Head of Housing Tenancy and Leasehold Management

External Advert 

Head of Housing Tenancy and Leasehold Management – Housing Services 

Location: Waverley Borough Council (Godalming) & Guildford Borough Council | Full Time | Fixed Term Contract 

Joint Payscale £80,749 - £87,180 (Fixed Term Contract Until 31st March 2029)

 

Strategic leadership with a community focus 

Waverley Borough Council is looking for a forward-thinking leader to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of our borough and lead a dedicated team in delivering high-quality public services. 

About the Role 

This is an exciting and unique opportunity to join the newly established Housing Leadership Team and help shape the future of housing services across Guildford and Waverley Councils. We have established five Head of Service roles to strengthen collaboration, improve resident outcomes and provide specialist operational leadership during a period of significant change. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to influence strategic direction, lead significant service transformation and make a lasting difference to the lives of tenants, leaseholders and communities across both authorities.  

The Head of Housing Tenancy and Leasehold Management is responsible for shaping and delivering high-quality tenancy, neighbourhood and leasehold services across Guildford and Waverley Councils. The role provides leadership for tenancy sustainment, income collection, resident engagement, neighbourhood management, leasehold services and Right to Buy administration, helping ensure residents receive accessible, fair and effective services. 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Leading tenancy, neighbourhood and leasehold services across both councils.  

• Managing income collection, tenancy sustainment and landlord services.  

• Overseeing resident engagement, tenancy enforcement and estate management.  

• Leading Right to Buy and leasehold service functions.  

• Managing significant budgets and Housing Revenue Account-funded services.  

• Driving customer-focused service improvement and community outcomes. 

About You 

You will be able to demonstrate: 

• Extensive experience leading housing management, tenancy or leasehold services at a senior level. 

• Strong knowledge of tenancy management, leasehold services, rent collection and landlord responsibilities. 

• Experience managing complex budgets, contracts and resources. 

• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills. 

• Excellent communication skills and experience working with residents, Members and partners. 

• A track record of delivering service improvement and organisational change. 

What We Offer 

In return for your valued leadership and skills, we offer a competitive benefits package which includes: 

- Hybrid and agile working policies 

- Training and development opportunities including apprenticeships 

- Generous annual leave and flexi time 

- An employee assistance programme 

- Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme 

You can find out more about working at Waverley and our benefits by visiting: Jobs | Waverley Borough Council 

Ready to join us? 

For more information or to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact Annalisa Howson. annalisa.howson@waverley.gov.uk

The closing date for application is 9am on the 9th November 2026 and we anticipate interviews being held week commencing 16th November 2026.

Equality and Inclusion Statement 

The district is home to many different people, and we want our workforce to reflect our diverse local communities. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences – we are a Disability Confident employer and appoint on merit. You can find out more about this scheme and check your eligibility here - Working at Waverley Borough Council | Waverley Borough Council  

 

We are proud to have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from serving or ex-members of the armed forces and their partners. We offer an interview scheme for serving and ex-military forces members when they meet the essential criteria for the role. You can find out more about this scheme and check your eligibility here - Working at Waverley Borough Council | Waverley Borough Council 

Please note we do not accept applications after the stated closing time.  

Right to work in the UK will be checked as part of the interview process. 

We understand that some applicants may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with preparing their applications.

All submitted information, whether supported by AI or not, must accurately reflect the applicant’s own skills, experience, and qualifications.

Recruitment decisions will be based on how well applicants demonstrate these attributes during the interview and selection process.

From April 2027, Guildford Borough Council and Waverley Borough Council will become part of the new West Surrey unitary council, following the government’s confirmed plans for local government reorganisation across Surrey. This change will see the current twelve councils replaced by two new authorities, East Surrey and West Surrey, with West Surrey taking responsibility for the areas currently served by Guildford, Waverley, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath and Woking.

As we move towards this transition, our focus remains firmly on delivering high‑quality, value‑for‑money services and staying true to our shared organisational values of Collaboration, Wellbeing, Trusted, Value for Money and Professionalism.

We recognise that any period of organisational change can bring questions, particularly regarding future structures and working arrangements. Throughout this process, we are committed to supporting our colleagues with transparency and care prioritising wellbeing, maintaining a trusted and open dialogue, and ensuring continued access to learning and professional development opportunities.

While the exact shape of the new West Surrey Council beyond 2027 is still being developed, joining us now means becoming part of an organisation where collaboration thrives and where your contribution will directly influence one of the most significant local government transformations in decades. You’ll gain valuable experience, play an active role in shaping the future of public services across West Surrey, and work within a team committed to professionalism and delivering outstanding outcomes for our communities.

Together, we will ensure a smooth transition and continue to deliver exceptional services for residents both now and into the future.

To apply for this vacancy, click the “Apply Online” link.

If you are not already on Waverley Borough Council's website for this vacancy, you will be redirected to our website's jobs page.  Either click "Apply Online" at the bottom of this page, or at the top left hand side under Waverley Borough Council click either the "Log in" button (if you are already registered) or the "Register" button.

You will be redirected to the JobsGoPublic system, which manages our online recruitment process. Once you have registered with JobsGoPublic (which is free to use) you can log in to your application at any time and keep track of where you are in the recruitment process.  

If you are unable to use this service or would like assistance, please contact us via hr@waverley.gov.uk or call the Human Resources team on 01483 523388.