From lived experience to housing leadership: A career built on purpose

Michelle Collins, director of neighbourhoods and customer experience at Leeds Federated Housing, answers some questions about why she chose a career in housing. She shares the benefits of a job that has a significant positive impact on the lives of others, and tells us how her past lived experiences shape her professional choices today.

What do you do in housing and how are you involved in the sector?

I am director of neighbourhoods and customer experience at Leeds Federated Housing. I lead on neighbourhood services, customer experience and insight, with a strong focus on continually improving outcomes for customers and communities. I also sit on the CIH professional standards committee, contributing to the wider conversation about professionalism, learning and high standards across the housing sector. 

What were you interested in when you were younger and how did it lead you to housing?

When I was younger, I wanted to travel and explore the world. Becoming a parent at a young age meant rethinking those plans, but it also gave me a different perspective on opportunity, resilience and the importance of a secure home. My love of travel never left me and people who know me often call me ‘Judith Chalmers’ because, whenever I have annual leave, I am usually off exploring and looking for my next adventure!

I began my working life in the Civil Service on the fraud team which I enjoyed, but I wanted a career where I could really see the impact my work had on other people, so I decided to review my next move. I moved into social housing in 2003, a decision that gave me a career with both purpose and variety. 

What motivated you to get your first role in housing?

At the age of 17 I became a parent and lived in social housing for a short time. That experience stayed with me. It provided me insight into how a good home and the right support can matter, and it made me want to work in the sector and use my skills and lived experience to help improve services for others.

I began my housing career with Places for People (then North British Housing) as an area support officer in a local office, helping customers at their first point of contact. Within six months, I successfully applied for a role overseeing support at a new teenage pregnancy unit in Blackpool. My own experiences helped me support young people, not only to manage immediate challenges, but to build confidence and succeed.

Places for People invested in my development. I completed an NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care in 2006 and later a Postgraduate Certificate in Housing through De Montfort University. These opportunities strengthened my professional knowledge and gave me the confidence to take the next steps in my career.

After completing the courses, I moved into general needs housing and became a neighbourhood officer at Places for People. It was an important transition, allowing me to build a broader experience of housing management, communities and customer service.

Can you tell us more about your experience studying for qualifications?

Qualifications and training have been important throughout my career, but so have experience, curiosity and a willingness to keep learning. My NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care gave me a strong grounding in person-centred support, while the Postgraduate Certificate in Housing at De Montfort University helped me connect practical experience with housing policy and professional practice. I found studying alongside work demanding at times, but hugely rewarding. It increased my confidence, widened my perspective and helped open the door to future roles. I have also learned a great deal through mentoring, peer networks and working with colleagues and customers. Professional development is not just a one off, it’s a career-long commitment.

What has your career progression been like?

I understood from the outset that I would need to learn the sector from the ground up, work hard and make the most of every opportunity. The thread running through my whole career has been a commitment to helping people. That sense of purpose continues to motivate me to this day.

I have been fortunate to work in organisations of different sizes across Lancashire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester and Yorkshire. Each role and region has broadened my perspective, exposed me to different community needs and helped me grow from front-facing delivery into senior leadership.

Alongside my housing role, I also worked within mental health services for eight years. I chose to do this to deepen my understanding and to support people experiencing mental health challenges. That experience has shaped the way I work. It has strengthened my ability to listen without judgement, recognise when someone may need additional support and understand how wider circumstances can affect a person’s ability to manage their home and tenancy. It has also reinforced my belief that housing providers have an important role to play by building trusting relationships, responding with empathy, recognising concerns early and working with specialist partners to help customers access the right support.

Whenever I consider a career opportunity, I ask two questions: what can I contribute to the organisation and the customers, and what could I learn from this opportunity? Working across different places has taught me that social housing is about far more than helping someone make a home. It is about understanding the character, strengths and challenges of each community, listening to customers and creating the conditions in which people can thrive. That experience has helped me shape services that are increasingly proactive rather than simply reactive.

What is your role now? What do you value most about it?

I am now director of neighbourhoods and customer experience at Leeds Federated Housing. I took up the role in April 2024, having joined in  2023 as the head of housing.

What I value most is the opportunity to influence services at a strategic level while remaining connected to what matters to customers. I particularly enjoyed helping to shape our 2025-2030 corporate plan, working with our board, colleagues and customers to define our vision and the services we need now and in the future.

I also lead on Tenant Satisfaction Measures and three of the Consumer Standards. This gives me the opportunity to work collaboratively across the organisation, turn insight into action and continually improve the experience we offer customers.

Would you recommend working in housing to others? Why?

Absolutely. I would recommend housing as a career, and it is a message I have shared with young people in local schools through talks and interview preparation sessions. I explain that housing offers an extraordinary range of roles, but they are all connected by a common purpose: helping people to have a safe, secure home and supporting communities to thrive.

Whatever your interests or skills, there is likely to be a route into the sector. For example:

• Accounting and finance — finance and treasury teams
• IT and data analysis — digital, data and infrastructure teams
• Joinery, plumbing, electrical work and construction — repairs and asset teams
• Law — legal and governance teams
• Social care or policing — neighbourhood, safeguarding and community teams.

What makes housing distinctive is the chance to apply those professional skills in a sector with a clear social purpose. Every role contributes to the quality of people’s homes, the service they receive and the strength of their communities. It is a sector where you can build a varied and rewarding career, continue learning and see the real-world impact of your work. For me, that combination of purpose, challenge and opportunity is why housing remains such a compelling career choice.