London Borough of Hackney - Strategic Director of Property

Director of Strategic Property Services

London Borough of Hackney

Salary: Chief Officer 3, which ranges from £123,293 to £137,835

2–3 days in the office

About the Place and Ambition

Hackney is a proudly local, deeply connected borough. The Council operates in a fast-paced urban environment, serving communities who expect high-quality, reliable services and transparent decision making. The estate underpins almost every aspect of that delivery: schools, operational buildings, commercial assets, community provision and the infrastructure that supports day-to-day services.

Why This Role?

The Council has set out a clearer, more coordinated approach to property and asset management. The priority now is to embed that approach, lift the standard of governance and decision making, and build a service that is structured, confident and ready for the future.

The Director will bring leadership to a wide, dispersed portfolio and will help shape how the organisation thinks, plans and makes choices about its estate. This includes ensuring alignment with the Medium Term Financial Strategy, improving how operational, commercial and strategic functions interact, and supporting senior officers and Members with grounded, balanced advice.

About the Role

The Director leads the full span of Strategic Property Services, including operational and commercial property, strategic asset management, acquisitions and disposals, planning viability advice, the corporate landlord function, health and safety, fleet management and oversight of the schools estate.

The portfolio includes a large workforce across multiple technical disciplines and stewardship of significant revenue and capital budgets. The Director will strengthen corporate governance, improve the use of asset intelligence, ensure compliance across all buildings in scope, and support the Council in planning for longer-term needs.

Partnership working is central: the postholder will work with senior leaders, Members, education partners, statutory bodies and regional stakeholders to ensure that Hackney’s estate strategy is cohesive, evidence-led and focused on sustainable outcomes.

About You

Candidates will bring senior-level experience in property and asset management within a large, complex organisation. You will have the professional credibility to lead specialist functions, combined with the ability to guide decision making at a corporate level.

The Council is looking for a leader with sound judgement, a straightforward and calm approach, and the confidence to operate in a political environment.

You will understand how to shape services, bring teams together and raise expectations in a way that builds trust. The ability to handle complexity, communicate clearly and work across organisational and professional boundaries will be essential.

Senior leaders who can bring clarity, discipline and confidence to a major corporate service, and who are motivated by the chance to make a meaningful impact across the borough, are encouraged to apply.

Closing date: 11:59pm Sunday 26^th of April 2026

For more information, please download a candidate pack here.

For questions or an informal discussion, please contact:

Bruna Varante on 07858 306725 or email: bruna.varante@penna.com

Ali Tasker on 07514 728114 or email: ali.tasker@penna.com 

Dawar Hashmi on 07772 368388 or email: dawar.hashmi@penna.com

How to Apply

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6. If you have a long term health condition or disability and would like your application to be considered in accordance with a Disability Confident Scheme, please email: execapplications@penna.com to inform the Penna team.