Director of Equity, Inclusion and Culture

Shelter's strategy is to transform the nation's housing and, as a result, to radically improve the lives of millions of people. Our ambition is to use our power to fight for home, because we believe home is everything.

In an operating environment that's changed dramatically since our current strategy was published in 2019, we know that we'll only succeed if we are an organisation that continually learns and develops, rooted in trust, inclusion, compassion and fearlessness, with equity and a focus on lived experience at its heart. Our people (both paid colleagues and volunteers) must feel enabled, supported and empowered to meet future challenges. The work to embed this future–focused culture is well underway: we benefit enormously from the contribution of active and engaged affinity groups, around 80 volunteer culture change beacons, and an Anti–Racism Steering Group which has drawn up a clear plan to ensure we can become an anti–racist organisation. So we want to harness this positive momentum, accelerating and amplifying our programme of culture change, intersectionality, inclusion and equity.

As the new Director of Equity, Inclusion and Culture, you'll be accountable for enabling Shelter to become an organisation where equity, inclusion, lived experience and anti–racism are held at the core of everything we do. The directorate brings together the functions that lead and support change, and has been designed to enable and oversee this step–change in our organisational culture. You'll mobilise highly skilled teams within organisational development, professional learning, and internal communications, volunteering and involvement to engage all of our people, ensuring that we are supported to achieve our strategic aims. An early priority will be to work closely with the Anti–Racism Steering Group to embed the Anti–Racism strategic plan, and you'll constantly review and challenge our strategic objectives (and our ability to achieve them) across a range of organisational themes.

Social justice, including a profound understanding of racism and the many ways in which inequity can overlap, must be the reason you come to work. As well as comprehensive experience and understanding of shaping and encouraging organisational change, candidates will bring an exceptional record of values–led leadership in high–profile, complex organisations. Highly strategic yet personable, you will model a comprehensive commitment to equity in all its forms, and specifically to anti–racism. You'll understand the value of working appreciatively with people who have faced a range of severe challenges in their lives, and will be an excellent communicator of sometimes complex or challenging issues and concepts. Experience of taking a leading role in developing organisations and the management of significant budgets are essential, and you must be totally committed to making change happen.

To find out more, visit For an informal discussion, please contact Debra Winterson or Aino Betts at Cadence Partners on or email If you require the candidate materials in an alternative format, please request it in your initial contact.

Closing date: 11 November 2021.