Senior Manager - Contracting and Operations Manager

The Senior Manager, Core Business Contracting, leads a team responsible for the end-to-end origination and completion of all contracts with our partners delivering grant-funded Affordable Housing in England. The team is part of Affordable Housing Grants, responsible for delivering thousands of affordable homes each year.

Reporting to the Head of Provider Services Operations, the post holder will lead a four-member contracting operations team, ensuring partners, including housing associations and house builders, enter into the correct grant agreements with Homes England. The role emphasizes maintaining standardised terms and conditions and, when appropriate and within risk appetite, negotiating contract variations.

This fast-paced role requires close collaboration with internal delivery and legal teams and external partners, including lawyers. The goal is to secure timely agreements that enable partners to deliver affordable homes while safeguarding Homes England’s funding.

The post holder must have a strong operational focus, with the ability to identify strategic implications for grant delivery and contracts, contributing to solutions. Teamwork is vital to provide a comprehensive end-to-end service. The Senior Manager will collaborate with our new business, delivery, onboarding, and due diligence teams, as well as a small team focusing on future contract development.

We value a collaborative and flexible working style that appreciates diverse experiences and perspectives, fostering good decision-making and problem-solving within the team. This is a rare opportunity to influence the future of Affordable Housing within a national organization committed to social purpose.

You will be accustomed to managing multiple priorities and continuously seeking improvements and innovations. Resilience and the ability to manage senior stakeholders are essential, along with a strong understanding of the commercial and operational impacts of contracting activities. You enjoy working in an innovative, engaging manner, with strong negotiation and persuasion skills.

Experience managing colleagues and working collaboratively and inclusively is crucial. While some team members are based in London, the role requires regular travel to London to support London-based staff. A legal qualification is not required; however, prior experience managing high-value, high-volume contracting operations and maintaining standard terms and conditions is essential.

Homes England: The Housing and Regeneration Agency believes that affordable, quality homes in well-designed places are key to improving lives. As the government’s housing and regeneration agency, we create thriving places and transform urban areas by leveraging our powers, expertise, land, capital, and influence to attract investment and build more homes.

We form long-term partnerships bridging public and private sectors to meet local needs, champion sustainable homes and communities, and support a resilient, diverse, and innovative housing sector. Our efforts include encouraging modern construction methods, emphasizing building safety, and supporting new entrants to the market. Together with our partners, we aim to accelerate house building, remediation, and regeneration efforts nationwide, delivering more affordable homes for future generations.

Alongside a competitive salary and 33 days of annual leave, we support hybrid working arrangements to help you balance work and life. We provide employee assistance programmes, financial wellbeing support, and discounts with leading retailers. Our network groups support diversity and inclusion, helping you to be yourself at work and shape our future.

If you are a member of a professional body, we will pay for your membership. Once onboarded, you'll receive your digital kit to get started. We encourage early applications as vacancies may close early if filled. Please use the full application option, especially if applying under the disability confident scheme. If shortlisted, proof of right to work in the UK will be required.