10/06/2026
Welcome back to our ‘Behind the scenes’ series, where we’re profiling the people shaping our homes, services and neighbourhoods. Elizabeth Williams (or Lizzie, as many people know her) has recently stepped into the role of Chief Operating Officer. It’s a role right at the centre of HARCA, bringing together both the services residents rely on and the systems that support our staff to do their best work.
From answering calls to calling the shots
Lizzie’s HARCA story began in 2007. Fresh out of university, she joined as a temp answering calls in the Repairs contact centre. From there, she became a Repairs Officer, then a supervisor, and later a team manager – gradually working her way through the organisation.
“Starting on the frontline really shapes how you see things,” she says. “You understand how decisions land with residents and colleagues, not just how they look on paper.”
That experience continues to shape how she leads today.
Helping teams deliver their best
As Chief Operating Officer, Lizzie ensures our services work well for residents while giving staff the structure and tools they need to do their jobs effectively. She oversees both frontline delivery and the systems behind it, helping everything run more smoothly as one.
“I’m focused on making sure our teams are set up to succeed – with the right support, clear processes and the confidence to make a positive difference for residents.”
Working as one
What excites Lizzie most about her new role is the opportunity to bring teams closer together.
“This new way of doing things lets us step back and think about how services connect – and how we can smooth out the joins.”
She’s particularly focused on making transitions between teams more seamless.
“If we can improve how we work together across services, everything will feel simpler – for residents and for staff. Better collaboration means quicker responses, clearer communication and a better overall service.”
Getting out and listening
Listening to residents is central to Lizzie’s approach. One of the changes she’s introduced is monthly estate walkabouts, where directors and heads of service visit estates together and speak directly with residents.
“Before, teams might go out separately and focus on their own area,” she says. “Now we mix teams up – Housing, Repairs, IT – and that shared perspective makes a real difference.”
This feeds into one of her key priorities: organising services around local neighbourhoods, so residents have clearer points of contact, and teams can focus on local priorities in each area. The aim is to create a more joined-up service, where staff understand the communities they work with better, and residents know who to turn to.
“As a hyper-local housing association, we have a real opportunity to build stronger relationships with residents and respond in a way that reflects what matters most in their neighbourhoods,” Lizzie explains.
Less admin, more people
Another major focus for Lizzie is improving how teams work day-to-day – including making better use of the right information and tools so staff can focus more on residents.
“I want everything we do to be relationship-based,” Lizzie says. “But to do that properly, you need the right data and systems behind you.”
By cutting down on admin and improving how information is shared, teams can spend less time on paperwork and more time supporting our community.
At the same time, Lizzie is helping the organisation respond to changes in housing regulation.
“There’s a lot happening in the sector,” she says. “Our challenge is to use these changes to genuinely improve services – not just tick boxes – and to make sure residents are involved throughout.”
