapid change and are comfortable operating in a commercial environment.

You will be a key part of a collaborative, inclusive and high-performing team, working flexibly to deliver on one of the Government’s top priorities. As one of the Department’s senior leaders, you will also be a visible role model for the Civil Service leadership behaviours. The Directorate is passionate about diversity and inclusion and welcomes candidates working in flexible working arrangements. We’re also committed to building the department Beyond Whitehall, and so welcome candidates based across the country.​

You will be working in a job share, please get in touch if you’d like to disucss.

Key accountabilities

The key elements of the DD Housing Supply and Markets responsibilities will include: ​

• To set and lead the Department’s overall strategy for housing supply and markets, helping the market to deliver 1.5m high quality safe and affordable homes. ​

• Working closely with other departments, including DFE, DBT, HMT and Dft, as well as other housing and planning directorates, analytical, legal, finance and commercial colleagues to ensure cross-Department development of this strategy. ​

• To manage the risks to the market and achievement of the Government's housing supply objectives e.g. due to housing downturns and regulatory shocks.​

• Building and managing key relationships with the housebuilding sector. ​

• Lead work to increase productivity in the housing market, including through support for Modern Methods of Construction.​

• Delivery of a new consumer support function, the New Homes Ombudsman. ​

• Lead work to build a more competitive, diverse and resilient market, including through: ​

- Oversight of our portfolio of guarantee programmes (valued at c. £11bn), policy work on guarantees, and the development of new guarantee programmes. ​

- Oversight of the £1.5bn Levelling Up Home Building Fund, providing loans to developers, working with HE, our delivery body. ​

- Policy work on SMEs, support for mixed tenure and increased build out.​

- Oversight of the Government's strategy for institutional investment in housing, including design of future investment funds ahead of the Spending Review.​

• Administration and reform of the New Homes Bonus. ​

• Play an active role in the senior leadership of the Group and Directorate, helping to make the Directorate a fantastic place to work. ​

• Lead a team of around c.30 people and form part of the SCS leadership team in Housing Markets & Strategy.

Person specification

You will be an experienced and visible leader, able to engage a motivated team working under pressure and at pace, and to actively contribute to the wider leadership agenda of the Directorate and Department.

You will be a highly effective strategic thinker, able to use your judgment, drawing in outside expertise as needed to develop your advice and help Ministers navigate lead an agenda in an uncertain policy environment. You will need to be able to engage effectively across departmental boundaries and outside government at a senior level and have proven and credible experience working with ministers or external equivalent senior stakeholders.

First rate stakeholder handling skills are essential as you will need to work closely with senior leaders across and across the housing sector in this role. You will need to be a collaborator and influencer; and to thrive on handling a broad range of policy and performance oversight issues.

With strong analytical skills, you will understand the wider contextual economic and social issues. You will be able use this insight to develop innovative new policy solutions and challenge established ways of thinking. It is important that you are adept at managing and working with specialists and comfortable with commercial content.

We particularly encourage applications from those of an ethnic minority background and those with disabilities, as well as those based in locations outside of London. The directorate supports a range of flexible working arrangements (e.g. job shares) and we welcome applications from applicants with flexible working arrangements.

As one of the Department’s senior leaders, you will also be a visible role model for the Civil Service leadership behaviours. These can be found in the Civil Service Leadership Statement which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-leadership-statement/civil-service-leadership-statement    

Essential criteria

• Experience of developing complex and cross-cutting strategy in an economic or social policy making context, while demonstrating strong analytical capability with the ability to use evidence to solve complex problems.

• Creative policy maker / thought leader with an entrepreneurial approach.

• Experience managing public money and strong financial management skills.

• An inspiring, confident and empowering leader, who can lead effectively through ambiguity and get the best out of a diverse workforce through promoting an inclusive, high-performance culture while providing strong corporate leadership.

• A track record of driving successful delivery at pace and managing risks effectively, including the ability to adapt to changing situations.

• The ability to develop, maintain and influence senior networks across Whitehall and externally. A record of working effectively with senior stakeholders which may include Ministers and/or comparable senior groups externally, and the judgement to handle sensitive and political issues confidently with acumen.

Desirable criteria

• ​Knowledge of housing policy, working in market / competition policy and / or finance/investment policy are desirable but not essential.

How to apply

Please click the Be Applied link to provide the required information and complete your application through the Be Applied website by 23:55 on 20 January 2025.

You will be asked to enter some personal details, upload your CV and to provide your responses to the role’s advertised essential criteria.​

When prompted to upload your CV, please upload a single document consisting of:

• a CV (including the names of 2 referees and your current remuneration) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities, achievements and your relevant qualifications. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. ​ 

• a statement of suitability explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria provided in the person specification. (max. 2 pages)​ 

Please remember to save these two items in one document. Both items will be assessed to determine sift outcomes.  

Failure to submit both a CV and statement of suitability will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the Essential Criteria. 

Please note that only completed applications through the Be Applied route will be considered and that any further progress updates will be sent through Be Applied. 

The hiring managers, Emma Fraser &​ Melanie Montanari, would be happy to have informal discussions with candidates who would like further information about the role before submitting an application. If interested, please contact scs.recruitment@communities.gov.uk  

The selection panel will be made up of: 

• Emma Fraser &​ Melanie Montanari, Directors, Housing Markets and Strategy (Hiring Managers)​

• Caroline Winter, Deputy Director, Housing Supply and Markets (job share partner)

• Additional Directors, TBC

Selection process and assessments

During sifting, both your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the role’s Essential Criteria. These Essential Criteria will also be used to form the basis of the panel’s questions in your final interview.

If a role lists Desirable Criteria, these will only be used to determine the merit order of candidates who rank evenly when assessed against the Essential Criteria.

Candidates that are shortlisted may be invited to attend a staff engagement panel.  

At MHCLG we hold staff engagement panels as an integral part of the recruitment process for Senior Civil Servants (SCS) – they are designed to help us build up a rounded picture of each candidate and give us an insight into how you might engage and interact with your team should you be successful. The purpose of the session is to help us assess your engagement and communication skills and is not about testing your subject knowledge or expertise for this particular role. Feedback from the session is passed onto the selection panel for consideration alongside the final interview.

Candidates may also be invited to a meeting with a Minister or the Deputy PM, and/or other senior stakeholders. This is not a formal part of the selection process but an informal chance for candidates to find out more about the role and the organisation.

Shortlisted candidates will also be invited to give a short presentation or complete an exercise at the beginning of their final interview. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates when invited to interview.  

All of the evidence presented as part of the process will be considered in the final assessment. 

Location 

This role is available in one of the locations listed below. During the application process you will be asked to express a location preference, from the advertised locations. Any offer made will be based on that specific location. ​ 

• London

• Wolverhampton

• Darlington

• Leeds

• Manchester

• Bristol 

Salary 

For external appointments, remuneration for this role will be £76,000 pa pro rata, plus a bonus opportunity depending on performance (within the normal Civil Service pay arrangements) and attractive pension.​

This role is specifically a job share role on a part-time basis of c. 22-28 hours per week.

For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If appointed on promotion you would get the higher of 10% uplift or the new minimum for Director.

Future pay awards will normally be made in line with current SCS performance-related pay arrangements.

Reserve List  

In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details in a reserve list for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this.

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Near Miss Offers​ 

Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign.

Security Clearance 

All DLUHC colleagues must meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard. This is a series of basic security checks to confirm identity and employment history.

In addition to the BPSS, the level of security clearance required for this role is Security Check (SC) and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete. For more details of vetting levels and requirements please refer to the Cabinet Office HMG Personnel Security Controls.

Complaints Process 

Please see candidate pack slide 23 for details.