Head of Allocation and Accommodation

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The London Borough of Sutton is situated less than 30 minutes by train from Central London, with direct connections to London Victoria and London Bridge. Found in zone 5 with good transport links in and out of London, Sutton boasts award winning parks and open spaces, low crime rates, affordable housing and great schools. As well as high levels of resident engagement and satisfaction, providing quality services and success in addressing our financial challenges, whilst involving residents in key issues and high street changes.

Sutton is continuously investing in the health, wellbeing and education of our residents and the future generation, as set out in the "Ambitious for Sutton" corporate plan. We are home to the Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research. Together with the development of the London Cancer Hub, Sutton will be the world's leading life‑science district, specialising in cancer research and treatment.

Our vision will create around 13,000 jobs while contributing £1.2bn to the UK economy each year, a vibrant community of scientists, doctors and innovative companies intended to deliver real benefits for cancer patients and drive economic growth. With the regeneration of the local areas with new homes and schools, Sutton is passionate about working closely with our residents and vulnerable groups to help them maintain their independence and create a balance between support and independent living.

The Council is seen as a driving force within the South London Partnership of five outer south west London boroughs focused on strategic growth, regeneration and investment. As we strive to improve our services and spaces for our residents as set out in the 'Ambitious for Sutton' corporate plan, Sutton aims to shape the future of the borough and adapt to the needs of its residents to make our Borough a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Sutton is a borough defined by ambition, community and change.

We are proud of our strong local identity, vibrant neighbourhoods and commitment to delivering services that make a real difference. Sutton is one of London's greenest and safest boroughs, with excellent schools, thriving businesses and a strong sense of community. It is a place where people want to live, work and invest, and where we are determined to ensure everyone has access to a safe, secure and affordable home.

Housing is central to that mission and we are now looking for four senior leaders to help us stabilise, modernise and transform. We have come through a major transition and are embedding the Sutton culture across teams who have previously worked under a different operating model. Our priorities are clear: providing safe, secure and affordable homes; reducing the use of temporary accommodation;

strengthening systems and compliance; and working in partnership with Sutton Housing Partnership and other stakeholders to put residents first. If you want to lead change with purpose and pace, this is your moment.

This is a role with real scale, complexity and opportunity. You will lead housing allocations and temporary accommodation services at a time of acute demand, with over 1,100 households in TA and significant nightly-paid usage. You'll manage statutory duties under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, oversee multi-disciplinary teams and budgets, and drive innovation in procurement and service delivery.

You’ll play a pivotal role in reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation, strengthening compliance and performance, and leading the Housing Allocation Scheme. You’ll work across the Council with Sutton Housing Partnership, Regulatory Services, Adults' Social Care, Children’s Services, and the voluntary & faith sectors and community, to create sustainable move on pathways and improve outcomes for families. This is a chance to lead transformation in one of the most pressured areas of housing.

We are proud of the progress we've made, but we know there…