Housing Lead

Salary:  Up to £41,000 (dependent on relevant qualifications, skills, and relevant Supported Housing/Social Housing experience)

Hours: 37.5 per week

Location: Ermin Hall and Coronation Court, but working across other sites in Gloucester

YMCA Cheltenham is preparing to open a brand‑new supported housing scheme in July 2026 — and we’re looking for a dynamic, purpose‑driven Housing Lead to help shape it from the ground up.

This is an exciting time to join us. As we celebrate 170 years of continuous service to Gloucestershire communities, you will play a central role in ensuring we remain a trusted, visible, and high‑performing provider of housing and support services.

If you have substantial, recent leadership experience in social or supported housing and a track record of making a meaningful difference we would love to hear from you.

About the Role

The Housing Lead is responsible for the day‑to‑day resident support and housing management at Ermin Hall and Coronation Court, with flexibility to support other sites as needed.

You will lead a team of Housing Support Officers and Housing Support Workers, ensuring they are trained, supported, and equipped to help vulnerable individuals and families build resilience and independence.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver high‑quality services in line with best practice, organisational policies, and the YMCA Cheltenham PATHWAY Home model.
• Lead and supervise a small team to ensure consistent, high‑quality resident support 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• Contribute to rota planning and provide operational cover across daytime shifts (8am–4pm / 12pm–8pm).
• Ensure accurate use of housing management systems and high‑quality data recording.
• Work collaboratively with other Housing Leads, Managers and Senior Support Workers to maintain service continuity and performance.
• Provide operational insight, KPI reporting, and performance updates to the Deputy Head of Housing.
• Ensure Housing Outcome Stars (HOS) are completed and recorded in line with the PATHWAY framework.
• Work closely with internal teams (Safeguarding, H&S, Property, HR, Finance, Compliance, Wellbeing) to maintain high standards across the service.
• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with partners, stakeholders, and commissioning bodies.
• Promote and model YMCA Cheltenham’s organisational values in all aspects of leadership and service delivery.

What You’ll Bring

Qualifications

• Evidence of ongoing professional development in housing or a related field.
• CIH Level 3 (or equivalent) or willingness to complete within a set timeframe.
• RQF Level 3 in supervision (or willingness to complete within a set timeframe).

Competencies & Technical Skills

• Strong professional knowledge of the Supported/Social Housing sector.
• Excellent literacy, numeracy and communication skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive situations with tact, diplomacy and emotional intelligence.
• Strong judgement, problem‑solving ability and confidentiality.
• Ability to manage a busy workload with minimal supervision.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills across all levels.
• Competence with housing management systems, CRM platforms and Microsoft 365.
• Ideally, a full driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Experience

• Substantial recent experience of social housing operations leadership (in a housing association, ALMO, local authority, supported housing setting or similar).
• Proven record of improving operational delivery within a project or housing environment.
• Substantial recent experience of managing a team in a housing environment.  
• Experience in budget management, forecasting, and delivering VFM.
• Strong track record of partnership working (local authorities, community safety, support agencies) to resolve complex resident issues.

Personal Qualities

• Resident‑centred: committed to listening, acting on feedback, and improving outcomes.
• Leadership & Coaching: inspires teams, builds capability, and models accountability.
• Collaborative & Influential: builds trust across teams and partners; confident negotiator.
• Organised & Resilient: manages competing priorities, stays calm under pressure, delivers to deadlines.
• Ethical & Professional: champions fairness, safeguarding, and integrity in all interactions.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: curious, pragmatic, and solutions‑focused.

ABOUT US

YMCA Cheltenham, founded in 1855, is a registered charity and has become a leading provider of supported housing for the most vulnerable in Cheltenham and Gloucester, alongside other works sports facilities, affordable housing and other charitable activities.

Organisational Values

YMCA Cheltenham is an organisation founded on Christian values and, as such, employees may encounter behaviours, artefacts, or other elements particular to or representative of the Christian faith in their workplace.

As an organisation founded upon the Christian Faith, YMCA Cheltenham draws its Values from the Bible, principally as described in Micah 6:8. Our Values are therefore expressed as follows:

OUR VALUES

YMCA Cheltenham will OPERATE with Equity, Integrity, Openness and Honesty.

YMCA Cheltenham will ENGAGE with Empathy, Kindness, Generosity and Grace.

YMCA Cheltenham will BE Thoughtful, Discreet, Ethical and Respectful to all.

Employees are not required to adhere to the Christian faith, nor any faith, and no such consideration is made by the organisation in employment choices nor in delivering its services – however, we do expect all employees to demonstrate the list of Values shown while in the workplace.

ABOUT WHAT WE OFFER

The organisation recognise that employees need a good balance between work and life.  We are committed to supporting a healthy balance between work and life, and creating a workplace where people can thrive. Our benefits include:

• 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, rising by up to 5 extra days with service.
• Two wellbeing days per year.
• Retail discounts and rewards across major high‑street and online brands.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Generous contributory pension.
• Company sick pay.
• Life Assurance at two times salary.
• Health cash plan, covering optical and dental costs, GP/consultant access, and independent personal, workplace, and financial advice.
• Free use of on‑site sports facilities.
• Occupational Health support and reasonable adjustments where needed.
• Extensive training and development, including opportunities to gain relevant qualifications.
• Regular social events for colleagues and their families
• Critical Illness cover.
• A supportive, passionate and high-performing team environment.

We are committed to creating a dynamic and diverse workforce and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of their age, gender, disability, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation or faith. We have procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process.

YMCA Cheltenham is committed to following safer recruitment guidelines.  In line with the requirements of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, all applicants must be able to demonstrate they have evidence to be eligible to live and work in the UK.  Successful candidates will need to provide two satisfactory references, undergo a DBS check and demonstrate full employment history. 

YMCA Cheltenham is wholly committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.