Housing Improvement & Assistance Programme Manager

Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities! We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.

Introduction

Do you have detailed knowledge and experience in the delivery of disabled facility grants and home improvement loans? Do you have experience and knowledge of regulating and bringing empty homes back into use? Do you have experience in performance management? Are you skilled in leading and motivating a team?

What’s the role?

Managing a busy disabled facilities grants (DFG) and home improvements service with up to 9 direct reports. The role also includes regulating and bringing empty homes back into use, with direct line management of the council's empty homes officer. You will support the Head of Service restructuring the DFG team to optimise and improve service delivery, implement a new IT system and deliver DFGs and home improvement loans within statutory and guidance timescales. In addition, you will oversee the allocation of the annual DFG budget, ensuring it is fully utilised and that all spending achieves value for money.

What’s in it for you?

• Excellent training and development opportunities
• Generous holiday allowance
• Local Government Pension scheme
• Flexible working and family friendly policies
• Season ticket and bicycle loans
• A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
• Supportive staff networks

What we’re looking for

You will have experience in the administration of grants and adaptations, with an excellent understanding of relevant grants legislation and guidance. You will be experienced in performance management and will be able to ensure that DFG/discretionary grant referrals are completed within statutory/guidance timescales with quality and consistency. You will have excellent communication, interpersonal and case management skills. You will also have an understanding and working knowledge of empty homes legislation, including the options available to local authorities to bring them back into use.

Location

The job is primarily based in Lawrence House, 1 Catford Road, London, SE6 4RU, but we operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work both in the office and from home on a regular basis.

Special conditions

• HNC/HND in construction, surveying or similar is desirable (or willing to work towards)
• Certificate of competency in performing HHSRS assessments and hazard identification is desirable (or willing to work towards)
• Trusted Assessor Level 4 Certificate is desirable (or willing to work towards)
• The job is subject to a basic DBS check

The recruitment process is anonymous and we don’t accept CVs. For an informal discussion about this job, please contact Sean.Grady@lewisham.gov.uk

Please use the following link to apply: Apply here

Closing date

Closing date: Friday 18th September 2026, 23:59

Diversity

Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply.

The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response.