Head of Policy and Impact
Homeless Network Scotland
Glasgow / Hybrid
Aspen People partnered with Homeless Network Scotland to recruit a Head of Policy & Impact.
Homeless Network Scotland is the national membership body committed to preventing and resolving homelessness. At the time of recruitment, the organisation’s vision was of a Scotland where homelessness is prevented and everyone has a safe and settled home. Through convening networks, building cross-sector partnerships, amplifying lived experience and influencing policy through evidence and insight, Homeless Network Scotland worked across boundaries to challenge inequality and support lasting change. The organisation also led major national programmes, including Housing First Scotland and Fair Way Scotland, operating at the intersection of policy, practice and lived experience.
The appointment came at a critical moment for homelessness in Scotland, with rising homelessness levels and increasing pressure on services despite a progressive legislative framework. The Head of Policy & Impact played a pivotal role in strengthening the organisation’s influence across the homelessness system and supporting system-level change.
Reporting to the Chief Executive and working as part of a small senior leadership team, the Head of Policy & Impact provided strategic leadership across policy development, programme impact and organisational learning. The role was responsible for shaping clear, evidence-based policy positions, influencing decision-making at national and local levels, and ensuring Homeless Network Scotland remained a credible and trusted voice across the sector.
The successful candidate led the organisation’s policy influence and impact agenda, building strong relationships across government, statutory bodies, funders, members and the wider homelessness sector. The role also provided strategic oversight of multi-agency programmes, embedding learning and impact analysis to strengthen delivery, strategy and decision-making. As a visible public voice for the organisation, the Head of Policy & Impact represented Homeless Network Scotland through events, briefings, publications and media engagement, helping to communicate complex issues clearly and persuasively.
This highly collaborative and externally facing role required confidence in convening diverse perspectives, navigating complexity and influencing without direct authority. The appointment sought an experienced senior leader with a strong background in policy, public affairs, impact or system-influencing work, together with excellent communication skills, analytical capability and the ability to translate evidence and lived experience into practical insight and action.
Above all, the role called for a values-driven leader committed to evidence-led, solutions-focused approaches to preventing and resolving homelessness, and capable of building trust, collaboration and collective impact across Scotland’s homelessness system.
This recruitment campaign has now closed and the position has been successfully appointed. The role is featured here as an example of the senior leadership appointments Aspen People has delivered in partnership with our clients.