Senior Housing and Development Lead - Permanent
Reporting to Director of Services, Housing and Development
Location - Hybrid working with travel required. Based in the Dublin office 2 days a week
Hours - Full time, 35 hours per week
Salary - €73,065 per annum
1. Scope of Responsibility
In 2018 Depaul established Depaul Housing Association (“DH”) to provide housing opportunities for the most vulnerable in our society. The post has the following main objectives:
- To be the primary operational and governance reporting link to the Board of Depaul Housing and committees of the Board
- To oversee the governance and operational systems required to operate a housing association of this nature
- To manage the delivery of the DH operational plan and housing development business plan
- To source new business opportunities and the delivery of social housing opportunities
- To maintain and manage Depaul housing stock and tenant related issues
2. Key Areas of Responsibility
1) Governance
- Be the primary reporter to the Board of trustees on governance, strategic and operational matters
- Preparing and providing the quarterly Board reports and contributing significantly to the development of DH’s strategic plan
- Adhere strictly to organisational procurement policies and limits in all sphere of operations
- In conjunction with the Operations & Compliance and Finance & Risk departments on the completion of external statutory reports, including AHBRA, the Charity Regulator, SORP etc
- Work in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Group of the Depaul Services department to ensure the effective delivery of housing related services.
Prepare the agenda and associated paper for the Depaul Housing Executive Leadership Team
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2) Strategic and operational management
- To develop, implement and oversee DH operational plan and housing business plan in line with Depaul Strategy.
3) Development and project management
- Identify and source new development opportunities through your network of key stakeholders.
- Manage and maintain the pipeline of new opportunities that ensure the growth of DHA throughout the period of our business plan and beyond.
- Monitor and track new opportunities and ensure regular reporting of the pipeline to the Director of Services, Housing and Development.
- Set and implement high quality standards in sourcing and delivering opportunities for DHA
- Carry out detailed risk assessment and feasibilities to determine the viability of potential projects including costs, schedules, specifications, design and risk with the preparation of business plans
- Take responsibility for driving new opportunities through the assessment, approval and delivery processes in line with our processes and procedures and internal board and committee governance structures.
- Carry out evaluation of projects at appropriate stages.
- Negotiate with key stakeholders to acquire or develop property that meet the core needs of the organisation in terms of high quality product while achieving value for money.
- Liaise with internal business functions (People, Finance, Risk, IT, Fundraising, Facilities etc) and the Housing Development Committee to ensure that all proposed social housing projects are socially, physically and financially sustainable and in compliance with all our internal and external best practice and statutory requirements.
4) Asset and Tenant Management
Through project review processes and consultation with Housing Officer / Tenants obtain feed-back on design, specification standards and handover procedures.
Oversee and ensure the maintenance of the DH asset management register and system
Support creation of Budgets, cash flow forecasts and other financial analysis as necessary
Ensure that there is a tenant liaison and communication plan in place
Manage estate management issues and take appropriate action with respect to adverse tenant management or community issues
5) Stakeholder management
- With fundraising and Communications to design and implement comprehensive marketing strategies to create awareness of the company’s business activities and drive new social housing opportunities to the business.
- Build and maintain relations with key stakeholders such as developers, estate agents, contractors, the Department of Housing, local authorities and other organisations/agencies involved in the housing market and at a local level.
- Produce reports and deliver presentations to internal and external stakeholders to support the marketing function of the post.
- Work with the fundraising and communications team to develop a marketing strategy
6) Project management
- Liaise directly with key partners at local & national level bringing all available resources to the projects.
- Develop project plans and risk assessments for each project.
- Implement the workflow process and oversee the administration of the scheme approval process for all projects. Ensure that the scheme appraisal process is fully implemented for all projects and that all necessary internal and external approvals are in place when required.
- Supervise staff as appropriate
- Ensure that all property projects meet the needs of internal stakeholders in terms of condition of properties, location, need, cost, specifications and other considerations.
- Work with appropriate professionals to ensure that all costs are included in feasibility assessments including but not limited to cost of acquisition, works required to bring properties to an acceptable standard and related fees.
- Work on the procurement and management of teams of consultants and contractors on the delivery of social housing projects.
- Work to ensure that contractual arrangements with third parties comply with statutory requirements, Depaul Housing’s financial and committee regulations and contract procedures.
- Ensure all necessary legal agreements are in place prior to scheme starting on site including but not limited to title of site, licences, loan agreements etc.
- Instruct solicitors on the purchase of properties, land and entering into contracts of any kind.
- Ensure that projects are achieved within schedule and budgets, quality standards and agreed procedures.
- Monitor project progress through the project lifecycle and prepare reports on measures and metrics as agreed.
- Ensure necessary contract documentation and insurances are collated and maintained throughout the project.
- Keep internal and external stakeholders informed of progress and expected hand-over of property dates.
- Ensure all handover documentation required by DH is available on practical completion and made available to Housing Officers.
- Assist in the review and maintenance of DH’s development process documentation.
7) Others
- Manage risk within DH in conjunction with other support departments
- Represent DH to other agencies such as Housing Agency, Department of Housing, Local Authorities, ICSH.
- Produce reports for and attend Board meetings, management meetings and other fora both internal and external as required.
- Act as an information and advice source on development issues to other staff as required.
- Design and implement procedures for managing the process and delivery of new business opportunities in line with requirements of internal audit.
- Supervise a team of housing officers and other admin employees
- Any other duties which are consistent with your role.
3. Person requirements
Qualifications/Knowledge/Skills
- Minimum of Honours Degree preferably in a relevant field is desirable.
- A valid driving licence.
- Specialist role related knowledge, property acquisition, construction processes, funding for approved housing bodies.
- Industry Knowledge – understanding of the property market and development processes with particular knowledge of social housing delivery.
- Analysis and Planning skills – ability to analysis opportunities and to strategically plan to take advantage of and deliver on these opportunities.
- An understanding of the regulatory environment for housing associations / charities.
- Relationship and Stakeholder Management - The ability to leverage interpersonal skills to establish rapport and develop relationships with all key stakeholders.
- Team working – The understanding and ability to lead and work as part of a team to achieve the goals of the organisation.
- Innovation – To have a willingness to take risks and try out different solutions.
- Communication and Negotiation skills –The ability to influence others and adapt communication style to particular situations and audiences. Proven track record in successfully negotiating to achieve the deliverables of the organisation.
- Project management qualification is desirable
While the line manager is specified above, this does not preclude higher level grades from directing or reviewing work or setting dotted line collaborative working relationships between same or different level positions.
All tasks should be completed in an accurate manner and supported by a clear electronic and hard copy filing system.
he line manager is specified above, this does not preclude higher level grades from directing or reviewing work or setting dotted line collaborative working relationships between same or different level positions.
All tasks should be completed in an accurate manner and supported by a clear electronic and hard copy filing system.
WHY WORK FOR US?
Depaul is a cross border charity supporting some of the most marginalised individuals, couples and families experiencing homelessness. Our mission is to end homelessness and change the lives of those affected by it. Would you like to help us to meet our mission?
We are a values led organisation and aim, at all times, to live and breathe these values in our everyday work. Our values are based on four key principles:
- We celebrate the potential of people
- We put our words into action
- We aim to take a wider role in civil society
- We believe in rights and responsibilities
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EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES:
Depaul strives to create a diverse and inclusive programme and is committed to ensuring equality of access to our opportunities and equality of treatment for our staff in all our policies and practices. We welcome applications from individuals aged 18 and over from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Our Benefits
- Annual Leave Up to 3 years' service: 25 days per year
- 3 years' up to 5 years' service: 27 days per year
- Over 5 years' service: 30 working days per year (Exclusive of bank and statutory holidays)
- 10 public holidays each year with Good Friday as discretionary day.
- Day off and day pay for Christmas Day, St.Stephen's Day, and New Year's Day worked for shift workers.
- Non-Shift Workers: Paid day off on public holidays.
- Shift Workers: Expected to work on public holidays; receive an additional day of annual leave in lieu.
- Non-Rostered Employees: May be entitled to one-fifth of the normal weekly rate of remuneration for the public holiday.
- Pension Matched by the employer
- Health Assistance Each staff member gets access to a health cash plan so you can claim money back, up to set limits, on a number of treatments. This includes dental, optical, acupuncture and many more. Your children under 16 are also included on the plan.
- Life Assurance Four times salary
- Maternity /Adoptive Leave 18 weeks full pay
- Paternity Leave 2 weeks full pay
- Sick Leave Entitlement to sick pay starting from day 1 with level of entitlement increasing with length of service (subject to policy terms)
- Employee Assistance Program EAP is a confidential counselling service that provides support to company employees and their family. It is available 24/7, 365 days a year covering; Counselling, legal advice, financial information, career guidance, life coaching, mediation, health information, cancer support, autism support, infertility and pregnancy loss, elder care support, parent coaching and international employee support.
- Learning and Development Depaul’s Vision, Mission and Values course, this involves travel to meet the Depaul International family.
- Emerging Leaders, supporting workers that would like to develop their leadership skills and to progress to a management role.
- Online learning resources within Depaul’s award nominated online learning platform, Moodle. Mandatory training including, MAPA, Health and Safety, Child Protection, Fire Safety, and First Aid
