Message from Newlon s Chair, Sarah Ebanja

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1 Message from Newlon s Chair, Sarah Ebanja Dear Applicant, Thank you for your interest in joining our Board. Please read the information we have provided to help you understand us better. I hope you will be persuaded as I am that being a Newlon Board member provides an exciting opportunity to make a real difference in the world of social housing. We have an impressive track record of punching above our weight. Our size, geographical focus and financial stability put us in an ideal position to take advantage of the opportunities in the current environment and we are committed to the continued provision of award-winning affordable housing in London. If you believe you have the knowledge, expertise and skills to help Newlon go from strength to strength we welcome your application. As part of your submission we ask you to confirm your availability for key dates in the recruitment process. If there is a clash with any of the dates please contact a member of Newlon s Human Resources team as soon as possible using the details we provide. Embracing diversity is one of our key values and we welcome applications from all members of the community. If you would like to chat informally about any aspects of this role or our work please contact me on the following number: I look forward to receiving your application by midday on Thursday 9th June. Yours faithfully, Sarah Ebanja Chair of Newlon Board

2 Contents 2 A Board s eye view of Newlon 4 Role description 5 Person specification 7 Recruitment timetable NEWLON BOARD RECRUITMENT PACK 1

3 Growth and development Newlon Housing Trust is a charitable housing association established in In the last 10 years we have doubled our size and we now own and manage around 8,000 homes in north and east London. The Board recognise that the need for affordable housing is greater than ever and the challenge of providing it in London is increasing because of high land values and competition from private sector developers. New legislation is bringing with it opportunities and we are eager to explore them. Our aim is to have provided another 1,500 homes by We have a proud record of working on major regeneration programmes including the award winning Arsenal Regeneration Area in Islington and more recently Hale Village in Tottenham, where we have provided 542 new affordable homes. It is a mark of our commitment to the regeneration of the area that in 2011 we moved to a new purpose-built Group HQ at Hale Village. The success of Hale Village has been a catalyst for the wider regeneration of Tottenham. We have recently completed other landmark projects including the restoration of the Grade II listed << CONTENTS PAGE Tottenham Town Hall and the regeneration of the old Cannon Rubber factory site on Tottenham High Road to provide 222 affordable homes and a new 420 pupil primary school developed in partnership with Tottenham Hotspur FC. In April we won the prestigious national Housing Award for our outstanding contribution to Home Ownership which acknowledged our innovative approach to helping people take their first step onto the property ladder in London. We work across north and east London and our main borough partners are Barking and Dagenham, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest and the Board play a role in maintaining strong relationships with these stakeholders. Residents and services The Board are clear that our residents must be at the heart of what we do. In the last three years we have greatly increased their involvement in governance and have authorised investment in more effective services through a new service model and service culture, greater automation and a new maintenance partnering arrangement. We are pleased to see the start of increased resident satisfaction. NEWLON BOARD RECRUITMENT PACK 2 Pictured above: Cannon Road development A Board s eye view of Newlon

4 Newlon Housing Trust Outward Care and Support charity Newlon Fusion Community Regeneration charity Access Homes Non-charitable housing association NewlonBuild Construction design, build and development company NewlonInvest Commercial investment company The Newlon Group Newlon Housing Trust is the parent of the Newlon Group. We work together to provide a comprehensive range of community services. Each subsidiary has its own Board but the Newlon Board oversees the governance of the Group which consists of the organisations shown in the diagram above. You can find out more about the Newlon Group and our activities on our website. Financial and governance strength For the financial year the Group s annual turnover was 71.2 million and our surplus was 10.5 million. We are regulated by the Homes and Communities Agency and have the top viability ratings for Finance and Governance of F1 and G1. We have a credit rating with Moody s of A2. Download our financial statements and annual reports to find out more. What Board members say This is what some of our Board members value about working with Newlon: Each Board member has a clear role and this encourages engagement. There is a good balance at Board level between delivering services to residents right now and planning developments for a long-term future. The Board has diversity of backgrounds, a good mix of skills and reflects the communities we serve. My time on the Board has rounded out my previous executive board experience and helped me to understand the influence of a nonexecutive whilst giving me the privilege of being involved in a sector so important for London. NEWLON BOARD RECRUITMENT PACK 3

5 Role description This section sets out the main responsibilities and expectations of the Board member role as well as the support provided. Overall responsibilities You will join our main Board as a Non-Executive Director, sharing responsibility with fellow Board Members for strategic direction, effective performance and sound governance across the Newlon Group. Responsibilities include managing risk, overseeing growth and financial stability and ensuring the cost-effective delivery of services. Chairing role You may also be asked to chair a Committee depending on your area of expertise and chairing vacancies at the time of your appointment. There will soon be a vacancy for Chair of the Development Committee. The purpose of this Committee is to oversee new business ensuring that the best interests of Newlon and its stakeholders are served, that development meets the requirements of the Board s strategic direction and that activities are carried out in line with regulatory frameworks and standards of probity. Other Committee and Board work All Newlon Board members also sit on other Committees or the boards of the main subsidiaries, Outward and Access Homes. At present in addition to the Development Committee we have the following committees: Audit and Risk, Residents Services, Remuneration and Appointments. Your commitment You must be able to dedicate approximately 26 days to your work for Newlon and have some degree of flexibility about the timing of your availability. As an indication, you will need to do the following: prepare for, attend and fully participate in Board and Committee meetings, attend Board induction, training events, away weekends and other relevant conferences and courses, attend stakeholder events, keep up to date with the external framework and operating environment of the sector, participate in appraisal activities and develop and fulfil a personal development plan. Remuneration and support In addition to the remuneration already mentioned Board members will receive an annual allowance to cover the cost of essential consumables as well as the reimbursement of travel expenditure on Newlon business, other than journeys to and from Newlon House. Board culture The Newlon Board is friendly, collegiate and highly effective. Our culture is open and supportive and we expect real commitment from our members. This is why we have a rigorous recruitment process and strong appraisal and development programmes for individual Board Members as well as for the Board as a whole. NEWLON BOARD RECRUITMENT PACK 4

6 Person specification This section sets out the knowledge, skills, experience, competencies and qualities we are looking for in a Newlon Board member. Knowledge, skills and experience You must be able to offer one or more of the following: Expertise in building design and development; A demonstrable understanding of social housing, perhaps gained through working with a social housing provider during your career; Commercial experience and the ability to apply this in the context of a London housing association; A practical understanding of performance management and quality improvement in housing services; Experience of public affairs or of taking an influencing role at a senior level in the London community. Core competencies All Board members need the following core competencies: Analytical skills Communication Decision making Influencing and negotiation Leadership and motivation Performance management Numeric/Financial awareness Representation Risk consciousness Strategic approach Working with others Able to analyse and integrate complex issues and focus on the core. Able to communicate clearly combined with good listening skills. Able to weigh issues and make balanced and reasonable decisions at a strategic level, in concert with others, for the benefit of the organisation. Able to influence others and negotiate with them. Able to lead and motivate effectively. Able to establish clear aims and objectives and ensure regular review and feedback on Newlon s performance against both financial and non-financial measures. Has high level of numeracy combined with financial awareness. Able to represent Newlon externally to partners and other stakeholders. Conscious of risk and able to seek assurance that risks are being managed effectively, integrating risk assessment into mainstream business. Able to take a strategic approach, understands the wider environment in which Newlon operates and contributes to the development of Newlon s strategy and business plan. Appreciates and respects others views. Works well with people from a diverse range of backgrounds. NEWLON BOARD RECRUITMENT PACK 5

7 Personal qualities All Board members need to appreciate the environment in which Newlon operates and to demonstrate the key values. In particular, Board members must: maintain high standards of integrity be committed to continuous improvement and high standards of governance be committed to the values of social inclusion and diversity NEWLON BOARD RECRUITMENT PACK 6

8 Recruitment timetable To make sure we get the right people on our Board we have a robust and thorough recruitment process. It is important that those short-listed are available to participate in all parts of the process. If you are interested in one of the roles please check your availability against the timetable below. If there are any clashes please contact Nerissa Caesar, Human Resources Administrator, on as soon as possible. If you decide to apply for one of the roles, we suggest you book all the sessions below provisionally into your calendar at the same time. What Closing date for applications Applicants will be notified within a week whether or not they have been shortlisted for assessment. Testing at Newlon House Candidates shortlisted for assessment will be tested against standard measures of verbal and numerical ability and will also be asked to produce a piece of discursive writing on a relevant topic. When Midday on Thursday 9th June Monday 20th June 9.30am 1pm Candidates will be notified within two days whether they have been shortlisted for interview. Visits to Newlon properties Applicants shortlisted for interview will be offered the opportunity to visit a Newlon property accompanied by a member of Newlon staff. Interviews Between Wednesday 22nd June and Wednesday 6th July Thursday 7th July Interviews will be held at Newlon House and will last approximately one hour. The successful applicants will be appointed provisionally the next day (subject to satisfactory references and Board approval). Attendance at Board meeting The provisional appointees will attend the July Board meeting as Observers. The meeting takes place at Newlon House. Wednesday 13th July 6pm 8pm Appointments will be confirmed at the end of the meeting. Attendance at first Board meeting Appointees will attend the September Board meeting as members. Appointees will attend the AGM that follows and be introduced to shareholders. Wednesday 28th September 3pm 8pm NEWLON BOARD RECRUITMENT PACK 7