Programme Director – Derwenthorpe Estate, Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT)

Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT) is a values-driven housing association committed to providing high quality affordable homes and building strong, sustainable communities. With a long heritage of social purpose, JRHT continues to innovate in the way housing and community infrastructure are delivered.

We are now seeking to appoint a Programme Director – Derwenthorpe, a senior leadership role reporting to the Managing Director. This is a critical appointment responsible for leading a dedicated programme to resolve complex infrastructure and contractual challenges affecting the Derwenthorpe community in York.

Derwenthorpe is a 482-home development served by a district heating system operating under a long-term concession arrangement. Residents have experienced ongoing reliability issues affecting heating and hot water, particularly during periods of peak demand and extreme weather. Alongside this, JRHT is working to ensure the estate’s roads and sewers are remediated to meet the standards required for adoption by the local authority.

This role will establish and lead a coordinated programme of work to deliver both short-term operational stabilisation and long-term sustainable solutions, bringing together technical, commercial, legal and resident considerations within a robust governance framework.

Role Overview -The Programme Director will:

• Provide overall strategic leadership and accountability for the Derwenthorpe Programme, ensuring clear governance structures, objectives and delivery milestones are established and maintained.
• Lead both the operational stabilisation project for the district heating system and the development of a long-term permanent solution, ensuring coordination and transition between the two phases.
• Oversee the road and sewer adoption processes, working with the local authority and technical advisers to resolve infrastructure issues.
• Chair the Project Steering Board for the district heating contract and ensure effective oversight across programme workstreams.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary activity across legal, procurement, finance, communications, technical appraisal and stakeholder engagement, ensuring clear accountability and delivery oversight.
• Maintain ownership of the long-term options appraisal process, commissioning feasibility work and presenting recommendations to JRHT’s Board.
• Provide commercial and contractual oversight of the district heating concession arrangements, working with retained legal advisers to manage risk and explore options for resolution.
• Lead negotiation and resolution strategies relating to contractual or performance issues, protecting JRHT’s interests and managing reputational risk.
• Establish robust programme risk management, assurance and reporting arrangements, providing clear updates to the Managing Director, Board and relevant committees.
• Lead engagement with residents, local authority partners, councillors, MPs and external advisers, ensuring transparent communication and resident confidence in the programme.

Candidate Profile – We are seeking candidates with:

• Significant senior-level experience leading complex infrastructure, utilities or major capital programmes.
• Experience operating at Board or executive governance level, including preparation of strategic recommendations and decision papers.
• Strong commercial and contractual acumen, including experience negotiating or resolving complex contractual arrangements.
• Experience overseeing district heating, energy infrastructure or comparable utility systems, or other technically complex infrastructure environments.
• A strong understanding of programme governance, risk management and assurance frameworks.
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders in politically and technically sensitive environments.
• Excellent leadership, analytical and communication skills, with the ability to present complex issues clearly and influence senior decision-makers.
• Experience within social housing, regulated environments, or infrastructure adoption processes would be advantageous.

The Opportunity

This is a high-profile and impactful leadership role, addressing critical infrastructure challenges within a major residential development. The Programme Director will play a central role in delivering long-term solutions that improve reliability for residents while safeguarding JRHT’s strategic and financial position.

The role offers the opportunity to lead a complex programme combining technical delivery, commercial negotiation, governance oversight and community engagement, with direct visibility at Executive and Board level.

About JRHT

JRHT is a values-based organisation committed to providing high quality services and decent affordable homes in well-managed communities for those in greatest need.

Our work is guided by three core values:

• We’re built on trust
• We show we care
• We make a difference

JRHT is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We are also a Disability Confident Employer and guarantee an interview to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Further Information

This appointment is being handled on a retained basis by Allcroft Associates. If you would like to discuss the opportunity in confidence or have any questions about the role, please contact:

Jim Allcroft

Managing Director, Allcroft Associates

jim@allcrofta.com 07783 701 922

Applications should be made via email to jim@allcrofta.com and must include on separate documents:

Closing date for application: Wednesday 8th April

Final stage interviews will be held in person in York from 4th May, To be Confirmed

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

At JRHT we believe in giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, race, sex, sexual orientation, trans status or social economic background. We positively encourage applications from people with experience of living in poverty.

As part of our commitment to equity and specifically anti-racism, we operate an anonymised recruitment process so that bias is eliminated from the shortlisting process.

Disability Confident

Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust are committed to creating an inclusive workplace culture where everyone feels welcomed and valued.

Our status as Disability Confident Committed means that if you have a disability or long-term health condition, you will be treated equally and fairly within our organisation – from applying for jobs through to working with our teams. At Level 1, we have committed to:

• ensure our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible
• communicate and promote vacancies to attract disabled candidates
• offer an interview to disabled people if they meet the essential criteria
• anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as required
• support any existing member of staff with a disability or long-term health condition

In making an application for this role we ask you also to view our Privacy Notice which outlines our compliance to General Data Protection Regulations and the use and storage of your data.

Personal Data is held and processed on the lawful basis that such action is in the Legitimate Interest of the company in pursuing the purposes described and has been considered through the use of a Legitimate Interest Assessment utilising the Balance Test to not be outweighed by risks to the rights, freedoms and interests of the Data Subject.