Location
Elgin Ave., London

Hours
Full Time - 37 hours per week

Salary
£72,840 per annum

About the Role
Do you want to work on one of the most exciting transformation projects in the public sector? The Defence Housing Strategy sets out the MOD’s plan to refurbish or replace nine in ten Defence family homes, backed by £9 billion in funding and the creation of a new Defence Housing Service (DHS) to drive this change. Currently part of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the Defence housing team manages almost 50,000 Defence family homes, making it one of the largest landlords in the country.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation responds to the evolving needs of military personnel and the ways in which they live and work. We are proud to be the expert partner Defence needs for all infrastructure requirements, delivering value for money and innovating proactively to meet customer needs.

The Defence Housing Service, established through the Armed Forces Bill, will deliver a step-change in housing for the UK’s Armed Forces and their families. DHS will modernise tens of thousands of homes, introduce a customer-focused approach to maintenance, and unlock new housing development opportunities on Defence land. This is one of the most ambitious housing transformation programmes in the UK today, backed by a £9 billion investment.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the culture, influence operations, and help deliver lasting improvements for Service families across the UK.

As Deputy Head of Housing Policy, you will lead a substantial programme of policy development focused on standards, allocations, and wider landlord policy. You will ensure policies are coherent, deliverable, legally robust, and financially sustainable, supporting the ambition to provide safe, high-quality homes for Service personnel and their families.

Reporting at a senior level, you will provide authoritative advice to Ministers and senior leaders, lead policy reform, embed a family-centred approach, and ensure alignment with statutory and regulatory requirements. You will build and lead a high-performing policy team, foster cross-government collaboration, and represent Defence at key governance forums and external engagements.

Key responsibilities include:
- Leading development and implementation of accommodation and landlord policy including standards, allocations, estate management, repairs, maintenance, and tenancy frameworks
- Providing expert advice and briefing to senior leaders and Ministers on complex policy issues and risks
- Driving reform and modernisation of accommodation policy through cross-MOD collaboration
- Shaping the transition of policy into the future Defence Housing Service ensuring clarity of roles and compliance
- Overseeing policy assurance, compliance and performance aligned with legal, safety and quality standards
- Leading stakeholder engagement across MOD, Front Line Commands, families’ federations, and wider government
- Building and leading a high-performing team promoting evidence-based policymaking and continuous improvement

The future delivery model for this team is under review and may change, potentially involving transfer to a different employer or organisational structure. Existing employees transferring with activities will maintain the same or substantially the same terms and conditions of employment.

Experience
- Strong experience in policy development within complex or high-profile environments, ideally in housing, landlord functions or public service delivery
- Ability to analyse complex evidence and provide clear, balanced advice across operational, legal and financial considerations
- Proven experience supporting senior leaders and preparing high-quality written outputs such as Ministerial briefings or policy instructions
- Demonstrable leadership experience including managing teams and driving cross-organisational collaboration
- Excellent stakeholder engagement skills with ability to influence senior levels across government and external partners
- Ability to operate in complex, ambiguous environments and deliver at pace while maintaining high standards

About you
- Strong leadership capabilities and ability to see the big picture
- Effective communicator and influencer
- Skilled in making effective decisions under pressure
- Committed to a family-centred approach in policy design and delivery

Qualifications
- Full, valid UK driving licence is required due to regular travel to locations not easily accessible by public transport

Desirable
- Knowledge of landlord regulatory frameworks, ombudsman systems, and compliance regimes
- Experience engaging with legal teams, delivery bodies and customer representatives