Assistant Director of Building Safety & Compliance
Why Southwark?
Southwark is a brilliantly diverse and economically varied borough, home to a vibrant range of communities and cultures. As we work towards building a greener, fairer, and safer Southwark, we are seeking exceptional individuals to join us in creating lasting change. The Assistant Director of Building Safety & Compliance plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and security of our residents by leading strategic and operational initiatives that uphold the highest standards of building safety.
What You'll Be Doing
As the Assistant Director of Building Safety & Compliance you will have a pivotal responsibility in ensuring all council-owned properties comply with statutory and non-statutory safety regulations.
This includes overseeing key legislation such as the Building Safer Futures legislation and the Fire Safety Act, with the ultimate goal of safeguarding residents across Southwark’s diverse housing portfolio.
In this role, you will inspire and lead the Building Safety and Engineering teams, who are responsible for ensuring compliance in high-risk buildings, fire safety, heat networks, and electrical and gas systems. Through effective monitoring, strategic planning, and the implementation of safety measures, you will drive long-term policies that support the safe management of housing across the borough. Financial management and internal governance are key components, where you will need to ensure Southwark meets its safety obligations while delivering cost-effective services.
Collaboration is a central part of the role, as you will need to have strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory bodies and resident representatives. By aligning the Council’s strategic objectives with broader housing quality and safety goals, you will play a vital role in enhancing the wellbeing of Southwark’s diverse population. Additionally, you will lead a talented and inclusive team, fostering a positive workplace culture that reflects the Council’s values of equality, transparency, and community focus.
What We're Looking For
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated leader with strong expertise in project and programme management within complex regulatory environments. A deep understanding of key legislation, including the Building Safety Act 2022, is essential, along with knowledge of frameworks such as the Building Safety Regulator and Social Housing Regulator. This means you will have a deep experience across relevant construction, design or property disciplines, capable of providing strategic leadership, technical assurance and strong governance.
You will need to have extensive leadership and management experience, with a proven ability to coach, develop, and motivate senior staff in politically sensitive environments. You will also need to demonstrate strategic planning experience at both local and regional levels, along with a track record of consulting and engaging with diverse communities to deliver positive outcomes.
Strong communication and leadership skills are vital to success in this role, as you will be expected to effectively engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders, ensuring that Southwark remains at the forefront of building safety and compliance. If you are passionate about making a real impact in a borough as dynamic and diverse as Southwark, and if you have the expertise and leadership experience to drive excellence in building safety, we would love to hear from you.
How to apply
Please submit:
- Your CV, and
- Respond to the four-application questions outlining how you meet the requirements of the role.
Useful Documentation
Additional Information
Salary range:
£101,688 - £127,605 pa, plus JNC benefit to the value of £3,503 pa
Benefits
Working for Southwark Council – Southwark
Recruitment timeline
Closing date: Sunday 1st March 2026
Technical assessment: Wednesday 11th March 2026
Stakeholder Panel: Wednesday 18th March 2026
Final Interview: Tuesday 24th March 2026
At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities.
Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.
Guaranteed Interview Scheme
As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:
- Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
- Are currently in care or have previously been in care.
- If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition.
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Attachments
Salary range
- £101,688 - £127,625 per year