The roles

Managing Director

Job description

Division: Warmer Homes London

Salary: c.£130k

Responsible to: WHL Board/London Councils Chief Executive

Duration: Permanent

Job purpose

The Managing Director of Warmer Homes London (WHL) will provide visionary and accountable leadership to grow WHL into London government’s expert retrofit enabling service. The MD will ensure that WHL meets the Delivery Plan commitments and the strategic objectives which serve its mission: to make Londoners’ homes greener, healthier, and more affordable to heat through energy efficiency.

Working with the support of the Senior Leadership Team, they will shape and develop the capacity of WHL to address systemic barriers which hold back retrofit in London. Together the SLT team will be accountable for effective management of multi-million-pound retrofit capital programmes whilst developing services grounded in evidence-based insights which enable continuous improvement in the quality, pace and scale of retrofit investment and generate health and employment benefits for Londoners.

The MD will guide WHL from its start-up phase to maturity, establishing WHL’s track record as London’s trusted and value for money retrofit delivery partner. Starting with social, private rented and low income owner occupied housing, over time they will create the foundations for cross tenure solutions. From a basis of credibility, they will lead the steady development of the organisation’s financial sustainability and governance to respond to a dynamic policy context and mandate set by the Mayor of London and London Councils as its founding partners.

The MD will be a strategic leader, who understands how to deliver in partnership. They will be able to navigate the challenges, bringing together the stakeholders from across the system to learn, test and evolve services and delivery models. They will be supported by the founding partners and a team of experts and innovators, and will draw on established partnerships, programme delivery and service development-thinking, all built with the shared ambition to unlock retrofit at scale for London.

Principal responsibilities

Lead and manage WHL to ensure the organisation meets its mission, governance and delivery requirements as agreed with its Founding Partners
Develop the strategic vision, business plans and outcomes for WHL to enable delivery of its mission, goals and objectives.
Lead the evolution of WHL’s organisational structures and governance to enable London to take full advantage of an evolving policy and funding framework.
Seek and develop strategic partnerships and stakeholder interactions across public, private and community sectors which scale and align retrofit plans, foster delivery innovation and unlock substantial private sector investment.
Ensure strong relationships with delivery partnership consortia to facilitate the achievement of contractual obligations, support their investment and delivery capability and establish shared ownership of outcomes.
Work collaboratively with other regional delivery enabling organisations to support knowledge share and maximise collective influence to achieve retrofit at scale.
Support Founding Partners to shape and inform policy which affects London’s ability to achieve its ambitions by ensuring that programmes and services are designed from the outset to generate a robust evidence base.
Lead steady progress towards financial sustainability by diversifying income streams beyond founding partner contributions.
Lead and deploy staff effectively to sustain a culture of continuous improvement which supports organisational aims and objectives.
Ensure adherence by WHL to legal and governance requirements.
Align WHL reporting frameworks and processes with the governance, scrutiny and transparency obligations of founding partners and its hosting authority.
Ensure best practice financial management, value-for-money and alignment with funding constraints and opportunities.
Promote equality, diversity and inclusion throughout all areas of work to ensure that WHL’s meets its commitment to advancing to social justice, tackling inequality, and achieving measurable benefits for Londoners’ health and well-being.

Accountabilities

Working in partnership with WHL Board and Steering Group to provide leadership and direction for Warmer Homes London
Align the organisational structure to WHL’s Mission, Plans and Priorities.
Set priorities for the organisation against an agreed outcomes framework for short to medium and long term impact
Manage all resources in a way that enables WHL to operate effectively and achieve the priorities and outcomes agreed for the organisation
Take accountability for the performance against outputs and outcomes and the financial management of the organisation aligning resources to priorities and valuing a culture of innovation, collaboration and respect.
Motivate and inspire all staff, providing leadership and ensure that all understand their contribution, collaborate effectively and feel valued. Ensure that equity, diversity and inclusion are embedded in organisational culture and practice to ensure that WHL is an organisation where potential of all is maximized in the interests of achieving our mission.
Lead and develop an effective senior leadership team that models organisation values and ensures the delivery of plans, priorities and the outcomes framework
Ensure WHL meets obligations to funders, delivery consortia and partners, maintaining trust and confidence
Build and sustain the networks across public and private sectors which enable the formation of commercial and delivery partnerships which make a visible contribution to system change
Work closely and constructively with the Board and Founding Partners so that WHL demonstrates the commitment to a just transition to Net Zero and supports public trust in the health, employment and well-being benefits
Manage organisational risk proactively across delivery, compliance, reputation, and resourcing.
Maintain effective governance arrangements for WHL to comply with the hosting authority’s constitution or other relevant framework and to facilitate clear and transparent decision making
Build effective relationships with the political stakeholders, understanding their priorities and supporting their systems leadership
Any other duties required by WHL in line with the senior nature of this post

Skills, experience and abilities

Essential

A proven strategic leader with experience leading a complex, mission-driven organisation or initiative.
Deep understanding of capital delivery or investment in housing or the built environment.
Strong track record of system leadership to achieve change – influencing policy, aligning stakeholders and leveraging funding at scale.
Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and embed collaborative, matrix working which enables service and programme delivery innovation.
Commercial acumen and evidence of establishing public-private partnerships within contractual frameworks
Experience managing significant budgets and overseeing complex programmes with robust financial and risk controls.
Experience in leading financial strategy, including securing diverse and sustainable funding through partnerships, grants, and programme funding.
Political acumen and outstanding stakeholder management skills – able to build trust across sectors and influence political environments at local, regional, and national levels.
Strong commitment to equity, social justice, and public impact.
Excellent communication skills – able to articulate complex issues with clarity, confidence and authenticity.
Experience of working in a politically led governance setting at a local or regional level

Desirable

Experience in setting up a new organisation and scaling up or driving growth
Familiarity with London’s governance landscape and the politics of devolution and climate policy.
Proven ability to lead organisational and governance development in response to revised statutory responsibility and funding settlements.
Understanding of data-driven service design and its role in public service transformation.

Retrofit Strategy and Services Director

Job description

Division: Warmer Homes London

Salary: c.£110k

Responsible to: Warmer Homes London Managing Director

Duration: Permanent

Job purpose

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Retrofit Strategy and Services Director will play a pivotal role in establishing Warmer Homes London as London government’s expert retrofit enabling service. They will lead WHL’s service design and delivery functions to meet Delivery Plan commitments and the strategic objectives which serve WHL’s mission: to make Londoners’ homes greener, healthier, and more affordable to heat through energy efficiency.

Working closely with the Managing Director and other members of SLT, they will develop the capacity of WHL to address systemic barriers which hold back retrofit in London. Together, the SLT team will be accountable for effective management of multi-million-pound retrofit capital programmes whilst developing enabling services which achieve continuous improvement in the quality, pace and scale of retrofit investment and demonstrate health and employment benefits for Londoners.

The Retrofit Strategy and Services Director will build and lead a services delivery team combining expertise in asset data, supply chain upskilling; funding and finance products and user-centred service design. The role will champion and embed a test and learn capability across WHL in which service development and programmatic delivery design is grounded in outcomes clarity, evidence-based insights and collaborative working.

The postholder will be a visible member of London’s net zero leadership forging the partnerships with local, regional, national and international stakeholders which create valued and viable retrofit enabling services.

This leadership position is critical to building a delivery track record and establishing WHL’s reputation for excellence.

Principal Responsibilities:

1. Delivery Leadership

Lead the definition and delivery of an ambitious, nationally significant programme of retrofit delivery enabling services which have a measurable impact in the pace, quality and affordability of retrofit investment
Be accountable for the delivery of services during design and commissioned phases to time, quality and budget, ensuring that London’s offer is seen as responsive to user feedback and is regarded as being value for money and high quality by senior partners and funders.
Ensure commissioned services meet their KPIs including any user satisfaction, income and quality metrics

2. Driving Innovative and Evidence-Led Service and Programme Design

Oversee the establishment of a structured test and learn service design capability within Warmer Homes London and champion its benefits
Provide matrix leadership to ensure that data and insights from outputs and outcomes of live services and programmes inform design decisions for services and funding programme innovation.
Ensure that user experience and the citizen, particularly those from marginalised or underrepresented groups, is put at the centre of service and programme design
Establish a collaborative culture and stakeholder networks to leverage expertise in technical solutions, delivery levers and behavioural change into the design process for services which build the capacity of partners to deliver retrofit at scale.

3. Collaboration and Partnership Building

Be a visible leader of WHL communicating and influencing at a national and regional level the opportunities and changes necessary to accelerate the move to area-based delivery at scale and integration with energy planning
Build and maintain trusted partnerships with senior stakeholders including within local authorities, housing associations, the supply chain, trade bodies, regional government, standards bodies, and education and training institutions to improve the impact of retrofit services and lead wider systems change
Lead the transition of Warmer Homes London service delivery programme towards financial sustainability, growing partnership contributions and grant funding to fund further service development and delivery

4. Funding and Financing Investment Growth

Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of strategies to increase the flow of private finance into decarbonisation.

5. Senior Leadership and Culture Setting

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team of Warmer Homes London actively support the maturation of the new organisation and enable all strategic objectives to be met
Support the development of a cohesive, collaborative and outcomes-focused culture at Senior Leadership Team level and across the organisation.
Role model a culture of high performance, collaboration, and continuous service improvement, both internally and with external stakeholders.
Promote equality and diversity and inclusion throughout all areas of work to ensure that WHL’s meets its commitment to advancing to social justice, tackling inequality, and achieving measurable benefits for Londoners’ health and well-being.

6. Governance, Compliance and Reporting

Ensure all service activities comply with obligations to delivery and funding partners, and the governance, evaluation and procurement policies and procedures of London Councils as hosting authority
Maintain proactive oversight of contractual arrangements, delivery, risks and opportunities, embedding robust audit, risk mitigation and escalation frameworks.
Take accountability for ensuring reporting on the retrofit services programme’s outputs, risks, and strategic opportunities to WHL’s political, executive, and operational governance boards is robust, transparent and responsive to governance oversight.
Work with the Head of Operations to embed streamlined and efficient processes for generating project, programme and portfolio level reporting of outcomes.
Act effectively within governance structures to ensure timely and informed decision making and alignment of activities with the strategic priorities of Warmer Homes London.

Accountabilities

Overall accountability for the delivery of Warmer Homes London’s retrofit services programme.
Leading the delivery of the design and implementation of the services programme set out in the annual Delivery Plan in line with agreed budgets and milestones
Ensure robust portfolio reporting working closely with the Head of Operations.
Accountable for rigorous and transparent management of a c.£2m commissioning budget per annum and a staff of c12 people.
Ensuring that people, processes and resources are in place to deliver effectively. Manage the professional development of the team to enable them to maximise their contribution to Warmer Homes London
Responsible for compliance by the Retrofit Strategy and Services team with all financial, governance and compliance requirements of London Councils as the hosting organisation and, as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, embed this expectation across Warmer Homes London.
Leading collaboration in support of service design and delivery with a multi-tiered set of stakeholders across the private and public sectors, including all government entities, as well as nationally significant organisations in respect of finance and asset management and construction.
Ensuring strategic and delivery risks and opportunities are identified and reported and that effective mitigation strategies are developed.
Developing effective and influential working relationships and establishing formal partnerships which leverage additional investment and grant.
Representing Warmer Homes London at international, national and regional events
Holding others to account including from other organisations to make sure that the Warmer Homes London meets its Delivery Plan commitments and strategic objectives
Working closely with the Programmes and Partnerships Director to ensure that user centred, iterative continuous improvement practices are embedded across all areas of delivery
Any other duties reasonably requested by the Managing Director, including deputising when required

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

Degree level qualification or equivalent experience and professional development in an area relating to the built environment assets.
Experience of working effectively at a senior level in a political environment
Experience of overseeing the successful delivery of a programme of service design projects and continuous improvement of products and services
Experience of leading commercial negotiations and partnerships with multiple partners to deliver effective service outcomes
Proven leadership in innovating for large scale delivery, with a demonstrable track record of embedding design thinking to drive innovation, shape strategic direction, and deliver impactful, user-centred solutions at scale
Experience of leading, motivating and developing staff to deliver high quality outcomes and continued improvement in staff effectiveness.

Desirable

Experience of asset management or accountability for retrofit or asset investment services or programmes
Experience of working with large social or private landlords

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge of local and regional government structures and powers
Knowledge of relevant national government policy in the areas of delivery responsibility.
Knowledge of using data management and digital services provision and developing digital services the built environment to drive at scale delivery

Desirable

Knowledge of the London local government family, its governmental structure and London Councils’ and the GLA’s role within it
Understanding of supply chains and delivery models relevant to delivery or investment in the built environment
Expertise in retrofit for energy performance in technical, data and financing and delivery domains

Skills and Abilities

Essential

Ability to lead, manage and deliver in a highly political environment
Strong influencing and negotiating skills with evidence of success in negotiating and concluding agreements with multiple stakeholders
High level of service development knowledge to be able to direct service design and continuous improvement work and create innovative viable services and programme delivery models
Highly developed oral and written communication skills, able to present business cases and analysis, including financial information, clearly and concisely to a range of technical and non-technical audiences at the most senior levels
Ability to anticipate and understand the strategic significance of key policy issues to London regional and local government’s ability to deliver its strategic priorities
Ability to build networks of contacts and maintain effective high trust relationships with civil servants, politicians across parties, London local authorities, housing associations, public, private and third sector partners to influence change
Ability to lead, develop and motivate people and teams to deliver continuous professional development and high performance
Ability to represent Warmer Homes London and contribute to consultations on retrofit delivery matters with a range of organisations at a senior level

Head of Operations

Division: Warmer Homes London

Starting salary: £77,407

Responsible to: Warmer Homes London Managing Director

Duration: Permanent

Job description

Key Purpose

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Head of Operations will play a pivotal role in establishing Warmer Homes London as London government’s expert retrofit enabling service. They will lead the corporate support functions which underpin WHL’s ability to meet the Delivery Plan commitments and strategic objectives which serve WHL’s mission: to make Londoners’ homes greener, healthier, and more affordable to heat through energy efficiency.

Working closely with the Managing Director and other members of SLT, they will support the capacity of WHL to address systemic barriers which hold back retrofit in London. Together, the SLT team will be accountable for effective management of multi-million-pound retrofit capital programmes whilst developing enabling services which achieve continuous improvement in the quality, pace and scale of retrofit investment and demonstrate health and employment benefits for Londoners.

The Head of Operations will oversee WHL’s corporate delivery planning, governance, reporting, communications, and business support functions. They will lead the development of internal systems and tools and build a high-performing operational team that provides the data and capacity to support effective decision-making and influential stakeholder engagement.

This leadership position is critical to building a delivery track record and establishing WHL’s reputation for excellence.

Principal responsibilities

1. Strategic Planning and Strategic Communication

Lead the development of Warmer Homes London annual Delivery Plan and three-year investment look forward in alignment with strategic objectives and funding agreements established by the WHL Board.
Establish and manage an outcomes framework and integrate programme level reporting to track progress at a portfolio level against Delivery Plan goals.
Ensure corporate planning processes are responsive to feedback, evidence, and external policy environments.
Oversee strategic communications planning and delivery to ensure compelling, coherent, consistent messaging to and engagement with stakeholders.
Develop and implement internal communication tools to support staff alignment with strategic objectives and engagement.

2. Collaboration and Partnership Building

Foster collaborative working relationships across consortia members, accountable bodies, and delivery partners.
Serve as a key interface with senior consortia members of multi-partner grant-funded retrofit investment programmes to support collective governance, shared accountability, and transparency across the partnerships.
Represent the organisation in strategic operational design forums with stakeholders and partners

3. Operational Leadership

Build and lead a multidisciplinary team delivering finance, performance, governance, communications, and business support functions.
Develop systems, tools, and processes that scale with the organisation and support efficient, integrated operations.
Ensure the organisation operates with financial discipline, strong administrative procedures, and a continuous improvement mindset.
Provide oversight and evolve where agreed the HR, Facilities, IT, Legal, Finance and procurement services support provided to WHL under a Memorandum of Understanding with London Councils

4. Governance, Compliance and Reporting

Ensure financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting for grant funded programmes meet contractual obligations to funders and accountable bodies.
Ensure high standards of governance through effective support to the board, committees, and partnership governance structures.
Lead on WHL’s adherence to risk management and compliance, including regulatory, funding, and audit requirements provided by the hosting authority.
Deliver high-quality, timely reports on corporate and programme performance for senior leaders, funders, and partners.

5. Enabling Data-Led Programme and Service Innovation

Champion the use of data to drive performance, learning, and service innovation.
Work closely with the Directors of Retrofit Strategy and Services, and Partnerships and Programmes to ensure feedback loops and learning informs innovation and design.
Support the organisation’s ability to respond dynamically to insights from performance data, research, and evaluation.

6. Senior Leadership and Culture Setting

Contribute to organisational strategy, culture, and transformation as part of the Senior Leadership Team.
Role model inclusive, ethical, and collaborative leadership.
Foster a high-performance culture that values impact, learning, and wellbeing.

Accountabilities

Deliver the annual Delivery Plans and three-year investment outlook development and approval process, aligned with strategic goals and funding commitments.
Establish and oversee a programme-wide outcomes framework and performance reporting system, enabling portfolio-level tracking against Delivery Plan objectives.
Ensure quarterly updates to corporate plans reflect stakeholder feedback, evidence, and changes in policy, maintaining relevance and responsiveness.
Oversee the delivery of a strategic communications plan, achieving consistency and effectiveness in internal and external engagement.
Sustain partnerships with all consortia members and stakeholders, ensuring shared governance is operational and transparent across all funded programmes.
Represent WHL in high-level strategic operational design forums annually, influencing the development area-based decarbonisation delivery models.
Lead and manage a multidisciplinary team, ensuring delivery of integrated finance, governance, communications, and business support services
Maintain operational systems and tools that scale with WHL growth, with annual process improvement reviews and implementation.
Ensure full compliance with financial, legal, HR, and procurement obligations, meeting all obligations to accountable bodies and funder reporting deadlines
Deliver accurate financial reports and forecasts
Manage the contractual arrangements with hosting provider
Champion data-led decision making, ensuring insights from performance, research, and evaluation directly inform service and programme innovation.
Actively contribute to WHL’s leadership and organisational development.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential:

Degree-level education in a related field or equivalent professional experience and evidenced continuous professional development

Desirable:

Accreditation in project or programme management (e.g., PRINCE2, MSP, Agile) or business administration.

Experience

Essential:

Operational leadership in a public sector, partnership, or multi-stakeholder environment.
Proven oversight of corporate services functions including planning, governance, performance, and communications.
Track record of leading teams through growth or transformation
Experience supporting formal governance structures (e.g., boards) and multi-agency partnerships, ideally involving grant-funded programmes.
Experience designing and embedding systems and digital tools for financial, risk and performance monitoring and reporting.

Desirable:

Experience of working with local or regional government bodies or their delivery arms.
Understanding of retrofit, housing decarbonisation or asset management programme delivery environments.

Skills and abilities

Essential:

Strong strategic planning and delivery skills, managing complex priorities and timelines.
Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work across organisational boundaries and at senior levels.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to lead, motivate and develop multidisciplinary teams in a growing, evolving organisation.
Confidence in representing the organisation externally and in building trust with public sector leaders, funders, and delivery partners.
Commitment to inclusive leadership, organisational learning, high integrity, and public accountability

Desirable:

Skills in business process improvement.
Familiarity with data visualisation, outcomes-based reporting, or public-facing dashboards,
Knowledge of public procurement, grant compliance or legal frameworks relevant to public bodies.

For more information and to apply for this role please visit the London Councils website