POSTED Tuesday 20-05-25
Leadership for a New Era in Housing Associations
by Nigel Fortnum.
The role of housing associations is shifting, and fast. No longer confined to managing homes, today’s organisations are tackling everything from placemaking and mixed-tenure community development to complex partnerships with public and private developers. As these responsibilities expand, so too does the pressure on leadership teams to adapt, evolve, and lead effectively.
At Aspen People, I have the privilege of speaking daily with board members and senior candidates across the sector. From these conversations, one thing is crystal clear: the leadership that carried us through the past decade isn’t what will drive success in the years to come.
A New Kind of Leader
The leaders of today and tomorrow must blend commercial acumen with deep social purpose. They need to understand local communities, navigate cross-sector collaboration, and drive innovation at pace. This is not just about strong management; it’s about inspiring change and making bold, values-driven decisions that shape the future of housing.
Through our executive search work, including nearly 50 chief executive appointments across Scotland’s housing sector, we’ve identified some emerging trends that are reshaping the leadership landscape:
- Experience in regeneration and cross-sector collaboration is in high demand.
- Boards are looking beyond the sector to bring in fresh thinking and diverse skillsets.
- There’s a clear appetite for visionary, values-led leadership focused on long-term community outcomes.
- Digital fluency is no longer optional — leaders must understand how technology and AI can drive strategy and improve tenant experiences.
The Power of Meaningful Leadership Appointments
Against this complex and fast-moving backdrop, making the right leadership appointments has never been more critical. These are not just hiring decisions — they are inflection points that can determine the direction, impact, and resilience of an entire organisation.
We’ve seen firsthand the transformational impact that meaningful appointments can have. When boards take the time to truly understand the evolving demands of their communities and align this with the capabilities, values, and vision of new leaders the result isn’t just a successful placement, but long-term, systemic change.
It’s why we work closely with clients not just to fill roles, but to challenge assumptions, broaden candidate pools, and support leaders who bring the right balance of heart, head, and courage. In this era, the best appointments are those that reflect the breadth of the housing mission from commercial delivery to social impact and help re-energise the entire organisation.
Balancing Purpose With Pressure
The current landscape is one of paradox: while housing associations are more critical than ever, they also face unprecedented challenges. The housing crisis, rising living costs, escalating development expenses, and the need for Net Zero investment are placing enormous strain on organisations. Add to that shrinking supply chains and reduced grant funding, and the need for resilient, forward-thinking leadership becomes even more urgent.
We need to build leadership that champions learning, challenges the status quo, and cultivates growth at every level of the organisation. This goes far beyond leadership courses or away days. It is about embedding a culture of continuous development and improvement.
The Role of Data & Insight
True leadership starts with understanding. In housing, that means getting to grips with stock condition, asset complexity, and, most importantly, the evolving needs of residents. Strategic decisions, from investment to service delivery, must be grounded in data and driven by insight.
A Shifting Landscape In Scotland
Scotland’s leadership landscape is also undergoing change. While the country’s strong commitment to social housing once attracted talent from across the UK, new challenges — including tax implications and competitive funding environments — have slowed that momentum. At the same time, internal talent pipelines are under strain, with fewer emerging leaders stepping forward.
Yet, within these challenges lies opportunity.
For those with ambition and purpose, housing offers one of the most rewarding, impactful career paths available. It’s about far more than homes — it’s about people. From mental health and wellbeing to financial advice and employability services, housing associations are delivering life-changing support across our communities.
Inspiring The Next Generation
To thrive in this new era, housing associations must:
- Invest in leadership development and succession planning
- Widen the net in candidate search and embrace non-traditional talent
- Reframe housing as a dynamic, future-facing career of choice
- Champion diversity, innovation, and inclusive growth
At its core, social housing is — and always will be — about people. And in these challenging times, the call for purpose-led, innovative, and meaningful leadership has never been stronger.