Head of Regeneration Strategic Design

 “by cross-subsidising, talking to residents and valuing good design, the east London borough is investing in some of the best council housing ever built”    

Rowan Moore, The Observer 

Hackney Council prides itself on delivering design excellence through its housing regeneration. We are recruiting for a rare and exciting permanent opportunity,  the Head of Regeneration Strategic Design, responsible for maintaining and extending this ambition and acting as an ambassador for Hackney’s commitment to quality homes. 

The Head of Regeneration Strategic Design (RSD) is the Council’s leading design authority and the custodian of architectural and place-making design across the Council’s new-build housing programmes. 

The postholder will lead and manage the RSD team and be responsible for strategic design and technical direction, advice and governance at programme and project level ensuring the Council is creating enduring, sustainable neighbourhoods of exemplary housing, associated uses and infrastructure. 

As a member of the Senior Management Team in Housing Regeneration & Delivery, you will also be a key part of the Council led housing delivery team ensuring design is embedded in all strategic management decisions.

The current programmes are delivering around 4,000 new homes and to date have won numerous architectural awards including Regional and National RIBA, Civic Trust, Neave Brown Award and shortlisted for the Stirling Prize in 2024.  

You will come to us with an impressive record of leading on architectural design, a track record of developing and implementing processes or procedures to achieve design and technical excellence in the built environment, as well as the ability to clearly articulate your thoughts to our in-house teams, external consultants and the industry in general. You will be able to exercise high levels of design judgement and have the ability to be both principalled and pragmatic with a deep understanding of the wider context of housing design, sustainability, building safety, regeneration and neighbourhood renewal. 

You should be knowledgeable and passionate about the Borough, its people and the possibilities of good housing to change peoples’ lives. 

As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation.

If you want to work in a place where you can represent our values so we achieve the best for our residents, please click on the apply button below.

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CV’s.

To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application.

As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency based questions. These questions allow you to demonstrate your suitability for the role and provide examples of your skills, knowledge and experience outlined in the job description.

We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace. However, if you are thinking of using this tool to submit your application, we ask you to think about what value it will add. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.

For regulatory requirements, please provide your full employment history from the age of first employment, including an explanation for any gaps in employment on the online application form. If this is not provided at the application stage, unfortunately, your application will not be considered.

If you are successful, you will be asked to present the original certificate of your NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification.

Closing date for applications: 05 May 2026 (22:59)

Interview and assessment date:18 & 22 May 2026

We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.

Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.

The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: hackneyworks@hackney.gov.uk