About Southern Housing
With roots dating back to 1901, Southern Housing was formed in December 2022 through the merger of Southern Housing Group and Optivo. We are one of the largest housing associations in the UK, owning and managing over 80,000 homes and providing housing for more than 167,000 residents across London, the South East, the Isle of Wight and the Midlands.
Our vision is to create communities where everyone has a safe home in a place they’re proud to live. We are currently delivering an ambitious strategy focused on three key goals:
- Becoming the best large landlord for repairs by 2027
- Achieving a C1 Consumer grading by 2028
- Restoring 100% EBITDA-MRI cash interest cover by 2029
We are now seeking to appoint both a Chair of the Development Committee (Board Member) and an Independent Member of the Development Committee to strengthen governance and bring specialist expertise in regeneration and construction.
About the Roles
Chair of the Development Committee (Board Member)
This is a key Board-level appointment, providing strategic leadership of the Development Committee and contributing to the overall governance and direction of Southern Housing.
You will:
- Chair the Development Committee, ensuring effective oversight of development strategy and delivery
- Provide strategic leadership across development, regeneration and capital investment programmes
- Support and challenge the Executive to drive performance and value for money
- Ensure robust governance, risk management and decision-making at Board level
- Act as an ambassador for the organisation with key stakeholders, including residents and regulators
About You
- Significant senior leadership experience in house-building construction or regeneration.
- Strong commercial and procurement expertise
- Board-level experience (highly desirable)
- The ability to chair effectively, providing both support and constructive challenge
- Strategic insight and credibility to operate at Board level
Independent Member of the Development Committee
As an Independent Member, you will bring specialist technical and commercial expertise to support effective scrutiny and assurance of development activity.
You will:
- Scrutinise development & regeneration programmes, including cost, risk, procurement and delivery
- Review development appraisals and commercial strategies
- Contribute to effective governance and decision-making within the Committee
- Provide constructive challenge and independent insight
- Support the monitoring of performance against strategic objectives
About You
- Senior experience in construction delivery, or regeneration
- Understanding of development appraisals, procurement strategies and contracting structures
- Strong commercial judgement and the ability to assess viability and risk
- The confidence to provide independent challenge and contribute to Committee discussions
- Board experience is not essential; technical expertise is the priority.
Person Profile (Both Roles)
- Strong alignment to Southern Housing’s purpose and values
- Collaborative and collegiate approach to leadership and decision-making
- Ability to analyse complex information and contribute to strategic discussions
- High standards of integrity, accountability and governance
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
Chair of Development Committee (Board Member)
Time Commitment: Approx. 3–5 days per month
Location: London (primarily in-person at Farringdon)
Remuneration: £20,408 per annum
Independent Member of the Development Committee
Time Commitment: Approx. 1–2 days per month
Location: London (hybrid – Farringdon and virtual meetings)
Remuneration: £5,515 per annum
Closing date: 4 May 2026
For more information, candidate packs and details on how to apply, please visit:
http://www.southernhousing.org.uk/BoardRecruitment
For more information please reach out to Hannah Smith at Neemar Search hannahsmith@neemarsearch.com
Our Commitment to Inclusion
Southern Housing is committed to building a diverse, inclusive and values-led organisation. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Our recruitment process is fair and accessible, ensuring equal opportunities for all candidates. As a Disability Confident employer, we’re happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the process, please let us know if there’s anything we can do to support you
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