JOB APPLICATION PACK

Transcription

1 JOB APPLICATION PACK Job Title: Directorate: Regional Land and New Business Manager Development Department: Development Location: Twickenham 1 P a g e

2 Dear Candidate Thank you for your interest in working for Thames Valley Housing. In this pack you find the job description and Person Specification for the role you are applying for. We encourage you to read the guidance notes and fill in the application form carefully, giving all relevant information and in particular setting out the ways in which you meet the criteria to be assessed through the application form. The criterion set out in the person specification contains all the competencies for this role and will be assessed at different stages of the selection process. Please see the guidance notes for further information on this. Thames Valley Housing is a user of the government s two ticks disability symbol, which recognises organisations that are positive towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the short-listing criteria are guaranteed an interview. I hope that you find the job description interesting and decide to apply. I wish you success and we look forward to receiving your application form. Thames Valley Housing Recruitment Tel: recruitment@tvha.co.uk Web: 2 P a g e

3 CONTENTS About TVHA..4 Our Competency Framework 5 Equal Opportunities...6 Job Advert..7 Job Description..8 Person Specification.11 Guidance Notes for Applicants.13 Personal Statement Example Guide to Competency Based Interviews.16 Preparing for Competency Based Interviews..17 Appendix P a g e

4 ABOUT TVHA We are a medium-sized housing association based in Twickenham, South West London. We own, manage or take care of loans for over 14,500 homes in London, Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Sussex. These include traditional rented housing, shared ownership, key worker and student accommodation. In order to generate a profit to help fund our social purpose, we also have a market rent business called Fizzy and a joint venture to build housing for sale. OUR CORPORATE VALUES Our vision and mission are what drives us. We could make it big and complicated, but it s really pretty straightforward. Our Vision For everyone to have the chance to build their lives from a base of a good home We believe that a good, safe, secure home is a critical foundation for successful people, families and communities. Without one, it s difficult to do well at school, hold down a job, or raise a family. Our Mission To provide good quality affordable homes and invest in communities The housing crisis is particularly acute in London & the South. We build good quality, new homes and manage them well. And we grow the social capital of the communities we work in. Stepping Up! They are five key values that we live by. Sometimes it s straight forward to live by them. Sometimes it s harder, it challenges us. But they re our guiding light. It s how we Step Up. Think forward Question how we do things. Think ahead. Innovate. Think We Lets work together to achieve our goals. Think Openly Lets be transparent and true to our world. Think with Compassion Offer your time and support. Act with empathy and understanding. Think Energy Be passionate about delivering great customer service and making things happen. 4 P a g e

5 OUR COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK What are Competencies and how are they used? A competency is an ability, skill, knowledge or trait that is needed for the successful performance of a job. It is often defined in terms of behaviours. Overall, competencies are a set of behaviours that an individual must possess in order to perform to the optimum level within that role. When used properly, and in conjunction with other working practices and procedures, competencies can ensure fairness, openness and equality in the way we recruit staff, select people for training, identify clear development paths and promote people. The Competency Framework contains a total of ten competencies and it is considered that to carry out a role at a particular level an individual should possess those competencies that are Core for that level. The depth of which these core competencies are required will vary according to each role. Core competencies are far broader in their application and apply to all jobs within TVH. This document details the core competencies which TVH recognises as necessary. The person specification highlights the competencies we want to assess as part of our recruitment process, but the following areas are important all of the time. 5 P a g e

6 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Equality & Diversity On fairness, openness, and welcoming of difference We want everyone to look forward to coming to work every day, so we encourage fairness, openness and welcoming of difference. We aim to treat everyone fairly. We won t have any harassment or discrimination. We re strong supporters of equality and diversity, and we employ people on merit and qualifications, according to how well they suit the role. We believe that no one should ever be treated badly because of their race, colour, ethnic or national origin, or because of their religion or faith, gender, sexuality, partnership status, age or disability. We do our best to make our workplace and facilities accessible for people with disabilities. We think we ve got it right, but if you find something that s not accessible, please let us know so we can fix it. 6 P a g e

7 JOB ADVERT REGIONAL LAND AND NEW BUSINESS MANAGER Location: Twickenham Contract type: Permanent Salary: Competitive + car allowance Hours: 35 hours per week Closing date: Midday, 26thMay 2015 Interview Dates: 5 th June 2015 About Thames Valley Housing We are a medium-sized housing association based in Twickenham, South West London. We own, manage or take care of loans for over 15,000 homes in London, Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Sussex. These include traditional rented housing, shared ownership, key worker and student accommodation. Our visions is for everyone to have the chance to build their lives from a base of a good home. Our mission is to provide good quality affordable homes and invest in communities. We love to build. Not just housing and communities, but skills and careers too. About the role We are currently looking for a Regional Land and New Business Manager who under the Regional Land Director is responsible for the acquisition of land and property for residential housing developments. In addition to traditional section 106 opportunities, you will be Identifying predominately land led opportunities, which contribute to the achievement of the Group s Growth and Investment Strategy, to deliver c.450 new homes per year. You will be generating new business in both the private and public sector. Other responsibilities include preparing bids and tenders, with all necessary supporting financial information. You will be monitoring and controlling expenditure on projects and being accountable for delivery to agreed targets, ensuring all schemes and processes are fully audit compliant. About you Experience of residential Land acquisition demonstrated by sourcing and securing development opportunities, including land led, package and turnkey deals is essential. You will have an In depth understanding of planning polices and experience of successfully promoting schemes through the planning process. Applying process: Please apply online and submit a personal statement addressing: A) How your knowledge, experience & skills meet the essential and desirable requirements B) How you meet the technical and core competencies highlighted in Red in the person specification 7 P a g e

8 JOB DESCRIPTION Job title: Directorate: Department: Location: Responsible to: Regional Land and New Business Manager Development Development Twickenham Regional Land Director FAMILY TREE (clearly showing the responsibilities for and to particular managers) Development Director Regional Land and Programme Director Regional Land Director (SE) Team Administrator Regional Land and New Business Manager Programme and Compliance Manager Regional Land and New Business Manager Regional Land and New Business Manager Regional Land and New Business Manager Development Officer Land Graduate Land Graduate Land Graduate Main purpose of the job To be responsible to the Regional Land Director for the acquisition of land and property for residential housing development, to meet agree targets. To be responsible for generating new business in both the private and public sector, in order that the Group can achieve all aspects of the Growth and Investment Strategy To ensure that any proposed investment meets the Group s parameters on profit and return expectations. 8 P a g e

9 To ensure that all necessary controls are adhered to and implemented to achieve the requirements of the Homes and Communities Agency, Greater London Authority, Local Authorities, partner agencies and the association s development procedure guide. To develop and maintain effective relationships, to secure support for future developments through excellent partnership working. To provide professional guidance and leadership to staff reporting to the post. Provide development services to TVH Consortium members and other partners as required. Main contacts which the postholder has within and outside the organisation Executive Directors, Regional Land Director, Head of Project Delivery, Development Director, Sales and Marketing Director, Special Projects Director, Deputy Group Commercial Director, Members of Investment Management Group, Members of the Development Directorate, Managers across the organisation, Land and property agents, Consortium Partners, Local Authorities, NHS Trusts, Consultants, Homes and Communities Agency / Greater London Authority, Developers and contractors, Commercial property companies, Specialist Agencies Budgetary responsibilities specifically attached to post Preparing financial models and risk appraisals, and ensuring all cashflows and programmes are accurate and kept up to date. Preparing bids and tenders, with all necessary supporting financial information Monitoring and controlling expenditure on projects and being accountable for delivery to agreed targets, ensuring all schemes and processes are fully audit compliant. Main duties and responsibilities Identifying land and property opportunities, which contribute to the achievement of the Group s Growth and Investment Strategy. Buying land and property in accordance with the Board approved development, investment management and land buying strategy. Identifying land and property opportunities inline with the development aspirations of Consortium and other partners. Identifying opportunities for Joint Ventures with the public and private sector. Building and maintaining excellent partnerships to ensure that a constant supply of land is available to the Group, including long term strategic land. 9 P a g e

10 Be completely conversant with HCA/GLA policies (including Capital Funding Guide), Local Authority planning policies, local Development Framework and Core Strategies Ensure that all transactions and associated risks are diligently assessed and reported to the Scheme Appraisal Group, Investment Management Group, Exec and Boards, in a timely and effective manner. Working in partnership with the project team, to maximise the development potential and obtain the necessary consents to deliver TVH s Vision for our Homes and Communities. Appointing consultants, solicitors and valuers and ensure that they perform to required timescales, and that all advice necessary to meet the requirements of the Homes and Communities Agency/Greater London Authority, funders and lenders and the association s procedure guide is provided. Manage project and professional teams to minimise risks and achieve agreed programme delivery targets. To attend internal and external meetings with TVHA staff, external partners and stakeholders, including outside of regular office hours. Attend planning committee meetings, and neighbourhood consultation to speak on behalf of the Association Ensuring adherence to TVH policy and procedures to achieve full internal and external audit compliance. Liaise effectively with the Sales and Marketing Director when appraising new sales sites Liaise effectively with the Head of Project Delivery to ensure that all new sites meet the latest TVHA technical criteria. Participate in project teams led by the Head of Project Delivery to ensure that all the requirements of the Association are met when entering into contracts to purchase land and property. Liaise effectively with all internal departments. Where required, to be responsible for the supervision and support of staff, ensuring regular and effective 1:1 s and that an appraisal is carried out inline with TVH policies. Taking the lead in specified partnerships e.g. with Local Authorities and other agencies to ensure relationships are excellent, and that commitments made are delivered. To promote the organisation, and identify positive public relations opportunities. Provide appropriate support to Fizzy Living as requested Effectively manage and prioritise your and your team s workload, to ensure successful programme delivery. 10 P a g e

11 Participate in coaching, developing and motivating staff in the directorate. Ensure that the highest standards of probity and professionalism are maintained and to comply with the standing orders of the Group. To promote, maintain and ensure implementation of the Group s Health and Safety, Diversity and Equality policies. To participate in team, directorate and middle manager meetings as required. Other To carry out other duties as may be reasonably assigned from time to time by the Regional Land Director, such duties to be compatible with the level of this job description. 11 P a g e

12 PERSON SPECIFICATION Role: Directorate: Regional Land and New Business Manager Development Knowledge, Experience & Skills Essential Experience of residential Land acquisition and deal making, demonstrated by Sourcing and securing development opportunities, including land led, package and turnkey deals. Along with experience in working in partnership with likeminded property companies. Exceptional understanding of development appraisal and viability tools. Extensive Land and Development contacts In depth understanding of planning polices Experience of successfully promoting schemes through the planning process In depth understanding of HCA/GLA funding requirements. Experience of ensuring compliance of schemes with funding and regulatory requirements Excellent project management skills, with a track record of delivering objectives in a timely and compliant manner. Excellent and relationship management skills. Experience of using accounting and project management software. Desirable Degree level or equivalent educational attainment, with exceptional analytical skills Experience of Public / Private sector joint ventures Experience of Consortium working Technical 12 P a g e

13 Understanding of public sector procurement Working understanding of land and build contracts Understanding of development and site related technical risks Competencies (please refer to the Competency Guidelines for definitions and examples of positive indicators) Applied Thinking Identifies new business opportunities by evaluating company performance from a range of information Results Focused Sets the performance framework for the organisation to meet corporate goals, achieve results and champions improvements Managing Relationships Extends networks and uses indirect influence to build external relationships to achieve long term strategic organisational goals Commercial Awareness Delivers the commercial objectives Planning and Organising Develops project plans and identifies departmental activities and resources required to meet organisational goals Initiative and Innovation Plans and implements new ideas in the long to medium term and take the lead in delivering Working Together Involves others to work towards shared goals and objectives Continuous Improvement Drives Departmental activity to continuously improve systems and processes Customer Driven Champions and promotes the delivery of quality service to all customers Leadership Is a role model for effective leadership 13 P a g e

14 OTHER Good IT skills Full Driving Licence required Commitment to Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety Delivering and living the Corporate values: Think Forward Question how we do things.think Ahead.Innovate Think We Let s work together to achieve our shared goals. Think Openly Let s be transparent and true to our word. Think With Compassion Offer your time and support. Act with empathy and understanding. Think With Energy Be passionate about delivering great customer service and making things happen GUIDANCE NOTES FOR APPLICANTS Introduction These notes aim to help you complete your job application form. Please read carefully before you start completing the application form. Completing your Application We will use the information you provide in your application to decide whether or not you meet the essential requirements listed in the person specification. Please note that if you don t give examples through your application how you meet the criteria, your application will not be taken to the next stage. The following sections below outline the contents of the job description and person specification and will be useful when completing your application. 14 P a g e

15 Thames Valley Housing has set out the performance and behaviour expectations for each role within the organisation. The job description sets out the family tree, main purpose of the job, contacts and key tasks for the role. The person specification contains the following: 1) KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS This is broken up as Essential & Desirable These are knowledge and outcomes required to perform effectively within the role and you are required to provide details of relevant experience for this role. 2) QUALIFICATIONS These are the qualifications which are essential or desirable for the job. 3) COMPETENCIES These are a set of behaviours an individual must posses in order to perform to the optimum level within that role. 4) OTHER Depending on the role, there may be other criteria that the job holder needs to demonstrate e.g. if a job involves travelling, you will need to have a full drivers licence. Short-listing The people short-listing will use information from your application and personal statement to determine whether you will be short-listed for assessments/interviews for this role. They will focus mainly on the essential criteria listed in the person specification. You should therefore show through your application form and your personal statement how you meet the essential criteria. Assessments/Interviews If your application is short-listed, you will be required to undergo some testing from a range of Ability Tests Written Exercise Job related tests Psychometric tests IT tests References We will need two good references. Your current employer. If you are unemployed, this will be your most recent employer. This will be someone senior to you who can assess your work for us, not a colleague or friend at work. A previous employer, or someone with a senior role who can vouch for you. 15 P a g e

16 Driving If the job needs you to drive, we will need to see your driving license DBS check For some jobs we will need to carry out a Disclosure & Barring Service check. We ll say so in the job description if that s the case. Eligibility to work in the UK It s against the law for us to take on people who do not have the right to work here. If we offer you a job, we will ask you to prove this to us. We ll send you a list of documents you can use for this. (Section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act.) Data Protection By law, we have to let you know that we keep the personal information about you that you put in a job application. When you sign and send an application in, we take this to mean that you are giving us permission to keep it, and to use it to get in touch with you, if we find a job we think would suit you in the following six months. Your Views We re happy to hear from you. We want to improve our recruitment, so please do let us know what you think about the process. 16 P a g e

17 PERSONAL STATEMENT [To download a Word version click here] Name of applicant: Role applying for: [Text here] [Text here] KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE Tell us about the knowledge and work experience that you ve had everything that makes you believe you are the right person for the job [Text here] SKILLS AND ABILITIES How do your skills match what we re looking for? [Text here] COMPETENCIES Please give real life examples of how you have demonstrated the competencies in bold listed on the Person Specification (Please refer to appendix 1 and useful examples) 17 P a g e

18 A GUIDE TO COMEPTENCY BASED INTERVIEWS At Thames Valley Housing competency-based interviews are a key part of candidate selection. Here is a brief guide to what such interviews involve, along with some advice on how best to approach them. Introduction Competency-based interviews are based on the idea that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour. Accordingly, the interviewer s goal is to obtain specific examples of when and how you demonstrated particular behaviours. Interview questions are carefully designed to probe specific skill, competencies and characteristics which are relevant to job success for the position in question. All candidates are asked the same questions and notes are taken in order to evaluate candidates. The word competency is widely used in business and personnel psychology and refers to the behaviours that are necessary to achieve organisational goals. A competency is also something you can measure and lists of competencies form a common language for describing how people perform in different situations. Every job can be described in terms of key competencies and these are described in the person specification attached to each job description. This means that competencies can be used for all forms of assessment, including appraisals, training needs analysis and selection. Whilst each interview may vary in terms of the questions asked/competencies reviewed, there are general themes that are usually covered. It is well worth preparing for this type of interview by, for example, being familiar with some of the possible questions and how you would answer them. At TVH we have eight core competencies and two managerial competencies. These have been developed in association with our corporate values* to support the organisation s vision and goals. These core competencies, together with the knowledge and technical skills required to fulfil the role, are detailed in the person specification. These will form the basis of the questions you will be asked. 18 P a g e

19 PREPARING FOR COMPETENCY BASED INTERVIEWS Competency-focused, well structured answers are extremely powerful and will impress the interviewer(s). Below are some hints and tips which you might find useful: To prepare for competency-based interviews, first review the job description and person specification carefully and identify the skills and traits likely to be assessed. Next, identify the situations and experiences that you will refer to in the interview to demonstrate these skills and traits. (You may have already included some of your examples in the supporting statement that you submitted during the application process. That s fine. You may be required to expand on these examples in your interview.) The STAR model will provide a structure to your answers: Situation - describe a situation or problem you have encountered; Task - what was required of you in terms of aims/objectives/challenges? Action - what did you do (as opposed to your colleagues/team-mates/manager)? Result - what happened/what was the outcome of your actions? You will be asked to provide specific examples with lots of detail. When using this format it is useful to give the panel a little bit of Situation and Task but the bulk of your example should consist of your Action - what you did and said in this situation. Remember to include good examples of where you have demonstrated any of the REACH values in your past experiences. Apply your common sense - if you have applied for a customer-facing role, then it is most likely that you will be asked to describe situations where you have interacted with a customer and delivered good customer service. Similarly, if you have applied for a technical role, you will most likely be assessed on your ability to analyse and solve problems. Think back over your past experiences and situations you have been involved in that might demonstrate to an interview panel the behaviours they are looking for. The examples might be from work, college, sports, volunteer roles or other groups or teams you may have been part of. Try to think of your most recent experiences so you can remember lots of detail about what you did in that situation (i.e. try to use examples that are no older than 2 years). 19 P a g e

20 You might find it useful to have a go at being interviewed with the help of a friend or family member. Don t try to rehearse or memorise your answers, simply familiarise yourself with your previous experiences in a structured way to help you remember what you did in these situations. Tips for the interview Be yourself - act naturally; Try to relax and ask for water if you need it; Don t be afraid to take time to gather your thoughts and think of your best example to fit the question before speaking; It s OK to ask questions - remember it is a two-way conversation; It s also OK to ask the panel to repeat a question, or clarify your understanding for what you are being asked; If you are unsure about whether your example is what the panel was looking for, at the end of your response check with the panel that you have answered their questions; The panel will be busy taking notes during the interview and may not be able to maintain eye contact with you throughout the interview. Don t let that distract you or put you off. It s their job to get everything down so they have an accurate record you have said in the interview - it does not mean you are giving bad examples. 20 P a g e

21 Appendix 1 Name Definition Level Descriptors 1 Applied Thinking Makes use of relevant information to resolve problems, identify Leader Identifies new business opportunities by evaluating company performance from a range of information opportunities and reach appropriate solutions. Expert Sets Directorate/Departmental priorities by developing solutions to support the business plan Professional Recommends improvements to processes and services at a team level by analysing patterns and trends from information Vocational Solves basic problems within clearly laid out policies and procedures 2 Results Focused Getting things done Achieves successful delivery of tasks and objectives by effectively Leader Sets the performance framework for the organisation to meet corporate goals, achieve results and champions improvements managing others or taking direct action. Expert Sets the performance framework for the Directorate/Department to meet objectives, KPIs and continuously seeks improvements in delivery Professional Uses Directorate/Department objectives to identify team KPIs to drive service delivery and meet goals Vocational Takes responsibility for achieving individual objectives and contributing to team targets 3 Planning and Organising Plans and organises work and activities to meet objectives whilst Leader Structures the business plan to deliver key objectives while allocating appropriate resources achieving quality and value for money. Expert Develops project plans and identifies departmental activities and resources required to meet organisational goals Professional Delivers the project plan/departmental objectives to plan and budget Vocational Contributes to the team/project objectives by effectively setting own work plan and prioritising key tasks 4 Initiative and Innovation Takes a creative approach to work by formulating new ideas or adapting Leader Develops ways of capturing innovation and creativity across the organisation and delivers through others existing ideas in a new or Expert Plans and implements new ideas in the long to medium term and takes the lead unexpected way to create in delivering change within Directorate opportunities. Professional Develops and implements initiatives at a local level Vocational Addresses current opportunities by improving and adapting existing approaches 21 P a g e

22 Appendix 1 Name Definition Level Descriptors 5 Working Together Works co-operatively and flexibly across cultures and organisational boundaries to achieve shared goals 6 Managing Relationships (Influencing, persuading and negotiating) 7 Continuous Improvement (Striving for Excellence) 22 P a g e Builds and maintains relationships to achieve positive outcomes for the Association Looks for opportunities to improve (self, products and/or services) 8 Customer Driven Provides an excellent service to all customers 9 Commercial Awareness Understands relationship of operational issues to wider business context 10 Leadership (Developing and Managing People) Inspires and motivates others to develop confidence and capability to Leader Expert Professional Vocational Leader Expert Professional Vocational Leader Expert Professional Vocational Leader Expert Professional Vocational Leader Expert Professional Vocational Leader Expert Creates a positive team working environment Builds the team to deliver a high quality service Involves others to work towards shared goals and objectives Works co-operatively with other members of the team and direct customers Extends networks and uses indirect influence to build external relationships to achieve long term strategic organisational goals Maintains networks and plans impact Builds positive and reciprocal relationships that benefit the Association Builds rapport with colleagues and direct customers/suppliers Creates a continuous improvement environment Drives Departmental activity to continuously improve systems and processes Delivers improvements at a team level Drives self to deliver results and aspirations Develops the strategy to meet the long term interests and aspirations of customers Champions and promotes the delivery of quality service to all customers Plans and organises delivery of customer service Delivers a high quality service Defines and develops TVH s commercial objectives to maximise the organisation s financial wellbeing Delivers the commercial objectives Understands the purpose and content of the Corporate business plan Demonstrates awareness of commercial aspects of the business Leads the organisations to deliver high performance Is a role model for effective leadership

23 Appendix 1 Name Definition Level Descriptors realise their full potential Professional Supports team development Vocational Gives basic direction and instruction 23 P a g e

24 24 P a g e PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY