Colne Housing Society Non-Executive Directors Briefing Papers July 2016

Transcription

1 July 2016

2 Contents About Colne... 3 Role profile... 5 Terms and Conditions... 9 Recruitment timetable Further information How to apply Assessment and selection process Appendix 1 Recruitment monitoring form Appendix 2 Online advert

3 1 About Colne Enabling Independent Living Colne is a vibrant, growing housing association specialising in enabling independent living and aiming to meet housing need in East Anglia. As a major builder, we are achieving this by providing a range of new homes of all tenure types to meet the needs of our current and future customers in Essex, Suffolk and beyond. We encourage our customers to shape their own solutions, offering appropriate support where needed. We design our services in response to our customers needs and provide a choice of high-quality services. How do we do it? It is not just what we do, but how we do it which matters to us. How we work with our residents, other customers, staff and partners defines who we are. Our values are important to us as they reflect our culture and ethos, and are an integral part of the services we deliver: Pride: in our organisation, in our professionalism and in our work Team spirited: in our approach to shaping the best solutions for our customers Taking personal responsibility: we will not pass the buck Plus, we ensure that we have plenty of fun along the way! We work with a commercial ethos which allows us to deliver more for less. We build relationships and partnerships that help us to do more, better and bolder, but which respects and protects our social heart. We have adopted the National Housing Federation s voluntary code on mergers, group structures and partnerships. Our homes We currently own or manage around 3,000 homes throughout north Essex and south Suffolk. We build homes for affordable rent and shared ownership. We have eight sheltered housing schemes and nearly 150 bed-spaces for vulnerable clients, most of which are managed on Colne s behalf by specialist agencies. Colne provides direct management support to customers with learning difficulties and young families. 3

4 We are a Corporate Trustee to a number of almshouses, providing leasehold management services to the private sector and housing, supported housing maintenance, payroll and financial services to other organisations. We also operate private sector leasing and empty houses schemes which offer accommodation to homeless people who would otherwise be in bed and breakfast accommodation, and bring empty properties back into use. Colne builds on its strong foundations to face a new decade Bigger, Better and Bolder The Board and Chief Executive have launched a new business strategy which will see Colne become a top player in the East Region over the coming years. The Business Strategy can be downloaded from our website At Colne, we celebrate our long history. We are proud of all the people that have come through our doors to not only create that history and shape who we are today, but critically, the people who remind us why we are here: those who have had their lives changed for the better in the 42 years of Colne s existence. Throughout 2015, we worked hard to ensure that we could build on the strong foundations created in the past to enable us to face a new decade bigger, better and bolder. We are proud to launch a new vision, mission and a set of values - we will stand up and be counted on how we do business more than on what business we do. Achieving our growth target will depend on continuing to grow our reputation and positive relationships now and in the future. Despite the significant economic challenges, we are committed to providing a wide range of homes and services that reflect the diverse needs of those living and working in the East of England. At Colne there s a lot to be confident about. We face the future with optimism, focus and a shared sense of purpose. 4

5 2 Role profile 2.1. Job description Overall purpose 1. To play an active leadership and governance role as a Non-Executive Director (NED) of Colne, within a framework of prudent and effective controls which enable risk to be assessed and managed. 2. To set the strategic aims of the business, ensuring that the necessary financial and human resources are in place for Colne to meets its objectives, and review financial and operational performance against key issues. 3. Set Colne s values and standards, and ensure that its obligations to its customers, regulators and stakeholders are both understood and met. Key duties and responsibilities Leadership and direction Define the vision and values of the organisation, and ensure that these are realised and upheld Define the direction of the business Ensure clear accountabilities and communications within Colne Maintain clear customer and community focus Support the Chair in providing strategic leadership Create a positive climate within the Board which fosters constructive challenge to assumptions about the business To appoint (and, if necessary, remove) the Chair Strategic development Set the key strategic objectives and determine the aims and outcomes required Drive the development of the business plan, providing constructive challenge and contributions, and ensuring the effectiveness of the plan Approve the annual business plan, budgets for both revenue and capital expenditure, and funding strategy that supports the achievement of the corporate strategy and business plan Establish a framework for approving and regularly reviewing policies and plans to achieve business objectives Ensure that all assets are managed efficiently and effectively, and that capacity is properly utilised so as to maintain long-term viability and sustainability of Colne and its homes 5

6 Risk management Oversee a framework for the identification, management and review of risks, including agreeing risk capacity and appetite Contribute to the review and evaluation of strategic risks in both the external and internal environment, and receive regular reports on these and on crystallising and emergent risks Ensure that a positive culture of managing opportunities, threats and uncertainties is embedded throughout the organisation Determine policies and decisions on all matters that might create a significant financial or other risk to the organisation, or which raise material matters of principle Performance monitoring Regularly review and monitor performance in relation to plans, budgets, controls and decisions Probity and integrity Approve each year s financial statements prior to publication Obtain assurance that Colne s affairs are conducted lawfully and in accordance with generally accepted and specific standards of reporting, performance and probity Ensure Colne s compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements Ambassadorial role Promote Colne at key events and other meetings, and establish constructive, highquality relationships with key current and potential partners, both internal and external Monitor, safeguard and enhance Colne s reputation The nature of the role could require attendance at daytime or evening meetings with appropriate notice. The roles and responsibilities of NEDs will be reviewed periodically. In the meantime, it is a requirement of NEDs to undertake any other general or specific duties as may reasonably be required in order to meet the changing needs of the organisation. 6

7 2.2. Person specification Commitment Commitment to Colne s social housing role and values Commitment to equality and diversity Commitment to resident involvement Experience Experience of governance, preferably at board level in a complex organisation Well-informed or with specialist knowledge of a significant number of the skill areas as set out in the skills and experience matrix Experience of reviewing financial and performance information, and of isolating areas for discussion and challenge Skills Leadership and ability to work as part of a team Able to work under pressure Able to prepare for meetings and meet deadlines Able to listen and question effectively Able to foster a culture that prizes and enhances commitment, enthusiasm and excellent performance from staff and the Board Personal qualities Self-motivated and able to organise and prioritise own workload Other attributes Able to attend Board and committee meetings Able to attend training events 7

8 2.3. Board skills and experience Housing, care and support needs that Colne aims to meet Development of strategy General business skills Governance Financial management Treasury management Risk management Equal opportunities and diversity Effective partnership working with local authorities and other strategic partners Property development and building Asset management New business development and delivery Community regeneration Knowledge of the local community and its needs Close understanding of customer needs and priorities Customer engagement and involvement Human resource management Legal knowledge Experience of developing and selling new products/services to new markets Information Technology Specific skills and experience being sought for these roles are: Business focus Finance and treasury Customer focus with understanding/experience in channel shift and digital progression 8

9 3 Terms and conditions Remuneration Remuneration for this position will be 3,000 per annum. Commitment required The Board currently meets nine times a year, with the possibility of extra ad hoc meetings as required Ideally the successful candidate will live in the East Anglia region or within one hour s journey to Colchester. The majority of Board and committee meetings will be held in the afternoon at our offices in Colchester from 15:30 to 18:30 Additionally, there are a number of training days and events to attend Each NED will be expected to join a committee. The Audit Committee meets three times per year; the Remuneration Committee meets twice a year Each NED will be expected to self-develop their understanding of housing associations and sector regulation, and will receive a detailed induction to assist them in this regard Training is offered throughout the year The normal term of office is two terms of three years each, followed by up to three terms of one year each 9

10 4 Recruitment timetable Event Date Closing date 9:00am, Friday 5 August 2016 Longlisting interviews Tuesday 16 August 2016 Referencing Wednesday 17 August 2016 Final interviews w/c 22 August 2016 Role taken up September Further information For an informal and confidential discussion about the position, please contact one of our retained advisors at Altair Ltd: Anna Hammond, Director at Altair on or anna.hammond@altairltd.co.uk Hilary Channing, Director at Altair on or hilary.channing@altairltd.co.uk 6 How to apply To apply for the Non-Executive Director role, please go to Complete our registration form and attach the following documentation (please save your files with your surname first, followed by your first name and a description of the file): 1. Your CV (maximum 3 pages). 2. A supporting statement explaining your motivation in applying for this position and for a position at Colne in particular, and also addressing each of the main areas in the person specification (summarising how you feel that your knowledge and experience make you a suitable candidate). 3. Contact details (name, job title, organisation, phone and ) for two referees. Please note that we will not take up references without your prior permission 4. A completed recruitment monitoring form (a Word version is available for download on our website and attached for reference as Appendix 1 of this recruitment pack) The closing date for applications is 9:00am, Friday 5 August The job reference code is ALT156. Your application will be acknowledged and treated with the strictest confidence. 10

11 7 Assessment and selection process All applications will be considered and assessed against the requirements of the Person Specification in order to select an initial long list of candidates. If you have been successful at this stage, Altair will be in touch. If you are unsuccessful at this stage, you will receive an from us and be offered feedback. 11

12 Appendix 1 Recruitment monitoring form Diversity monitoring form Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form Colne is committed to implementing its Equal Opportunities Policy in employment. In order to ensure the continued development of our Equal Opportunities Policy, all applicants for employment are asked to complete the following details. This information, which is used solely for monitoring purposes, will be treated as confidential and will be separated on receipt before consideration of applicants takes place. Full name Date Gender Male Female Date of birth Vacancy applied for Where did you see the vacancy advertised Do you consider yourself to have a mental or physical disability which has substantial and long term adverse effect upon your ability to carry out normal day to day activities? Yes No If yes, please give brief details, and any facilities or provision you require for attending the interview. Ethnic Origin - Please tick the box which you feel best describes your ethnic origin WHITE British Irish Gypsy or traveller MIXED/MULTIPLE ETHNIC GROUPS White and Black Caribbean White and Black African White and Asian Any other white background Any other Mixed/multiple ethnic background ASIAN/ASIAN BRITISH Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi Chinese Any other Asian background OTHER ETHNIC GROUP Arab BLACK/AFRICAN BACKGROUND African Caribbean Any other Black/African/Caribbean Background PREFER NOT TO SAY 12

13 Any other ethnic group Religion Please tick a box which you feel best describes your religion None Hindu Sikh Christian (All Jewish Any other religion denominations) Buddhist Muslim Prefer not to say Sexual Orientation Please tick a box which you feel describes your sexual orientation Heterosexual Gay Woman Other Gay Man Bisexual Prefer not to say Recruitment advertising monitoring How did you find out about this opportunity? Altair e-bulletin Altair website Approached directly by Altair LinkedIn Online browsing Advert Colne website Word of mouth Please indicate YES as appropriate 13

14 Appendix 2 Online advert Colchester, Essex 3,000 per annum Colne is a vibrant, growing housing association specialising in enabling independent living. We want to meet housing need in East Anglia. As a major builder we will provide a range of new homes of all types of tenure to meet the needs of our current and future customers in Essex, Suffolk and beyond. We will encourage our customers to shape their own solutions offering appropriate support where needed. We design our services in response to our customers needs and provide a choice of high-quality services. An exciting new chapter in Colne s story has begun and you could play a leading role in it as a member of our Board. We have just launched our ambitious new business strategy Bigger, Better, Bolder to ensure Colne uses its strength to grow and provide more affordable homes. We will enable independent living for people in Essex, Suffolk and beyond. We will ensure that we provide services that meet our customers needs and empower our communities to thrive. Our vision is bold - we want to be better. We operate in a region where there continues to be huge demand for a range of affordable and competitively priced housing. To meet that demand we need to be bigger. To help us achieve our ambitions you will have strong strategic and leadership skills, experience of governance and risk at board level, scrutinising financial and performance information and experience in either finance and treasury management, or leading edge customer engagement. With exceptional communication skills, rounded business acumen, and a real understanding of excellence in customer service, you ll be comfortable engaging and influencing at board level and be fully committed to ensuring that we achieve our vision and deliver our business plan priorities. There are 9 Board meetings per year which are held in Colchester in the afternoon. There will be an additional time commitment to serve on one of the committees and a requirement to sit on working groups and attend events as necessary. The Board is currently under-represented in terms of women, the BME community, and those with a disability; applications from within these groups would be particularly welcome. 14