Service Improvement Manager

Overview

Job Title: Service Improvement Manager

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £50,231 (£55,519 is achieved after 12 months successful performance in the role)

Working Hours: 35 hours per week

Working Pattern: Monday to Friday – Hybrid working

Location: Speke, Liverpool

Interviews: will take place w/c 13th October.

Application notes: If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. Riverside recruits to potential, not just on skills and experience, so you are encouraged to apply even if you don\\\’t meet all the essential criteria on the job description.

The difference you will make as a Service Improvement Manager

You will lead and coordinate service improvement across asset services, using performance data, resident feedback and technical evaluations to enhance service quality, efficiency and responsiveness. Develop and implement improvement frameworks to ensure customer feedback and performance data drive positive change and better outcomes for residents. Key focuses include identifying improvement opportunities, coordinating technical audits and post-inspections, and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to design solutions and embed lasting improvements.

About You

We are looking for someone with:

• Experience in service improvement, operational delivery or technical assurance within housing, property or asset services, with a track record of implementing initiatives that improved service quality, customer satisfaction or operational efficiency.
• Strong analytical skills, able to interpret data and turn insights into service improvements.
• Knowledge of housing asset management, repairs and maintenance, and familiarity with social housing regulations (e.g. building safety, consumer standards, Housing Ombudsman guidance) and their application to service delivery.
• Experience coordinating audits, inspections or other quality assurance processes, and using findings to drive improvement and ensure compliance.

Why Riverside?

At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives. We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.

Working With Us, You’ll Enjoy

• Competitive pay & generous pension
• 28 days holidays plus bank holidays
• Flexible working options available
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

Diversity And Inclusion At Riverside

We are inclusive. Riverside values diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues. Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role, they will be guaranteed an interview. This role also falls under our Ethnic Diversity guaranteed interview scheme.

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Role Profile

Service Improvement & Insight

• Analyse performance data (e.g. KPIs) and resident feedback (e.g. complaints, surveys) to identify root causes and opportunities for improvement, aiming to reduce repeat issues and improve “right first time” resolution.
• Work with the Performance Management team to interpret data and translate findings into actionable service enhancements, producing clear recommendations and tracking the impact of improvements over time.
• Lead service reviews and process redesign initiatives to improve end-to-end customer experience and operational efficiency. Drive initiatives to increase first-contact resolution and streamline processes for better outcomes.
• Lead lessons learned activities, ensuring findings from service failures, audits and feedback (including Housing Ombudsman determinations and sector spotlight reports) are captured, shared and translated into lasting improvements. Develop recommendations so the organisation proactively addresses issues and learns from experience.
• Ensure service improvements are embedded into business-as-usual through follow-up reviews, operational checks and stakeholder feedback. Verify that changes deliver intended benefits and adjust as needed to sustain improvements long-term.

Technical Assurance

• Coordinate technical audits of asset-related works (including post-inspections) to assess service quality, compliance and effectiveness.
• Ensure audit findings inform service improvement plans and contractor performance discussions; address identified issues promptly with relevant teams to drive up quality.
• Work with Standards and Delivery teams to maintain consistent standards and quality assurance across all repairs, maintenance and investment programmes, ensuring residents receive a reliable, high-quality service.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Work closely with internal teams (e.g. Repairs, Customer Service, Compliance), external contractors and residents to co-design and implement service improvements, ensuring a collaborative approach and shared ownership of changes.
• Facilitate workshops, feedback sessions and problem-solving forums with staff and residents, giving front-line employees and residents a voice in identifying pain points and developing improvement ideas.
• Serve as a key point of contact for service improvement and technical assurance initiatives. Provide regular updates to stakeholders and leadership to maintain engagement and transparency. Communicate the outcomes of improvements to staff and residents, closing the feedback loop by showing how their input led to positive changes.

Compliance & Risk

• Ensure service improvements comply with housing regulations, health & safety requirements and internal policies. Strive to meet or exceed relevant consumer standards while delivering value for money and maintaining quality.
• Contribute to risk assessments and mitigation plans for asset service delivery. Identify emerging risks (e.g. compliance gaps or recurring quality issues) and work with management to address them. Maintain a risk register for improvement projects and monitor risks throughout implementation.
• Prepare for external regulatory reviews or inspections by maintaining evidence of service performance and improvements. Coordinate data, reports and case studies to demonstrate compliance and quality. Support action plans to address any areas identified for improvement.

Innovation & Change

• Champion innovation and continuous improvement across asset services. Encourage new ideas and challenge existing practices to drive service excellence.
• Support digital initiatives that enhance service delivery and resident engagement. Work with IT and service teams to implement new technologies and modernise processes for a better resident experience.
• Promote a culture of learning and improvement. Share best practices and success stories, and work with Training/OD teams to equip staff with new processes and improved standards. Ensure changes are understood, accepted and sustained in day-to-day operations.

Other Duties

• The Service Improvement Manager may be required to undertake additional duties in line with business needs. They will actively promote a performance-focused, customer-centric culture within Asset Services and ensure all activities comply with the Group’s data protection and health & safety policies.

Person specification

Essential

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Experience in service improvement, operational delivery or technical assurance within housing, property or asset services, with a track record of implementing initiatives that improved service quality, customer satisfaction or operational efficiency.
• Strong analytical skills, able to interpret data and turn insights into service improvements.
• Knowledge of housing asset management, repairs and maintenance, and familiarity with social housing regulations (e.g. building safety, consumer standards, Housing Ombudsman guidance) and their application to service delivery.
• Experience coordinating audits, inspections or other quality assurance processes, and using findings to drive improvement and ensure compliance.

Desirable

• Experience in a housing association, local authority or other social housing organisation, with exposure to housing performance standards and regulatory requirements.
• Familiarity with asset management systems, housing management software and technical audit tools. Experience using IT or analytics platforms (e.g. PowerBI, CRM) to support service improvements.
• Training or certification in service improvement methodologies (e.g. Lean Six Sigma) is highly desirable. Project management certification (e.g. PRINCE2, Agile) or change management training would be an advantage.

About Us

Riverside is one of the UK’s leading not-for-profit social housing and regeneration organisations, owning or managing around 75,000 homes from Irvine to Kent. We are a leading provider of supported housing services, particularly for those affected by homelessness, and our track record of transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods dates back over 90 years. We have plans to build over 15,000 affordable homes over the next decade.

Our Values and Behaviours

Creating an Inclusive Environment