Full Time | Permanent
Location: Bath
Hybrid
Salary Range: £85,000 - £100,00 per annum
Purpose of the Job
The Head of Technical leads technical delivery across Curo Enterprise's development programme, from land acquisition and planning through to design, construction and completion. The role drives consistency, quality and process improvement across the Technical Team and acts as the senior point of escalation for complex technical issues.
Through visible leadership and a focus on standardisation, the role contributes directly to Curo's strategic objectives of Quality Homes, Solid Foundations and Collaboration and Growth - making sure new homes are safe, compliant, well-designed and delivered to programme.
What will I do?
Project Delivery and Technical Escalation
- Act as the senior point of escalation when technical workstreams stall - for example, statutory delays or consultant performance issues - taking ownership to maintain delivery momentum.
- Support Technical Leads in resolving design challenges, statutory approvals (S278, S38, S104) and coordination issues, stepping in where needed to protect programme.
- Take ownership of resolving legacy technical issues and customer-care related design matters.
- Identify, manage and escalate risks early - whether internal, consultant-related or authority-related - to protect programme, cost and delivery outcomes.
- Chair Pre-Development Meetings and attend Project Meetings and escalation sessions where key decisions or programme risks need senior input.
- Maintain technical programme performance, making sure delays are minimised and effectively mitigated.
- Drive cross-functional collaboration with Commercial, Construction and Sales to remove blockers to delivery. Standardisation, Process and Continuous Improvement
- Own Curo Enterprise's technical standards — including the Project User Guide (PUG), Standard Operating Procedures, checklists, standard house type and detail packs, and specification updates, making sure they are consistently adopted across all projects.
- Identify recurring difficulties or inefficiencies and develop business-wide solutions that create consistency of output.
- Record, track and communicate 'What Good Looks Like' (WGLL) standards, with measurable adoption embedded across the team.
- Make sure standardisation delivers measurable improvements in programme certainty, cost efficiency and risk reduction. Land, Planning and Design Coordination
- Support land acquisition through constraints analysis, technical due diligence and risk evaluation, contributing to the assessment of abnormal costs and constraints during bid stages.
- Make sure technical input supports robust, buildable and commercially viable schemes through planning and design stages.
- Lead consultant procurement for due diligence, planning and technical design, securing value, scope clarity and aligned expectations.
- Champion value engineering, so design solutions deliver cost efficiency without compromising safety, compliance, quality or programme. Compliance, Legal and Contractual Oversight
- Make sure all technical activity complies with Building Regulations, the Building Safety Act, CDM Regulations, warranty provider requirements and all relevant legislation.
- Support compliance with the Building Safety Act, including design coordination, dutyholder awareness and accurate maintenance of design information.
- Support execution of JCT Design and Build contracts, management company arrangements, RMC setup, estate strategies, legal transfers, bond facilities and statutory agreements.
- Make sure planning, building control and NHBC/LABC conditions are robustly discharged, escalating where delays emerge.
- Track and report expenditure of technical fees against budget.
- Promote a culture of compliance, auditability and accountability across all technical activities.
People Leadership and Culture
- Mentor and develop members of the Technical Team, building confidence, decisionmaking and independence through regular formal and informal one-to-ones.
- Be accountable for the quality, consistency and timeliness of technical output across the team.
- Set clear performance expectations and address capability gaps constructively and promptly.
- Lead the development and delivery of the annual CPD and training plan, supporting knowledge growth in topical areas such as regulations, fire safety, EVC, SAP/FHS, detailing and design compliance.
- Attend key site, design and commercial meetings at appropriate intervals to maintain visibility and support timely technical decision-making.
- Encourage collaboration across the Technical Team through structured catch-ups, workshops, technical forums and shared problem-solving.
What do I need to be successful?
Essential – Experience and Qualifications
- Substantial experience in technical delivery within a housebuilder, main contractor, developer or consultancy environment — or equivalent experience leading technical work on residential development projects.
- A built-environment qualification (HNC, HND, degree or equivalent), or equivalent professional experience demonstrating the same depth of technical knowledge.
- Working knowledge of Building Regulations, the Building Safety Act, CDM Regulations and current technical standards relevant to residential development.
- Experience leading or mentoring technical colleagues, with a track record of developing capability and consistency across a team.
Essential – Skills and Attributes
- Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to challenge constructively and engage confidently across disciplines and levels of seniority.
- Structured approach to planning, prioritisation and follow-through, balancing long term improvement work with day-to-day delivery pressures.
- Sound judgement under pressure, with resilience and a problem-solving mindset when navigating unplanned challenges.
- A proactive, ownership-led approach - taking action rather than waiting for direction.
- Commitment to continuous improvement, both personally and in the development of others.
- Alignment with Curo's values of being Caring, Respectful, Open, Fair and Trusting.
Desirable
- Chartered or working towards chartership with a relevant professional body (e.g. CIOB, RICS, CIAT, ICE).
- Experience working on mixed-tenure or affordable housing schemes.
- Familiarity with JCT Design and Build contract administration.
About Curo
We're a leading South West housing association with social purpose at our heart. We provide affordable homes and create positive futures in our communities. We're proud to be among the UK's top 100 companies to work for, and the 5th best housing association nationwide.
We actively welcome applications from candidates who identify as disabled, LGBTQ+, from ethnic minority backgrounds, and from our Curo customers. We're committed to making our recruitment process accessible to everyone - if you need any adjustments to help you apply or interview, please contact our recruitment team at [email protected]
