Housing Association Executive Search & Leadership Recruitment
We partner with Housing Associations and social housing providers to appoint senior leaders who strengthen resilience, improve customer outcomes, and lead sustainable transformation in complex, regulated environments.
Trusted by Housing Associations, ALMOs and not-for-profit providers across the UK.
Why Housing Associations Choose Douglas Jackson
Housing Associations operate in one of the most complex and scrutinised environments in the UK. Regulatory pressure, financial constraint, customer expectations, safety obligations and workforce capability all converge at leadership level.
We work with Boards, CEOs and Executive teams to appoint leaders who can operate confidently in this environment, balancing commercial discipline, customer outcomes, and social purpose.
We align with the Board and Executive team on what success looks like including when sector experience is essential, and when cross-sector leadership, and diversity of thought can bring fresh perspective, innovation and challenge.
Executive & Professional Roles We Recruit in Housing Associations
We support Housing Associations and social housing providers with, C-suite, NED, senior and critical appointments across customer, operations, transformation, housing, insight and enabling functions, at Executive, Director and senior leadership level.
Executive & Board Leadership
Customer, Experience & Insight
Operations, Transformation & Change
Enabling and Specialist Functions
- Chief Operating Officer (COO)
- Chief Customer Officer (CCO)
- Chief Transformation Officer (CTO)
- Chief Information Officer (CIO
-
Executive Director of Operations
-
Executive Director of Housing
-
Non-Executive Directors (NEDs)
- Executive Director of Customer Services
- Executive Director of Customer Experience
-
Executive Director of Customer Services
-
Head of Complaints & Service Improvement - CX
-
Executive Director of Insight & Analytics
-
Executive Director of Operations
-
Executive Director of Transformation
-
Programme & Portfolio Directors
-
Head of Change & Continuous Improvement
-
Digital & Service Transformation Leaders
- Resource Planning & Workforce Optimisation
- Data, Insight & Analytics Leaders
- Technology-enabled Service Leaders
- Performance & Regulatory Reporting Roles
- Head of AI - AI Optimisation
Our Experience in Housing Association Leadership Appointments
We have supported Housing Associations and not-for-profit providers through periods of transformation, growth, regulatory scrutiny and leadership change, appointing senior leaders who strengthen performance, culture and customer outcomes.
Executive Director of Customer Experience
Chief Customer Officer
Operations Director
Head of Digital
We chose Michelle at Douglas Jackson specifically over other more well-known Search firms because of her sector experience and this expertise certainly shone through throughout the search process for the Director of Customer Experience
A significant support to myself and my organisation in sourcing some top senior leadership capability. A wide and diverse understanding of a range of sectors and business areas and will work hard to deeply understand your needs and requirements not only from a skills and capability point of view but also from a values and culture point of view.
You were very open, great communication and transparency. An incredible recruiter and headhunter, you are excellent at what you do.
I have found Douglas Jackson a breath of fresh air. Out of the many agencies I have dealt with it is refreshing to deal with a recruitment professional that follows company processes, respects our business, and listens and understands intently to our requirements before providing candidates that are exactly on the money. They have recently placed a candidate with us who was everything we were looking for. Highly recommended professional that is able deliver quality candidates. Excellent customer service
How We Work with Housing Associations
Every Housing Association we work with is different. Our approach is tailored, partner-led and designed to deliver leaders who succeed in role, align culturally and stay for the long term.
Our Impact 360 approach underpins every search, combining behavioural insight, market intelligence and leadership assessment.
Where appropriate, we support Housing Associations to appoint leaders from outside the sector, bringing proven experience from regulated, customer-critical environments such as utilities, financial services and infrastructure.
This approach enables organisations to strengthen capability, introduce new thinking and accelerate transformation, while maintaining sensitivity to regulatory, cultural and social purpose considerations.
We regularly support both in-sector and cross-sector leadership appointments, widening the talent pool while protecting cultural and regulatory alignment.
Under representation in the boardroom. Why Social Housing is a great place to work.
Chyrel Brown is an industry veteran with over 20 years serving Housing Associations, and former Chief Operating Officer for One Housing, apassionate advocate for both the social housing sector, and inclusion.
Tech’s biggest barrier isn’t code it’s culture and until we fix that we won't fix the gender pay gap
Join us as we learn from Douglas Silverstone, Director of Technology at Southern Housing, former Chief Data Officer at the Money and Pensions Service and passionate advocate for diversity in tech.
Leading with Courage, Challenging Conventions and Building Bridges that Matter
Jane Smith is the Chief People Officer at Curo Housing. Jane has a fascinating personal story of resilience and navigating the uncomfortable. Sharing valuable insights on leadership, resilience, and fostering a culture of inclusivity and impact
We Can’t Keep Doing This! Why Housing Innovation Is Broken (And What Must Change)
Hear from Stewart Davison, Managing Director of Elehan Consulting and founder of a peer community exploring SME and SaaS initiaitves wthin Housing Associations and Property, Vice Chair at Elim Housing
True Inclusion Happens When We Recognise Everyone's Lived Experiences
We were delighted to be joined by Cordelia Johnney, Award Winning Head of Equality Diversity and Inclusion at Stonewater Housing, to learn more about how to build a more inclusive workforce.