Housing talent trends: Preparing today’s teams for tomorrow’s leadership

In recent years, in the Republic of Ireland, we have seen increased government investment to meet the ever-pressing demand for affordable homes. As a result, the housing sector, including approved housing bodies, have utilised a reactive approach to recruitment to facilitate unprecedented growth and meet this demand.

As the sector becomes more established and the increased demand for housing persists, housing organisations are turning their attention to succession planning and preparing today’s teams for tomorrow’s leadership. This raises the question: what traits are in-demand, and which traits should housing organisations hire for in 2025? 

2into3 produce quarterly talent insights based on their analysis of advertised senior positions in the non-profit sector in Ireland. A summary of findings for Q1 2025 can be found here. 

As seen above, local development and housing roles accounted for 16 per cent of all roles advertised in Q1 2025, second to social services at 33 per cent. A further thematic analysis of roles advertised in the first quarter reveals that housing organisations in Ireland are prioritising several key shifts in 2025:

1. Professionalisation and strategic leadership

Housing organisations are no longer seen just as service providers, instead being recognised as strategic organisations. The strong demand for CEOs, general managers, and directors demonstrates a focus on long-term vision, governance, financial control, and strategic stakeholder management. This points to a sector that wants to be increasingly resilient, future-proof, and able to navigate complexity.

2. Asset and property portfolio management: maximising housing potential

There is a clear prioritisation of the quality and growth of homes. With so many roles focussed on asset management, property development, and maintenance, organisations are prioritising the preservation, improvement and expansion of homes they provide; ensuring their properties meet future demand and remain financially sustainable.

3. Financial sustainability and risk management: ensuring stability and accountability

Behind every successful development project is sound financial management. Finance professionals - finance managers, directors of finance, heads of finance - are being sought to bring rigour to budgeting, auditing, and risk management processes, indicating that organisations are heavily focused on financial planning, governance, and regulatory compliance. Amid rising construction costs, funding challenges, and stricter regulation, financial discipline is essential for survival and growth.

4. Community engagement and social inclusion: putting people first

At the heart of the housing sector’s mission lies community. Organisations are recruiting community engagement managers, social inclusion programme managers, and tenant services managers to design and deliver services that support diverse communities. By investing in community development and tenant support teams, organisations are signalling a strong commitment to social outcomes, i.e., not just delivering units but building vibrant, integrated, inclusive communities where tenants thrive. 

5. Human resources and staff development: building stronger organisations

With housing organisations growing and evolving, human resources (HR) expertise is indispensable. Recruiting HR professionals indicates a focus on internal strength - attracting, developing, and retaining the right talent, and building workplaces that are diverse. There’s a recognition that without strong teams, service delivery will suffer.

6. Marketing, communications, and advocacy: shaping public perception

The recruitment of communications and marketing managers signals a growing emphasis on branding, reputation management, public affairs, and digital outreach; ensuring that housing organisations not only do good work but are seen to do it. Visibility, reputation, and storytelling are now essential strategic tools.

7. Housing-specific services: delivering better experiences

Frontline roles remain crucial. LinkedIn talent insights indicate that the demand for housing officers has risen by 36 per cent in the last year, resulting in ‘very high hiring demand’ for housing officers in the non-profit sector. Senior housing officers, homeless service managers, and income collection managers ensure tenant support services are effective and compassionate.

Overall, our data indicates that housing organisations are professionalising, diversifying, and modernising; focused on strategic leadership, asset growth, financial health, community impact, sustainability, and innovation. 

Written by Shannon Barrett
Shannon is head of talent services at 2into3.