Operations Director

February 2015

Olympic Office Centre, 8 Fulton Road HA9 0NU

Telephone 020 8830 6777 Fax 020 8450 9777

info@campbelltickell.com www.campbelltickell.com

Campbell Tickell Ltd Incorporated in Cardiff (England & Wales) Registration number 4713939

Registered office 14 Accommodation Road, London NW11 8EP VAT number 743 6943 08

February 2015 Dear Applicant Ability – Operations Director Thank you for your interest in this position. Enclosed is the information you will require to assist you in completing your application. To apply please can you:

Provide an up-to-date CV which shows your full career history with any breaks explained – we recommend that this is no longer than three pages;

Write a supporting statement detailing how you are a good candidate for this post and how you fulfil the person specification – we recommend that this should be a maximum of around three pages;

Complete the declaration form; and

Indicate in the declaration form if you cannot attend any of the interview dates.

Please note that applications can only be considered if all the documentation is completed. However, it is not mandatory to complete the equalities section within the declaration form. The information requested is for monitoring purposes in line with our commitment to equality and diversity, and will not affect the outcome of your application. Once complete, please send your application, preferably in MS Word format, by email to ability@campbelltickell.com or by post to: Campbell Tickell Recruitment, Olympic Office Centre, 8 Fulton Road, Wembley, HA9 0NU. Due to postal unreliability we recommend you e-mail your application to us wherever possible to avoid missing the deadline.

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 3 of 17

Applications must be received by Wednesday 18th March 2015 at 12 noon. It is your responsibility to ensure that we have received your application. If you do not receive confirmation of receipt of your application from us within 24 hours of sending, please call 020 3434 0990 to ensure it has arrived. You should also ensure that you use a secure email address from which to send your application, as our system will filter out emails if it believes them to have been sent from unsecured sites that are often used to send spam emails. In order to avoid last-minute IT issues, we also ask that you allow yourself ample time to submit your application in advance of the deadline. Details of the selection process can be found on page 16. Please do contact me if you wish to have an informal discussion about the role or if you have any questions on 07786 831690 or 020 3434 0990. I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards

Kathy Carter Associate Consultant

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 4 of 17

Contents

Page

Welcome letter from the Chief Executive 5

About Ability 6

About ‘Ability Positive’ 8

The Joint Management Team 9

Job Description 10

Person Specification 13

Organisation chart 14

Principal terms and conditions of service 15

Key dates and the selection process 16

The advertisement 17

The following supplementary information can be downloaded from www.campbelltickell.com:

Annual Report to Customers 2014

To find out more please also visit the Ability website: www.ability-housing.co.uk

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 5 of 17

Welcome letter

Dear applicant, Thank you for your interest in the position of Operations Director with Ability Housing Association. This is a new role that has been created following a reorganisation of our business and will enable the successful candidate to draw together the operational activities of the Housing Management, Asset Management and Support and Care functions. Ability provides housing, care and support services for people who want to live more independently. We have two operating divisions – Ability Housing and Ability Care & Support, these provide housing, care or support to more than 1,000 people with learning disabilities, mental health needs, physical or sensory impairments, in 32 Local Authorities in London and Southern England. The housing, support and care environment has had a number of turbulent years, with funding cuts and well document issues with supported people grant. Ability has come through these years very much a viable business with an excellent asset management strategy and high levels of customer satisfaction. Our Board is clear that our continued independence is paramount. Our new Operations Director will be a strong, competent housing specialist who will focus on our strategic direction and drive more value from our assets. We are looking for someone who can champion the values that underpin our organisation and has the drive and strategic capabilities to lead and motivate our housing, asset and support & care teams. Being positive about people and their ability is key to the success of our organisation and if empowering staff teams and customers to take decisions are important to you then this new role may well be a good fit. We do hope that you will want to come on board and be part of the continued success of Ability and wish you well in your application. Yours sincerely,

David Williams Chief Executive Ability Housing Association

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 6 of 17

About Ability

Ability provides housing, care and support services for people who want to live more independently. We have two operating divisions –Ability Housing and Ability Care & Support. These provide housing, care or support to more than 1,000 people with learning disabilities, mental health needs, physical or sensory impairments, in 32 districts in London and southern England.

We are ISO 9001 quality accredited, an Investors in People organisation and Best Companies accredited. We have been rated as one of the The Sunday Times 100 Best Not-for-Profit Organisations. Who we are Our governance structure includes a Board, Senior Management Team, the Customer Panel and Complaints Panel – all supported by staff colleagues. We are registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide personal care, and accommodation with personal care, in a variety of locations. The CQC checks these services at least once a year to make sure they are up to standard. We are a company limited by guarantee and registered at Companies House, a registered charity, and a registered provider with the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA). This means that we comply with the regulatory and reporting standards set by these bodies. Facts and figures

We have 692 properties with a further 30 in development.

Around 750 customers use our care & support services.

We operate in 32 local authorities across the south east.

We have around 200 members of staff.

Our average weekly rent is £110.

Our turnover in 2013-2014 was £8.5m.

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 7 of 17

Our vision

“For people who want to live more independently to regard Ability as their first choice provider of housing, care or support services.” At Ability, ‘to live more independently’ means customers having more choice and control over their lives, and having equal access to housing, mobility, health, employment and community involvement. At Ability, being ‘first choice’ requires total

customer satisfaction. To achieve this, we recruit people who share our values and we train and support colleagues to work always with a positive ‘can-do‘ attitude. Our values

We focus on ability not disability We focus on what each person can do – on their ability – rather than what they can’t do. We work together with our customers to help them overcome barriers to their own personal independent living goals. We engage actively for feedback We engage actively with our customers, colleagues and partners to seek feedback that helps us to understand how we can improve what we do and how we do it. We value differences We respect and value the individuality of each person. We believe that differences are strengths and that diversity enriches our lives and communities. We demonstrate integrity We encourage a culture of openness, honesty and personal accountability. We respond to a challenge by asking ourselves what we can do to help and by always delivering on our promises.

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 8 of 17

Ability Positive

All Ability colleagues are required to sign up to our AbilityPOSITIVE+ Commitments. The commitments encode the DNA of our organisation by defining our values and core behaviours. We use the commitments to ensure that we recruit, retain, develop, coach, recognise and reward colleagues who are committed to adopting, applying and promoting positive attitudes in all their customer, colleague and partner engagements.

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 9 of 17

The Senior Management Team

The Senior Management Team works with the Board around business planning and setting a strategic direction. The team also has overall executive responsibility.

David Willliams has been Ability’s Chief Executive since 2002 and was previously Director (Housing & Support) for a 10-year period. Before joining Ability, David was Director of Reading Single Homeless Project, where he worked from 1987 to 1992.

Donna Marshall is Finance Director. She joined Ability in 2002. Donna has worked in the social housing sector for 18 years and was previously Accounts Manager at Apex Housing Group (now part of A2Dominion).

David Fox is Assistant Director of Ability Care & Support. He has almost 27 years’ experience in housing and social care. David has managed residential care homes, supported housing schemes and floating support services for all vulnerable client groups.

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 10 of 17

Job Description – Operations Director

Reports to: Chief Executive

Direct Reports: Assistant Director (Ability Care & Support); Housing Services Manager; Property Services Manager; Customer Engagement Co-ordinator (Ability Housing)

Job Purpose

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), ensuring the development and delivery of Ability Housing Association’s vision, strategies and business plans.

Advise the Board on appropriate systems, processes, procedures, and control mechanisms to meet its business objectives, with respect to Housing, Care & Support services.

The organisational lead for ensuring delivery of first class housing, care & support services to all customers of Ability.

Ensure, through Ability Housing and Ability Care & Support’s process and procedures, that all statutory compliance requirements with respect to Housing, Care & Support services are embedded within the organisation.

To demonstrate and promote the AbilityPOSITIVE+ Commitments, leading by example.

As required Deputise for the Chief Executive.

Key Relationships

External: Local Authority Executives, The Homes & Communities Agency; CQC, MPs, Councillors, partner agencies with an interest in Housing, Care & Support services and professional advisors. Internal: The Board; the Ability SMT; the Housing and Care services staff team; residents and tenants; other internal customers.

Core Responsibilities

A. Strategy

Work with the Board and SMT to develop and establish the business plans and asset management strategy including the establishment of the current and future priorities for Housing, Care & Support. Taking the lead on strategies for operational investment, including growth and improvement, asset management, colleague learning & development, customer services and engagement.

Ensure the strategic growth of the businesses (Housing, Care & Support) , identifying new opportunities to enhance services, generate income, maximiase funding streams and extend service offers to residents and customers.

Take account of the national and local housing market and environment, innovation from others, best practice examples and benchmarking in advising on

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 11 of 17

options for Housing and Care and Support services.

B. Operations

Overall responsibility for the planning and delivery of Housing, Care & Support services across the organisation.

Ensure that the service provided meets all the appropriate legal and regulatory standards and complies with commissioners, suppliers, other landlords and business partner’s contractual requirements.

Define and embed a culture of continuous improvement into services in which team members at all levels are engaged and able to contribute to delivering change and improvement.

Ensure the organisation meets the needs and aspirations of present and future customers, ensuring plans are in place to respond to growth.

Takes customers’ views and aspirations into account in service planning and responding to feedback in the design of future service improvements.

To develop business continuity plans (BCP’s) to ensure that service disruption is minimised and that services to customers and stakeholders can be maintained.

Lead on income recovery, ensuring an effective proactive and reactive rent collection service; contributing to the preparation of budgets.

C. Compliance and control

Ensure that decisions related to Housing, Care & Support services are made within a robust risk assessment framework.

Ensure compliance with all internal control requirements relating to budget setting and financial spend for neighbourhood services, including compliance with scheme of delegations, standing orders and financial regulations.

Take a proactive approach to ensure compliance with equality & diversity and health & safety requirements.

D. Performance management

Provide leadership and professional development to the Housing, Care & support services staff teams.

Ensure the staff teams are appropriately structured, resourced, trained, and accountable for providing a quality service to internal/external customers.

Create an organisational culture that ensures a reputation for innovation, creativity and development.

Promote a positive operational culture focussed on the AbilityPOSITIVE Commitments.

E. Relationship management

Report performance and monitoring and a range of other reports to Board and relevant committees across all areas of the Housing, Care & Support portfolio.

Maintain and develop effective professional networks that will add value to Ability’s work such that it is viewed as an influential and reliable partner.

Represent the organisation, acting as an ambassador to enhance its reputation.

To ensure that effective working relationships are maintained with local authorities, other regulatory bodies and stakeholders.

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 12 of 17

This job description does not form part of your contract of employment and can be amended from time to time as the needs of the organisation require. To undertake any other duties commensurate with the post.

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 13 of 17

Person specification – Operations Director

Core Competencies

Acts with integrity, actively promotes and support the vision and values of Ability Housing Association.

Relevant professional qualification e.g. degree level qualification or chartered status in a relevant discipline would be an advantage.

Excellent verbal, written communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.

Strong communication and influencing expertise, able to work intuitively and liaise effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and audiences.

Extensive evidence of positive values and behaviours entirely consistent with the AbilityPOSITIVE+ Commitments.

Knowledge and Experience

Experience of operating at senior managerial level in housing and/or care and support.

Substantial staff management experience and a track record in taking leadership and corporate responsibility.

Experience of developing and managing a strong customer driven service culture.

Understanding of the regulatory and legal frameworks for both housing and care.

Skills and Abilities

Strong business and financial acumen.

Able to assess risk and promote risk awareness without being risk averse.

Able to make sound judgements, confident in own abilities and able to give advice to others and be accountable for that advice.

Excellent verbal, written communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.

Personal Behaviour and Style

Approachable, personable; able to form positive relationships and secure buy-in.

A motivational, leader, who maximises the performance of teams and individuals.

Driven to achieve high standards and continuous improvement of customer care and service.

Used to working under pressure but maintaining accuracy.

Proactively demonstrates a strong commitment to equality and diversity; and champions the rights of tenants to have access to excellent homes and services.

A self-starter, able to work on own initiative and be tenacious in pursuing opportunities and excellence.

Highly numerate and IT literate, able to champion the optimisation of the use of new technology.

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 14 of 17

Our structure

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 15 of 17

Principal terms and conditions (For information purposes only)

1. Position Operations Director 2. Salary and benefits

£65k pa

3. Holiday entitlement

25 working days, plus all bank holidays.

4. Working hours Normal hours of work are 35 hours per week based around the usual business

working week. However, due to the seniority of this post there is a requirement for flexibility in meeting the full responsibilities of the post and this will include occasional evening and weekend work.

5. Location

Your normal place of work will be our office at Ability Housing Association The Coach House, Gresham Road, Staines, Middlesex, TW18 2AE.

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 16 of 17

Key dates and the selection process

Closing date: Wednesday 18th March 2015, at 12 noon.

First interviews: W/c 30th March 2015.

Final interviews: W/c 20th April 2015.

Ability Operations Director

February 2015 Page 17 of 17

Media advert