Compliance Operations Manager
c. £55,000 pa + benefits
South East London, SE1 7JB – hybrid working, 2 days a week in the office

About Peabody

Peabody isn't just a housing provider. Since our establishment in 1862 by our visionary founder George Peabody, we've been dedicated to improving the lives of the less fortunate in this great city. Our mission has always been about enhancing communities and tackling deep-rooted challenges such as child poverty, homelessness, underemployment, and youth violence. While we have made significant strides, we acknowledge that societal inequalities continue to persist and, in some cases, worsen.

Recognising the need for a renewed approach, we have developed a new community strategy that places individuals at the heart of our efforts. By understanding the systems that shape our communities, we aim to tackle the root causes of inequality more effectively.

At Peabody, we believe residents have the right to complain. While we have a robust process in place to handle complaints, we also recognise the importance of giving residents the option to take their grievances to the Housing Ombudsman. To ensure we meet the full requirements of the role, we need a Compliance Operations Manager who can oversee these processes and maintain our high standards of compliance and service excellence.

Role Context

This role is situated within our large housing association, responsible for ensuring compliance with the Housing Ombudsman’s determinations and codes. The Compliance Operations Manager will manage a team of five compliance leads, including two senior leads, and report directly to the Head of Complaints and Compliance. This role is critical in ensuring our organisation adheres to compliance standards and fosters a proactive approach to complaint handling and resolution.

Purpose of Role

The primary purpose of the Compliance Operations Manager is to ensure we comply with all orders and recommendations from the Housing Ombudsman. This involves liaising with key stakeholders, conducting self-assessments, and analysing complaint determinations to identify root causes and prevent future failings. The role also includes sharing best practices with other housing associations and providing feedback to complaint-handling teams to enhance training and processes. Keeping abreast of changes in regulation and code is also essential.

Key Responsibilities

As the Compliance Operations Manager, you will engage with various stakeholders to review lessons learnt from resident journeys, ensuring compliance with all orders and recommendations. You will regularly assess our compliance against the Housing Ombudsman Code and thematic reports, identifying root causes from complaint determinations and preventing recurrence. By providing actionable feedback to the stage 1 and stage 2 complaints teams, you will ensure training and corrective actions are implemented effectively. You will conduct periodic and annual reviews to monitor compliance with relevant statutes and regulations, making fair and impartial decisions on complex cases. Additionally, you will prepare and maintain detailed records and documentation, including financial records and compliance reports. You will also engage with other housing associations to exchange best practices in complaint handling and compliance, ensuring our organisation complies with key policies and procedures, such as those related to complaints, compensation, and unreasonable communication.

Skills/Experience Required

To excel in this role, you will need a deep understanding of complaints handling and the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code. Excellent communication skills are essential, as you will need to convey complex compliance requirements clearly and effectively at all levels. You must demonstrate a strong presence and influence, engaging senior stakeholders both internally and externally with confidence. Being highly organised and detail-oriented, with a structured approach to your work, is crucial. A commitment to delivering service excellence to our residents and continuously improving our processes is essential. Strong leadership skills are required, with experience in managing and developing a high-performing team to ensure the delivery of high-quality casework and resident service. You should have a solid grasp of compliance requirements and best practices within the housing sector, as well as the ability to conduct root cause analysis and derive actionable insights from complaint data.

Here are just a few of the benefits of working at Peabody: 

• 30 days’ annual holiday, plus bank holidays 
• two additional paid volunteering days each year 
• flexible benefits scheme, including family friendly benefits and access to a discount portal 
• 4 x salary life assurance
• up to 10% pension contribution