DIO Head of Housing Policy

Job summary

Do you want to work on one or the most exciting transformation projects in the public sector? The Defence Housing Strategy set out the MOD’s plan to refurbish or replace nine in ten Defence family homes, backed by £9bn in funding and the creation of a new Defence Housing Service to drive this change. Currently part of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the Defence housing team is responsible for almost 50,000 Defence family homes – making it one of the biggest landlords in the country.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation responds to the evolving needs of our military personnel, and the ways in which they live and work. We are proud to be the expert partner Defence needs for all their infrastructure requirements. From large scale infrastructure projects to homes for our Service families, our activities focus relentlessly on our customers. We deliver value for money and consistently innovate to find proactive solutions to meet their needs.

About the Defence Housing Service

The Defence Housing Service (DHS) is being created through the Armed Forces Bill to deliver a step-change in housing for the UK’s Armed Forces and their families following the publication of the Defence Housing Strategy on 3 November 2025, which marked the most significant change to Armed Forces housing in over 50 years. DHS will bring a dedicated focus to improving the homes, communities and lived experience of Service personnel, placing families firmly at the heart of everything it does.

This is one of the most ambitious housing transformation programmes in the UK today. Backed by a £9 billion investment, DHS will modernise tens of thousands of homes, introduce a more proactive and customer-focused approach to maintenance, and unlock new opportunities to develop housing on Defence land.

DHS will have the focus and agility to deliver change at pace, combining public service values with greater flexibility to build the skills, systems and partnerships needed for the future.

This is a rare opportunity to be part of shaping its culture, influencing how it works, and helping deliver lasting improvements for Service families across the UK.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

This is a unique opportunity to play a leading role in shaping accommodation policy across one of the UK’s largest and most high-profile housing portfolios.

As Head of Housing Policy, you will lead a substantial programme of policy development within Defence housing, with a focus on standards, allocations, and wider landlord policy. You will ensure policy is coherent, deliverable, legally robust and financially sustainable, supporting the Defence Housing Strategy’s ambition to provide safe, high-quality homes for Service personnel and their families.

Reporting at a senior level, you will provide authoritative advice to Ministers and senior leaders, shaping how accommodation policy evolves as the Defence Housing Service is established. You will lead policy reform, embed a family-centred approach, and ensure alignment with statutory and regulatory requirements.

As a senior leader, you will also build and lead a high-performing policy team, foster cross-government collaboration, and represent Defence at key governance forums and external engagements.

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Lead the development and implementation of accommodation and landlord policy, including standards, allocations, estate management, repairs and maintenance, and tenancy frameworks
• Provide expert advice and briefing to senior leaders and Ministers on complex, high-profile policy issues and risks
• Drive reform and modernisation of accommodation policy through cross-MOD collaboration, including oversight of impact assessments and regulatory considerations
• Shape the transition of policy into the future Defence Housing Service, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and compliance with statutory obligations
• Oversee policy assurance, compliance and performance, ensuring alignment with legal, safety and quality standards [
• Lead stakeholder engagement across MOD, Front Line Commands, families’ federations, and wider government, ensuring a family-centred approach to policy design
• Build and lead a high-performing team, promoting evidence-based policymaking, continuous improvement, and strong delivery culture

The future delivery model for this team is currently under review and may change as part of potential organisational developments. This could include the team or function transferring to a different employer or organisational structure in the future. Should activities transfer out of the Ministry of Defence existing employees transferring with those activities will maintain the same or substantially the same terms and conditions of employment.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

This role operates at pace and with high visibility. We are looking for individuals with:

• Strong experience in policy development within complex or high-profile environments, ideally within housing, landlord functions or public service delivery
• Ability to analyse complex evidence and provide clear, balanced advice across operational, legal and financial considerations
• Proven experience supporting senior leaders and preparing high-quality written outputs, such as Ministerial briefings or policy instructions
• Demonstrable leadership experience, including managing teams and driving cross-organisational collaboration
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels across government and external partners
• Ability to operate in complex, ambiguous environments and deliver at pace while maintaining high standards

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of landlord regulatory frameworks, ombudsman systems, and compliance regimes
• Experience engaging with a broad stakeholder landscape, including legal teams, delivery bodies and customer representatives

Licences

The role involves regular travel to various locations, some of which are not easily accessible by public transport; therefore, applicants must hold a full, valid UK driving licence.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £72,840, Ministry of Defence contributes £21,101 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay r