Homes Collective Lead

At Wates Family Enterprise Trust, we believe that safe, stable housing is the foundation for a decent life. We're looking for a Homes Collective Lead to play a pivotal role in strengthening collaboration across the housing and homelessness ecosystem. This is a unique opportunity to work at a system level-bringing together funders, practitioners, policymakers, researchers and people with lived experience to drive meaningful, long-term change. This is not a traditional programme or grant management role. Instead, you will act as a connector, facilitator and strategist, ensuring organisations are working collectively-not in silos-to address housing insecurity, Temporary Accommodation and challenges within the Private Rented Sector., Programme Leadership & Grant Making

• Manage WFET's Homes grant portfolio (c.£350k, scaling to ~£1m over time)
• Build strong relationships with partners across housing and homelessness
• Identify opportunities for shared learning and system-wide impact
• Develop co-funding partnerships with aligned funders
• Use insights from funded work to shape long-term housing strategy
Convening & Collective Impact
• Lead the Housing Funders Policy Network to drive alignment and collaboration
• Coordinate cross-sector groups focused on housing data and systems change
• Convene learning spaces (online and in person) to share evidence and insight
• Foster collaboration and reduce duplication across the sector
Learning, Evidence & Influence
• Work with research partners to generate and interpret evidence on:
+ Temporary Accommodation + Private Rented Sector reform + Access, tenure and prevention models
• Ensure lived experience is meaningfully embedded in all work
• Translate complex data into actionable insights for stakeholders
• Support proportionate monitoring, evaluation and learning approaches
Strategic Engagement
• Identify and engage co-funders, investors and philanthropists
• Contribute to the development of WFET's Homes strategy
• Work closely with trustees and senior leadership to shape direction
  
  We're looking for someone who is collaborative, systems-minded and passionate about social impact.
Knowledge & Experience
• Strong understanding of UK housing and homelessness systems
• Experience working within or alongside housing, policy or homelessness organisations
• Track record of building partnerships and convening diverse stakeholders
• Experience in grant making or managing funded programmes
• Ability to interpret and communicate research and evidence effectively
Skills
• Excellent communication skills across a wide range of audiences
• Skilled facilitator, able to lead inclusive and constructive conversations
• Experience working across public, private, voluntary or academic sectors
• Ability to influence without authority through relationships and insight
Behaviours
• Highly collaborative with a shared leadership mindset
• Values-led, with a strong commitment to equity and social justice
• Comfortable navigating complexity and ambiguity
• Empathetic, proactive and solutions-focused
  
  This role manages a grant budget of c.£350,000, with growth to ~£1m over time
• The role does not include direct line management responsibility
• Jointly funded by WFET, Trust for London and Oak Foundation
• WFET is committed to supporting your professional development