appointment of board director futures housing...
TRANSCRIPT
EMA Business & Management Consultancy Ltd 13 Dormer Place Leamington Spa CV32 5AA 01926 887272
Recruitment Information Pack
Appointment of
Board Director
Futures Housing Group
20 August 2014
Board Director – Recruitment Information Pack
Contents
Letter of Introduction from Dr Mark Flynn, Chair, FHG Board
About Futures Housing Group
Futures Housing Group - Governance Structure
A copy of the Advertisement
Role Description
Person Specification
How to Apply
Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form *(Word version available to download)
*available to download from www.emaconsult.co.uk
About the Role
Other Important Documentation
Introduction
About Futures Housing Group
Board Director
Introduction
August 2014
Dear Applicant, Thank you for your interest in this Group Membership position. The Group has very ambitious plans for development and diversification and is very keen to hear from applicants with significant property development experience. The Group will have a significant budget to diversify into outright sale; market rent and, support. Futures Housing Group currently owns and manages 9,000 homes in the East Midlands, concentrations within Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire. We deliver valued services to over 20,000 customers and their families and provide more than landlord services including training and employment services (having recently acquired a training and education business), support services for a range of needs, money advice and support for social enterprise. Futures Housing Group has been developing new homes for over 10 years and as a consequence of effective management we are now in a positi9on to direct significant resource to expanding our portfolio of properties and become a more mature and larger scale affordable housing developer. We have solid foundations on which to base our next phase of growth:- A well respected organisation
Years of experience in delivering good quality homes
Being a landlord of choice
Existing infrastructure
High quality housing management
An expanding portfolio of private sector leased properties
Operating in good quality growth areas
Futures was established in 2007 and today we comprise of two operating companies, providing around 9000 homes, and a social enterprise company. Futures Homescape Futures Homescape provides approximately 5,800 homes across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. The organisation is much more than a landlord and has developed expertise in money and welfare advice, community regeneration and in providing services and technology that enable people to stay in their homes for longer. Futures Homescape’s supported housing and support services are the highest rated in Derbyshire.
Daventry & District Housing Daventry & District Housing provides 3,100 homes across Northamptonshire. Daventry & District Housing has built an excellent track record for top quality performance - delivering all promises to tenants two years early and transforming the quality of its homes and repairs service in its first three years. Daventry & District Housing is in the top 2.1% of housing associations and was awarded a two-star rating with excellent prospects for improvement within its first two years following an inspection by the Audit Commission. In times of change three things remain constant for Futures Housing Group – our fundamental commitment to residents and customers, our desire to provide the highest standards of housing and support and our determination to ensure our services represent excellent value for money. If you feel that you have the skills, experience and enthusiasm for this role please apply in the first instance with a covering letter and CV to demonstrate how you meet the requirements of our person specification. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Dr Mark Flynn Chair Futures Housing Group
Board Director
About Futures Housing Group
Futures Housing Group Limited (FHG) Futures Housing Group is a fresh, forward-thinking social business, providing homes and neighbourhood services across the Midlands. This regional organisation comprises 5 companies including Futures Homescape Limited and Daventry & District Housing. The Group also has an expanding social enterprise grounds maintenance company and has recently completed the joint acquisition of a training company with two other housing associations. The Group manages 8,800 homes predominantly in the East Midlands. The Group has been developing new homes since its original set up in 2003. The Board has established – as a strategic priority – an ambitious plan to develop and acquire new homes across a range of tenures including affordable rent, market rent and outright sale. This will move FHG into new territory, and with increased capacity it is intending to position itself for the future with the aim of providing residents with high quality, safe and secure homes and to deliver excellent local neighbourhood services. Success matters to us, as does the way in which we achieve it. We work in a positive supportive environment where people are valued; we build relationships on trust and are passionate about excellence. With a strong partnership ethos, our strengths lie in our track-record of delivering on our promises, using innovation and flair to develop new homes and services through effective use of our financial strength, our ability to access a range of funding and our commitment to help create vibrant communities and effective neighbourhoods. Our Vision To be a strong, forward thinking regional housing group with its heart in the community. Our Objectives Top quality performance Top performing people Positive impact on communities More than satisfied customers Financially strong and progressive Our Values Making a positive impression Operating as one organisation Reaching our potential Embracing innovation
Futures Housing Group – Governance Structure
Futures Housing
Group Board
Daventry & District Housing
Board
Futures Homescape
Board
Five Doorways Homes Board
Three Together Board
(Acclaim/NCHA/Futures)
Business Growth
Committee
Governance Committee
Remuneration Committee
Group Audit Committee
Futures Greenscape
Board
Access Training Board
(ATEM)
Board Director
About the Role
Non-Executive Director (Board Member)
£3,800 per annum
Location: East Midlands
Futures Housing Group is an ambitious and successful housing business working across the East Midlands, and our purpose is to make a significant difference to the communities in which we work. Already high-performing – with a diverse asset base, very satisfied customers, and a healthy financial position – we’re determined to build on our achievements and consolidate our class-leading position. Our forward strategy includes a focus on the development of a range of new property assets, which will include homes both for sale and for rent, and specialist provision for a range of customer groups who need a higher level of support. Resources and capacity to undertake these projects are in place, but it’s important that we also have significant experience of comparable activity at board level, and this will be a major part of your role. However, we’ll also expect a wider contribution to the Board’s work, and you’ll need to demonstrate sound insight into how non-executive directors shape and lead a complex and diverse organisation such as ours. With a high level of expertise in development, appraisals, project planning, initiation and delivery, you’ll also have a good strategic understanding of finance and stakeholder relations. You’ll appreciate our values-driven approach and will share our sense of social purpose – but also our conviction that running a great business is the best route to achieve it. For an informal discussion, please contact Anne Elliott at EMA on 01926 887272. For a copy of the briefing papers visit www.emaconsult.co.uk, email [email protected], or call 01926 831467 quoting reference EMA226. Strictly no agencies, please.
Role Description
Position: Board Director
Remuneration: Remunerated. Travel and other expenses are reimbursed in accordance with the Group’s Board Director Expenses Policy
Responsible to: Chair of the Board
Main Responsibilities
Futures Housing Group has a Board of up to 9 members plus the Group Chief Executive. The Board is responsible for the strategic direction of the Group. The Board Directors are required to direct the affairs of the Group in accordance with its objects. Their key responsibilities are:-
(1) to define and ensure compliance with the values and objectives of the Group and ensure these are set out in each annual report;
(2) to establish policies and plans to achieve those objectives;
(3) to approve each year’s budget and accounts prior to publication;
(4) to establish and oversee a framework of delegation and systems of control;
(5) to agree policies and make decisions on all matters that create significant financial or other risk to the Group or which raise material issues of principle;
(6) to monitor the Group’s performance in relation to plans, budget controls and decisions;
(7) to appoint (and if necessary dismiss) the Chief Executive;
(8) to satisfy itself that the company’s affairs are conducted lawfully and in accordance with generally accepted standards of performance and propriety;
(9) to take professional advice where appropriate and when the Board Directors are in any doubt as to the nature or extent of their duties;
(10) to undertake a regular appraisal of the performance of the Board and of individual Board Directors.
No role description can be entirely comprehensive and the post holder maybe required to undertake other duties consistent with the role of Board Director.
Person Specification
Board Director / Co-Optee of Futures Housing Group
Requirements of candidates are shown as essential or desirable. If a requirement is essential, the candidate will not be appointed unless this can be demonstrated. If the Board has to choose between candidates it will favour those that can additionally demonstrate they meet one or more of the desirable characteristics.
CHARACTERISTIC Essential Desirable
Qualifications
No formal qualifications are necessary to be a Board Director – unless you are applying on the basis of a particular professional function where entry or progression is based on a recognised qualification (e.g. finance, legal, property/surveying/design, housing management, care and support), in which case a graduate, post graduate or relevant professional qualification is required.
If applying on the basis of a particular profession or function
Experience
Paid/unpaid work/involvement at a senior level in a substantial public/private/voluntary sector organisation.
Been a Director of a multi-disciplinary management group – for example, a member of a board, an executive committee or a project management group for a major initiative.
Commercial Property Development
CHARACTERISTIC Essential Desirable
Experience (continued)
Experience of working in or with a Registered Social Landlord/Local Authority Landlord.
Experience of working in or with a Voluntary Organisation.
Experience of working in community regeneration, including an awareness of private sector housing issues.
Skills
Able to understand reports and numerical information on policies and the performance of an organisation.
Able to contribute to decision making by taking part in reasoned discussion.
Able to work well in a team, respecting the views of others and the decisions of the board.
CHARACTERISTIC Essential Desirable
Commitment
Supportive of the work of social housing organisations and of local authority stock transfer.
Committed to development of the local area served by the Company.
Committed to equality of opportunity.
Willing and able to prepare for and attend at least one evening meeting a month and occasional weekend events.
Willing and able to attend events periodically, to meet tenants and visit estates.
Eligibility
Be eligible for Board membership*
Able to demonstrate ability to sign the code of conduct (copy attached).
*There are restrictions concerning people who may have been a Councillor or worked for a Council in recent years, or tenant of a member of Futures Housing Group or who may have been bankrupt.
Board Director
Other Important Documentation
How to Apply – Board Director
Thank you for expressing an interest in the position of Board Director at Futures Housing Group. If you have read the candidate briefing papers and you would like to apply, please follow the guidelines below.
Application Process
Please submit an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV) and covering letter, ensuring that you quote reference EMA226
Within your letter, we would ask you please to summarise how you feel that your skills and experience make you a suitable candidate, your motivation in applying and give examples of specific achievements in the last 5 years which demonstrate your competence for this role. We would also be grateful if you could state if you are related to a Board Member or existing employee or resident of Futures Housing Group and confirm your availability for the selection programme specified overleaf.
It is important that your letter highlight supporting evidence of how your previous experience and skills relate to the criteria outlined in the Role Description and Person Specification. Within your CV, please supply the following:
Full name and postal address; Work and home telephone number, mobile number and email address (NB most written
communication with you will be electronic); National Insurance number; Employment history/Voluntary activity for posts held within the last 5 years; Education and dates your qualifications were obtained; Current memberships of relevant professional associations/institutes and dates; IT Skills; Name and contact addresses/phone numbers of two referees. We will not contact your
referees until you are short-listed for the post, and only with your prior permission.
We also request that you complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form which is included in this pack, a Word version is available to download from our website (www.emaconsult.co.uk/recruitment).
The timetable for the Selection Process is included below. In your supporting letter, please advise us if you have any difficultly with the outlined dates and/or any other dates when you are unavailable for assessment. We try to offer flexibility but it can be difficult to convene the selection panel outside the advertised selection dates due to diary commitments.
Please return your application (electronic submissions preferred) to EMA at [email protected] . Your application will be treated with strictest confidence.
If you wish to send a hard-copy by post, the full address is as follows: EMA Business & Management Consultancy Ltd 13 Dormer Place Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 5AA
Your application will be acknowledged and treated with strictest confidence.
Assessment and Selection Process
After the closing date, all applications will be considered and assessed against the organisation’s requirements.
If you have been selected for interview, we will then confirm the interview programme and may arrange for you to complete an occupational personality questionnaire on-line in advance of the selection date. All this will be done electronically and very soon after the closing date so it is important that you provide a suitable email address for the process.
Timetable
The outline timetable is:
Process Date
Closing date for applications: Extended - TBC
Interviews TBC
Contact Details
If you would like an informal and confidential discussion with myself before formally expressing your interest, I can be contacted on 01926 887272. Thank you for your interest in this position. Yours sincerely
Anne Elliott Managing Director EMA
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES MONITORING FORM
The following sets out categories for monitoring ethnicity. We ask you to respond to this information request positively
as it will help us ensure that our policies and practices do not inadvertently discriminate against you because of your
ethnicity.
Futures Housing Group assures you that any information you provide here will only be used to monitor the
effectiveness of our policies and we will take steps to ensure this information remains confidential to a limited number
of staff in our HR directorate.
This form will be separated from the application form before shortlisting.
1. Post applied for:
2. Where did you see this post advertised?
3. Would you describe yourself as: (Please tick appropriate box) Male Female Prefer not to say
Is your gender identity the same as the gender you were assigned at birth? Yes/No
Do you live and work all the time in the gender role opposite to that assigned at birth? Yes/No
Prefer not to say
4. Marital Status: (Please tick appropriate box) Single Divorced Married Widowed Separated
5. Date of Birth: Age:
6. How would you describe yourself
Please circle the appropriate letter, A to F, then tick one box within that section:
A: White
British
English
Irish
Scottish
Welsh
Any other White background, please state: ________________________________________________________
B: Mixed Heritage
White and Black Caribbean
White and Black African
White and Asian
Any other mixed background, please state: ________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
C: Asian or Asian British
Indian
Pakistani
Bangladeshi
Any other Asian background, please state: _________________________________________________
FOR OFFICE USE Reference No: Date Received:
Cont’d
D: Black or Black British
Caribbean
African
Any other Black background, please state: _______________________________________________
E: Chinese or other ethnic group
Chinese
Any other background, please state: _______________________________________________
F: Other
Prefer not to say
7. Disability: Do you consider yourself to have a disability or a long term health problem? Yes No
What is the effect or impact of your disability or health condition?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Prefer not to say
8. Sexual Orientation: What is your sexual orientation?
Heterosexual / Straight
Gay Woman / Lesbian
Gay man
Bisexual
Other. Please State: _________________________________________________ Prefer not to say
9. Religion and belief:
Buddhist Catholic Christian Hindhu
Jewish Muslim Sikh No religion
Prefer not to say
Other Religion or Belief, please state: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Declaration
I declare that the information I have given is true and accurate.
Signed: Date: