Strategic Project Lead

Our Vacancy

We’re looking for a Strategic Project Lead to drive a bold new programme, Local Peabody: Project Place. This is a cross-organisational research and development initiative that explores new, place-based ways of delivering services locally and improving outcomes for residents.

Reporting to the Group Strategy Director, you will lead a 12–18 month programme of on-site pilots, using research, design, and real-world testing to understand what works and how it can be scaled. Working closely with operational teams, senior leaders, and local communities, you will turn strategic ambition into practical action - making a visible difference for residents and shaping how Peabody delivers locally for years to come.

As the programme evolves, the role will expand to include additional strategic R&D initiatives, offering a rare opportunity to influence and shape how Peabody works across the organisation.

What You’ll Do 

You will lead Project Place end to end, overseeing pilots, workstreams, and stakeholders to deliver clear, evidence-based recommendations. Drawing on insights from trials, resident feedback, and best practice, you will design proposals for long-term improvements to how Peabody is organised and operates, ensuring learning is translated into tangible organisational change.

You will line-manage the on-site Project Place Manager, who will run day-to-day delivery of the pilots, while you build strong relationships with residents, external experts, and colleagues across Peabody to support learning, collaboration, and impact.

What You’ll Need 

• Proven experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder programmes or projects, gained in housing, regeneration, local government, consulting, social innovation, or a closely related field.
• The ability to translate long-term strategic goals into practical, resident-focused outcomes, balancing experimentation with delivery.
• Strong leadership and collaboration skills, with excellent communication and the ability to build consensus and influence across diverse teams and senior stakeholders.
• A good understanding of place-based working, local service delivery and/or organisational transformation, gained through hands-on experience.
• Familiarity with design thinking, service design or strategic planning methodologies is desirable, but not essential.

This is a hybrid role working a minimum of 2 days a week in the office.

Why Join Us?
When you join Peabody, you’re joining a team guided by our values, Be Kind, Do the Right Thing, Love New Ideas, Celebrate Diversity, Keep Our Promises, and Pull Together. We believe in creating a workplace where everyone feels supported, included, and empowered.

What We Offer 

• 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

Please read before applying:  

• You must have the right to work in the UK; we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.
• We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

If this sounds like we are right for you and you’d love to be part of Peabody, we’d like to hear from you. Please apply now by submitting an anonymised CV and a short statement explaining why you’re the perfect fit for this role.

If you have any questions about this role, please email Talent Specialist, Tanisha at tanisha.johnson@peabody.org.uk

First stage interviews will be taking place Monday 16th February 2025.