Assistant Director of Repairs & Maintenance
Position: Assistant Director of Repairs & Maintenance
Client: Sheffield City Council
Salary: £80,995 to £86,757 per annum
Length of Contract: Permanent
Introduction to Sheffield City Council
Thank you for your interest in this Assistant Director post in our housing service. This is an opportunity for an outstanding housing professional to take on one of the most rewarding jobs in the sector.
Sheffield City Council is one of the UK’s biggest social landlords, with a housing stock of around 40,000 tenanted and leasehold properties. At the heart of our growing and vibrant city, our housing service has a big role to play in the continued flourishing of the city. Central to that role is the safety, quality and long-term stewardship of the Sheffield’s council housing stock. We’ve created three brand new Assistant Director roles covering asset management, repairs and maintenance, and building safety and compliance, to lead on this objective.
With a new ambitious Council Plan for the city, and a new ten-year Housing Strategy signed off in 2024 articulating the role housing has to play at the heart of council services, there is a clear sense of momentum towards change and improvement – we are a city on the move. We have recently undertaken a thorough review of how we deliver housing services across all areas which has helped us see exactly what is working well and where we need to look again at how we do things. We recognise that there is significant room for improvement in how we manage and deliver services in some areas to provide a high quality, joined-up service for our residents.
So as a result of the work done to date, we now have a clear view on where change needs to happen and a clear direction of travel. As a member of the Council’s Housing Leadership Team, you’ll shape this change collaborating with residents, colleagues and stakeholders.
About the Role
As Assistant Director of Repairs and Maintenance, you will take on responsibility for the Council’s in-house repairs and maintenance service, which has recently been re-organised, so it reports into the housing service.
* Consisting of around 600 staff, with teams focused on responsive repairs, planned works, heating, mechanical and electrical (HM&E), voids, and damp and mould.
* The role also oversees a logistics and stores operation and has a dedicated performance and customer services team.
* Following a period of challenging performance issues, the service is now on its way to being stabilised and as the new Assistant Director you will design and oversee a plan to modernise the repairs service, aiming to improve performance and customer satisfaction and strengthen joint working with the rest of the housing service.
About the Person
You will be an inspiring and experienced leader, with a customer focus and a commitment to continuously improving services. In particular we’re looking for someone who can inspire and lead a positive, inclusive culture in the repairs service, rooted in Sheffield City Council’s values: people are at the heart of what we do; openness and honesty are important to us; and together we get things done.
You will need to be skilled at getting the best out of large teams of operatives and be a strong collaborator with experience of working with residents, colleagues, partners and a wide array of stakeholders. While a background in the housing property management sector (from either local authority, housing association or contractor) is desirable, we are seeking a leader with essential transferable skills including developing strategies to enhance service quality and drive financial efficiency; ensuring residents, staff and other stakeholders buy into your improvement journey; and leading and managing change.
In line with its values, Sheffield City Council is committed to promoting opportunities to groups currently under‑represented in our leadership teams. We value diversity and welcome applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, and in particular wish to attract women to apply for our housing leadership positions. We value transferable skills from across housing and other services, not just repairs, and you don’t necessarily need to hold the desirable technical qualifications now – for the right candidate we’ll support you to gain them once in the role.
Indicative Timetable
Closing Date for Applications: Sunday 25th January 2026
1st Stage Technical Interview (via MS Teams): Week Commencing 2nd February 2026
Stakeholder & Resident Panels: Week Commencing 9th February 2026
Final Stage Interview: Week Commencing 23rd February 2026
How to Apply
If you are ready to lead with purpose and make an impact, please submit your CV and a covering letter outlining how you meet the essential criteria to the email attached by Sunday 25th January 2026 at midnight