Head of Community Services

About the role

Community Services at The Passage are delivered from our Resource Centre in Victoria, which provides a single, accessible entry point for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The Resource Centre acts as a central hub, enabling people to be assessed once and supported to access the most appropriate accommodation, services or onward referrals based on their individual needs.

People are supported by skilled client facing staff who work with them to understand their circumstances and identify the right pathway of support. Alongside assessment and casework, the Resource Centre provides immediate welfare services to help meet urgent needs and stabilise people at times of crisis.

Following assessment, Community Services deliver a range of specialist and preventative interventions, including rapid rehousing for those at imminent risk of homelessness, advice and advocacy, employment and skills support, housing-related casework delivered in partnership with the local authority, and assertive engagement for people less able to access services independently. The overall aim is to prevent homelessness wherever possible and to support people to move quickly into safe, stable accommodation.

Key responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Service Development

• Lead delivery of The Passage s 3-year strategy as it relates to Community Services, ensuring services are preventative, trauma-informed, and outcomes-focused.
• Develop, implement and monitor an annual Community Services business plan, reporting to the Quality & Services Committee and Board as required.
• Provide strategic leadership for No Night Out, ensuring it continues to deliver rapid, effective interventions aligned to Westminster s homelessness strategy and wider system reform.
• The post holder will be responsible for embedding equality, diversity and inclusion across Community Services, ensuring services are accessible, inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of people we support, and that inclusive practice is reflected in service delivery, staff development and partnership working.
• Identify, develop and lead new service opportunities, including bid development and commissioner engagement for Community Services.
• Lead planning and operational delivery for Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) and other system-wide responses.

Safeguarding, Risk and Community Impact

• Act as Safeguarding Lead for Community Services, ensuring robust policies, training, escalation pathways and safe practice across all services.
• Maintain oversight of risk management, incident reporting, and health & safety compliance within Community Services.
• Lead locality management across services, including proactive management of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and community impact in a dense residential environment.
• Hold responsibility for security provision within Community Services, ensuring appropriate deployment, escalation and alignment with The Passage s values and legal responsibilities.
• Work closely with local residents, businesses, the local authority and other stakeholders to manage concerns, maintain confidence, and protect The Passage s reputation.

Operational Leadership and People Management

• Provide clear leadership and direction to Community Services managers and teams, fostering a culture of accountability, learning and continuous improvement.
• Recruit, develop and retain high-performing teams, ensuring robust supervision, appraisal and development planning.
• Ensure consistent application of people policies, including performance management, grievance, disciplinary and absence processes.
• Support managers to define clear roles and responsibilities aligned to service objectives and contractual requirements.
• Champion co-production and lived experience involvement in service design and delivery, working closely with the Lived Experience Project Manager.

Primary Services and Resource Centre Operations

• Hold strategic and operational responsibility for Primary Services, including the catering function within the Resource Centre.
• Ensure full compliance with food hygiene, health & safety, and all relevant regulatory and legal requirements.
• Work closely with Fundraising to support corporate volunteering and Kitchen Takeover initiatives, ensuring safe, high-quality delivery that enhances supporter engagement while protecting service users and staff.
• Balance operational integrity, safeguarding and service quality with supporter and volunteer experience.

Financial Management and Funding Stewardship

• Set and manage realistic budgets and forecasts across Community Services, working closely with Finance and Fundraising.
• Oversee multiple funding streams, including large trusts, grant-giving bodies and commissioned services, ensuring full compliance with funding conditions and reporting requirements.
• Support managers to understand and deliver against budgetary and income-related targets.
• Contribute to the development of funding proposals and service models that align with organisational strategy and funder priorities.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact

• Strengthen monitoring, evaluation and learning across Community Services, supporting teams to evidence impact and improve practice.
• Analyse service data (e.g. In-Form) to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Produce high-quality narrative and impact reporting for funders, commissioners and supporters, demonstrating both quantitative outcomes and qualitative change.
• Work with Fundraising to showcase frontline work through supporter communications, social media and events.

External Relations and Partnerships

• Develop and maintain strong strategic and operational partnerships across Westminster and the wider homelessness sector.
• Work closely with Fundraising colleagues to steward corporate partners, major donors and trusts, including hosting visits and events.
• Represent The Passage in multi-agency forums, contributing to system-wide solutions and best practice.

Organisational Leadership

• Actively contribute as a member of the Senior Management Group, supporting organisational planning, innovation and culture.
• Provide reports to, and attend, Board and Committee meetings as required.
• Deputise for the Director of Housing & Services when appropriate.
• Role-model The Passage s values and commitment to dignity, respect and excellence.
• Work flexibly in line with organisational needs.

Desired experience

Experience

1. Senior leadership experience within homelessness, housing-related support, social care, or a closely aligned sector, with responsibility for multiple frontline services and managers.

1. Proven experience leading preventative or rapid-response services, such as homelessness prevention, assessment services, outreach, crisis response or equivalent, including partnership working with local authorities.

1. Demonstrable experience of safeguarding leadership, including acting as a designated or senior safeguarding lead and managing complex risk, incident response and escalation.

1. Experience of managing services in complex localities, including community impact, ASB, neighbour relations and working alongside security provision or comparable risk-managed environments.

1. Experience of managing multiple funding streams, including trusts, grants, and/or commissioned services, with responsibility for compliance, reporting and supporting income generation.

Knowledge and Skills

1. Strong strategic and operational leadership skills, with the ability to translate organisational strategy into effective, high-quality service delivery and measurable outcomes.

1. Excellent people management capability, including coaching senior managers, handling performance, and fostering a culture of accountability, learning and continuous improvement.

1. Sound understanding of safeguarding, health & safety, and regulatory compliance, with the confidence to provide assurance across diverse services, including food provision and volunteer-involved activity.

1. Highly developed partnership and influencing skills, able to build credibility with commissioners, funders, residents, corporate partners and senior stakeholders in a high-profile environment.

1. Strong financial and analytical skills, including budget management, monitoring performance data, and producing clear, compelling reports that demonstrate impact to funders, boards and supporters.

Above all we are looking for inspiring and committed individuals who have a genuine desire to support people, and to help them to rebuild their lives.