Director of Strategy & Insight

Location: Oldham (hybrid) 2-3 days per week in the office

Salary: Circa £90,000 per Annum.

Job Type: Permanent

As the Director of Strategy and Insight, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction and performance of FCHO. You will be responsible for leading FCHO’s Strategic Planning, Data Analysis and Business Intelligence.

You will be able to articulate our current Corporate Plan and key strategies to a wide range of audiences closely supporting both the CEO and Executive Director of Corporate Services/Deputy CEO in regular internal and external stakeholder sessions. You will also be responsible for supporting the Executive team in developing and tracking the overall corporate plan, ensuring that it aligns with FCHO’s aims and objectives focused on delivering exceptional outcomes for residents, stakeholders, and the wider community.

You will lead on performance monitoring, driving a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. Your insights and leadership will ensure the organisation is equipped to meet current and future challenges while maintaining its commitment to providing high-quality, sustainable housing solutions that residents are proud of.

You will lead FCHO’s Business Intelligence function, ensuring that the collection, analysis and interpretation of data will inform FCHO’s strategic decisions and improve operational efficiency. You will also lead and own FCHO’s data strategy, ensuring that it meets the needs of the organisation to deliver our strategic goals, enhancing operational efficiency, and decision making to enable FCHO to meet the needs of our residents and stakeholders effectively.

So what will you be doing?

In this role your responsibilities will be:

Strategic Planning

• Assist in the development of the organisation’s long-term strategy (Corporate Plan), ensuring alignment with our mission, vision, and resident-focused objectives.
• Oversee corporate planning process and ensure all activities support the delivery of strategic goals.
• Ensure alignment and tracking of key strategies linked to the Corporate Plan, ensuring consistency in the delivery of the plan.
• Provide our Board with key updates (quarterly and annually), tracking performance of the organisation against the Corporate Plan.
• Provide insight on sector trends, risks, and opportunities to inform strategic direction.
• Assist the ED Corporate Services and CEO in a both internal and external stakeholder sessions, articulating the corporate plan and other key strategies to range of audiences.

Data Strategy

• Develop and own the Data Strategy for the organisation, ensuring that FCHO collects, analyses and interprets data to inform strategic decisions and improve operational efficiency.
• Improve data literacy across the organisation.
• Develop wider data strategies, tools, and systems to support real-time decision-making and strategic foresight.
• Support the creation of a data-driven culture, including the building of related competency and data literacy across the organisation.
• Use data and analytics to identify trends, risks, and opportunities to improve service delivery and operational efficiency. Understand and articulate impact evaluation of initiatives.
• Create and present actionable insights to senior leadership and the Board to guide decision-making.
• Develop predictive and prescriptive analytics to anticipate challenges and optimize resource allocation.

Business Intelligence (BI) Development

• Lead the Business Intelligence function that provides advanced data analytics and reporting capabilities.
• Cultivate strong working relationships with colleagues in all teams across the organisation providing support and insight.
• Via the Head of Business Intelligence, ensure FCHO meets its regulatory and statutory obligations in terms of data returns including, but not limited to, the annual Standard Data Return (SDR) & Tennant Satisfaction Measures (TSM’s).

• Provide relevant monthly performance reporting to the Executive Management Team, Directors and Heads of Service, providing commentary on performance against the metrics aligned to delivery of the Corporate Plan.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Champion a customer/resident-centric approach by embedding resident feedback and insights into strategy and planning.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders, Executives, Directors & Heads of Service to align strategy and delivery against expectations.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the ED Corporate Services and CEO, providing data-driven insights to inform critical decisions.

Leadership and Culture

• Inspire and manage a multidisciplinary team, fostering collaboration, innovation, and professional growth.
• Promote a data-driven, performance-focused culture across the organisation.
• Provide training and support to ensure teams have the skills and tools needed to engage with BI and performance management processes.

Key Skills and Competencies

• Demonstrable experience in senior leadership within a complex organisation.
• Proven expertise in building and managing Data and Business Intelligence functions and systems.
• Strong knowledge of Integrated Performance Management frameworks and their application in driving organisational improvement.
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to translate complex data into clear insights and actionable strategies.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage and influence at all levels.
• Deep understanding of the social housing sector, including policy, regulation, and resident needs.
• A track record of inspiring teams and embedding a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Who are we looking for?

Essential Requirements:

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in a relevant field (e.g., business management, economics, strategy management, finance).
• Professional qualifications in business management or business intelligence or significant experience within similar roles.
• Evidence of continuous professional development in leadership, strategy, or analytics.