Design Lead

Design Lead

About the role:

This is a pivotal role ensuring that the Council’s design and sustainability aspirations are achieved by owning the design brief and specification proposals across all tenures.  The Design Lead will work with teams of dedicated Development and Regeneration Managers across our ambitious development programmes advising on design issues and providing technical support ensuring that we achieve the best design available to meet viability and other development constraints

About Newham:

Newham is perhaps the youngest, most diverse and vibrant local authority in the UK. We are transforming how the Council works to put people at the heart of everything we do and to create better homes and neighbourhoods for our residents. This includes using our major land holding to build the most ambitious Council housebuilding programme in 40 years and focusing investment in our town centres to rebuild after the current crisis.

Over the last decade, Newham has already seen an unprecedented amount of external investment and growth in population.  However, despite this, Newham still has some of the poorest neighbourhoods in the country.

To address this head on, we have pledged to deliver 38,000 new homes and 100,000 jobs across the borough.  We have just achieved our commitment to start building over 1,000 new Council homes specifically for social rent by May 2022 and have secured further grant from the GLA to continue with this commitment to 2026.  Further we are progressing masterplans at our Canning Town and Customs House estate regeneration projects.  The Design Lead will have a central role in both programmes.

About Community Wealth Building:

Newham is an ambitious Council looking to be on the front foot in collaborating with its residents and businesses to create a flourishing place. We are adopting a community Wealth Building agenda, underpinned by the principles of economic, social and environmental justice so that long-term prosperity, wellbeing and fairness for all our residents in the borough is achieved and our response to the Climate Emergency is progressed.

Community Wealth Building is an exciting combination of creating the right conditions for residents and businesses to flourish: a stable home, a better neighbourhood, affordable workspace and the skills and access to opportunities to ensure that residents and businesses can make the most of the huge changes that are happening in the borough. We have one of the most ambitious house-building and regeneration programmes in the UK underpinned by significant land ownership, political support, and external and internal sources of funding.

To be considered for this position, you will have the following experience:

• Acting as design lead within a multi-disciplinary team of expert professionals on housing schemes;

• Used to taking an entrepreneurial approach to the delivery of the affordable housing based on a collaborative, commercial and ethical spirit to partnership. 

• Have a real passion for improving the built environment, combined with strong client, team and programme management skills.

• Are used to providing technical support across a programme of housing schemes from small infill sites to large redevelopment sites.

• Are effective at stakeholder management, including multi-disciplinary housing delivery team, regeneration, planning, elected members, the Mayor and residents in the community.

If you can match our ambition and have the skills, resilience and experience to make a difference, we want to hear from you.

About the role

This is a pivotal role ensuring that the Council’s design and sustainability aspirations are achieved by owning the design brief and specification proposals across all tenures.  The Design Lead will work with teams of dedicated Development and Regeneration Managers across our ambitious development programmes advising on design issues and providing technical support ensuring that we achieve the best design available to meet viability and other development constraints

Please view Design Lead Job Description

Additional Information

The London Borough of Newham is a Disability Confident employer. Candidates who declare that they have a disability in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 and meet the essential criteria as specified in the Job Profile will be guaranteed an interview.

Newham is one of the youngest, most diverse, and vibrant boroughs in the UK. As an inclusive employer, we are committed to ensuring our workforce reflects our local population. We welcome and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, including applicants who are ethnically diverse and/or applicants who have a disability.

Priority consideration on all advertised roles will be given to London Borough of Newham Redeployees.

The London Borough of Newham is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable groups and expects staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Please be aware that a Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS) check will be required for any position with access to these groups under the provision of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

To apply, please visit our website. You will need to attach your CV & supporting statement, explaining in no more than x2 A4 sides why and how you meet the criteria for this role. 

Closing date: 12 June 2022.