Decent Homes Standard guidance lead / Social housing energy efficiency lead

The Social Housing Quality and Residents division leads on work to improve the quality of social homes and landlord services, and to empower residents to have a strong voice and hold their landlord to account.

We are recruiting two Senior Executive Officers to deliver this work. The first position will be for the guidance lead of the Decent Homes Standard. The Decent Homes Standard is being updated to reflect modern expectations of the minimum standard of rented housing. We are looking for a high-performing, autonomous, and well-organised individual to oversee inputs into this publication. They will also be responsible for the policy development and drafting of specific elements.

The second position is for a Senior Policy Advisor focused on energy efficiency in the social rented sector. This is a rewarding role which will involve leading the development of guidance to support social housing providers make homes cheaper to heat, more comfortable and less susceptible to damp and mould.

Key Responsibilities

Decent Homes Standard Guidance Lead

• Act as the primary owner of the Decent Homes Standard guidance, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality product that enables landlords to provide better quality social housing with greater certainty and consistency.
• Lead the coordination and management of contributions from internal and external stakeholders, ensuring the guidance reflects the latest policy thinking, evidence and expertise from across government and the housing sector.
• Monitor progress against delivery plans, identifying risks and issues early and taking action to keep development on track.
• Lead the drafting of key sections of guidance that will help shape housing standards across England and support the effective implementation of future regulatory requirements.

Social Housing Energy Efficiency Lead

• Lead the implementation of policy relating to Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) within the social rented sector, developing guidance and supporting materials that provide clear and practical advice to social housing providers.
• Develop and refine policy positions on complex and cross-cutting issues, drawing on evidence and stakeholder engagement to address implementation challenges and support informed decision-making.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across MHCLG, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and the Regulator of Social Housing to ensure policy proposals are aligned, deliverable and achieve intended outcomes.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across government and the housing sector to support the successful implementation of energy efficiency improvements in social housing.

Responsibilities for Both Roles

• Prepare high-quality briefing and advice for Ministers and senior officials, clearly setting out options, risks and recommendations, and drawing together complex and sometimes conflicting evidence.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to support policy development and delivery.
• Work at pace to deliver high-profile ministerial priorities while managing competing demands and tight deadlines.
• Contribute positively to the culture and performance of the team, supporting continuous improvement and undertaking corporate responsibilities to help maintain a collaborative, inclusive and high-performing working environment.

Person specification We are looking for individuals who can demonstrate strong policy, project management and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to deliver high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced and high-profile environment.

Essential Criteria

• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to coordinate and deliver complex work involving multiple stakeholders, priorities and competing deadlines.
• Experience of policy development and analysis, with the ability to interpret evidence, assess options and develop practical solutions to complex challenges.
• Strong leadership and influencing skills, including the ability to work independently and engage effectively with senior stakeholders, building productive relationships across organisational boundaries to deliver shared objectives.
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to synthesise detailed and sometimes conflicting information into clear, concise and compelling briefings, guidance and advice for a range of audiences.
• Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to understand how individual policy decisions interact with wider government priorities, objectives and delivery considerations.
• Knowledge of or experience working in housing policy, energy efficiency, or a related policy area.
• Experience of working with external stakeholders, regulators or delivery partners to support policy development and implementation.

Benefits Alongside your salary of £45,773, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £13,260 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. We offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Staff Benefits Scheme, Childcare Vouchers, and Cycle to Work Schemes.