Local Link Lead - Independent Living

About the role

Reporting to the Head of Local Link, you'll provide operational leadership for Independent Living services across your region, ensuring residents receive a safe, responsive and resident-focused service that promotes independence, wellbeing and community connection. Our Independent Living services include sheltered housing, extra care schemes and over-55s housing across London, the Midlands, Kent, Sussex, Berkshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. You'll lead and develop teams, drive service improvements, oversee performance and compliance, and work collaboratively with internal and external partners to deliver excellent outcomes for residents. You'll also play a key role in shaping the future of Independent Living services, using data, customer insight and regulatory requirements to continually improve service delivery.

Responsibilities

• Leading the operational delivery of Independent Living services across your region.
• Ensuring residents are at the heart of service design, decision-making and delivery.
• Driving performance against KPIs, customer satisfaction measures and regulatory standards.
• Providing leadership, coaching and development support to colleagues and managers.
• Managing budgets, service charge-funded services and ensuring value for money.
• Improving occupancy levels, tenancy sustainment, income collection and resident outcomes.
• Building strong partnerships with local agencies, stakeholders and service providers.
• Leading service improvement initiatives and contributing to digital transformation projects.
• Monitoring compliance, safeguarding, health and safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Preparing and presenting reports using performance and customer data to inform decision making.

Requirements

• Significant experience managing Independent Living, sheltered housing and/or extra care services.
• Strong knowledge of best practice, legislation and policy affecting housing for older people.
• Experience leading teams through change and delivering measurable service improvements.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire high performance.
• In-depth knowledge of safeguarding for adults and children.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• A resident-first mindset and commitment to exceptional customer service.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Relevant degree (or equivalent qualification) or significant experience demonstrating equivalent knowledge and expertise.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Skills

• Leadership and people management.
• Strategic thinking and service improvement.
• Budget management and financial oversight.
• Partnership building and stakeholder engagement.
• Data analysis and reporting.
• Safeguarding knowledge (adults and children).
• Analytical, problem‑solving and decision‑making abilities.
• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Resident‑focused mindset and customer service excellence.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced environment.

Closing date: Sunday 4th October 2026 at 23:59. Shortlisting date: W/C 5th October 2026. Interview date: 14th October 2026.