Head of Governance & Compliance
Head of Governance & Compliance
Central London (Hybrid – 2 days in office)
Up to £82,000 + benefits
Housing Association | Permanent
About the role
This is a standout opportunity to join a respected Housing Association in a pivotal leadership role, reporting directly to the Executive Director of Finance and operating at Senior Management Team level.
As Head of Governance & Compliance, you’ll act as the organisation’s regulatory focal point, ensuring strong governance, robust compliance frameworks and effective engagement with the Regulator of Social Housing. You’ll also take on the formal responsibilities of Company Secretary, working closely with the Chief Executive and Board.
This is a highly visible role where you’ll influence strategic decision-making, hold senior stakeholders to account, and play a key role in maintaining the organisation’s regulatory standing.
Key responsibilities
- Lead on all governance, compliance and regulatory matters across the organisation
- Act as Company Secretary, ensuring statutory compliance and effective board governance
- Serve as the primary contact for the Regulator of Social Housing, managing returns and relationships
- Work closely with the CEO and Board, supporting governance effectiveness and decision-making
- Lead on Board and Committee recruitment, succession planning and appraisals
- Oversee risk management and assurance frameworks, including strategic and operational risk registers
- Ensure compliance with data protection legislation, acting as Data Protection Officer
- Manage Subject Access Requests (SARs) and wider information governance
- Oversee internal audit activity and ensure robust assurance reporting
- Lead on policy development and ensure alignment with regulatory and legal requirements
- Provide oversight of Stage 2 complaints handling across the organisation
- Conduct horizon scanning on regulatory and legislative changes
Team leadership
You’ll lead a small but high-impact team of three:
- Policy Officer
- Risk & Assurance Officer
- Governance & Board Support Officer
What we’re looking for
We’re keen to speak with candidates who bring:
- Strong social housing experience is essential across governance, compliance, risk or regulation
- Proven experience engaging with the Regulator of Social Housing
- Company Secretary experience and exposure to Board and Committee environments
- Deep understanding of data protection and handling of SARs (DPO experience highly desirable)
- Experience operating at SMT level, with the confidence to challenge and influence peers
- Track record of attending and contributing to Board meetings
- Leadership and team management experience
Why this role stands out
- Genuine strategic influence at senior leadership level
- Direct exposure to the CEO and Board
- Opportunity to shape governance during a period of Board succession
- Broad remit across governance, risk, compliance and data protection
- Purpose-driven organisation making a real community impact
If you have the required experience and are interested in finding out more, please do reach out to my email at [email protected] ASAP.
