Compliance & Governance Manager - Affordable Housing

Founded in 2021, Zen Housing is committed to addressing the critical need for new affordable housing throughout England. As a registered provider of affordable housing, our mission is to help deliver & manage innovative, high-quality homes that meet the demands of modern living. We provide homes at a discount to market rates to those on local authority waiting lists and offer Shared Ownership homes (part buy, part rent) to diverse customers across England.

Over the next 18 months, we aim to support the delivery of over 5,000 new homes –collaborating with best-in-class partners and premier house builders to drive sustainable development. Our commitment extends beyond construction, aiming to enhance community well-being and promote long-term growth.

Role Purpose

The Governance & Compliance Manager safeguards the integrity of Zen Living’s operating model by assuring compliance across quality, ESG, health & safety, and data-governance obligations.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the role provides an independent line of assurance across the full lifecycle — from procurement through handover and post-completion.

This position leads the design and enforcement of Zen’s internal governance framework, ensuring all delivery partners (developers, EAs & advisory firms) operate within auditable, lender-ready standards.

Strategic Context

As Zen transitions from consultant-led to data-enabled operations, governance must evolve from document review to live assurance.

The Governance & Compliance Manager institutionalises this - verifying that the “golden thread” of quality, ESG, and safety data is complete, current, and evidenced within Dataverse.

The role works closely with Commercial Delivery, Delivery, and Operations teams to maintain trust with investors, regulators, and residents alike.

The Opportunity

The Governance & Compliance Manager ensures Zen’s growth remains underpinned by integrity, evidence, and transparency.

This role provides the independent oversight that investors, lenders, and regulators expect, connecting policy, performance, and digital assurance into a single system of truth.

Core Responsibilities

1. Governance Framework Ownership

• Maintain and continuously improve Zen’s Governance & Assurance Framework, covering quality, ESG, H&S, and data management.
• Define policy updates, delegated authorities, and assurance controls across all Decision Gateways.
• Prepare quarterly assurance reports for the Executive Board and investors.
• Manage policy alignment with Homes England, RSH, and BSR expectations.

2. ESG & Quality Assurance

• Chair the Quarterly QA & ESG Governance Review, tracking compliance actions across all live schemes.
• Verify that all ESG metrics, QA evidence, and audit findings are uploaded and validated.
• Ensure QA sampling, Employer’s Agent audits, and Delivery Manager handover reports are consolidated into a single portfolio view.
• Track closure of ESG and H&S actions within 30-day SLA.

3. Compliance & Audit

• Coordinate internal and third-party audits (technical, ESG, H&S, data).
• Manage Zen’s Audit Log and Evidence Register in Dataverse, ensuring full traceability.
• Work with the Finance Manager to ensure drawdown evidence and procurement documentation meet lender and audit standards.
• Oversee corrective-action plans and escalate unresolved compliance issues to the COO and Board.

4. Data Governance

• Act as Data Steward for ESG, QA, and H&S data domains within Dataverse.
• Define access controls, audit rules, and version management in partnership with our Microsoft Specialist.
• Maintain alignment with Zen’s Document Intelligence and Dataverse scheme standards.
• Report quarterly on data-quality scores and correction trends.

Candidate Profile

• Proven experience in governance, ESG, or compliance within construction, real estate, or housing.
• Understanding of QA frameworks, Building Safety legislation, and ESG data reporting.
• Strong data-literacy and digital-systems competence (Dataverse, Power BI, or similar).
• Excellent stakeholder management skills across technical and executive teams.
• High attention to detail and comfort managing audit processes.
• Exposure to regulated housing or institutional investment environments.
• Experience with ISO 9001 / 14001 / 45001 systems.
• Membership of IEMA, IOSH, or equivalent governance body.

Please apply here or forward your application (If you don’t have a CV yet that is not an issue) to john@henryjamessearch.com – Henry James are retained search partners for this mandate, any direct applications will be forwarded.

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