watford community housing trust head of customer...

Watford Community Housing Trust Head of Customer Insight

Candidate Recruitment Pack


March 2013 of 19

March 2013 Dear Applicant

Watford Community Housing Trust – Head of Customer Insight 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 combined compliance and equal opportunities form;

Indicate 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 equal opportunities form. The information requested is purely for equal opportunities 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 [email protected] 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 disappointment.

mailto:[email protected]

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Applications must be received by Friday 19 April 2013 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. Should you be shortlisted for interview, the first interviews will be held on Wednesday 1st May 2013 (from 10.00am). Following this process, the successful candidates will be asked to complete technical and psychometric testing online between Friday 3rd and Wednesday 8th May, then invited to attend an assessment day and final interview on Thursday 9th May 2013. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me on 07900 363803 or [email protected] We look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely,

Kelly Shaw Senior Associate Consultant

mailto:[email protected]


March 2013 of 19

Contents Welcome letter

5

About Watford Community Housing Trust

6

The Executive Team

8

Job Description and Person Specification

10

Competencies

12

Corporate Responsibilities

13

Structure chart – Chief Executives Directorate

14

Structure chart – Resources Directorate

15

Principal Terms and Conditions

16

Key Recruitment Dates

18

Advert

19

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

Our Business Plan 2012-2017

Community Development Strategy

Annual and Financial Report 2012 Further information on Watford Community Housing Trust can be found at http://www.wcht.org.uk

http://www.campbelltickell.com/

http://www.wcht.org.uk/


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Welcome letter

Dear candidate Thank you for your enquiry regarding the role of Head of Customer Insight with Watford Community Housing Trust. We provide homes and services to over 20 local communities throughout Watford and parts of Three Rivers. We are committed to working closely with residents and surrounding communities to ensure we deliver high quality homes and services. We own and manage nearly 5,000 affordable homes. As a Community Gateway organisation our tenants are at the heart of everything we do. Our vision is to provide better homes and friendlier communities and this role will be key in helping us to achieve this. We are customer focussed and deliver the services that our communities want as well as creating capacity to deliver more. Five years after transfer we have successfully achieved our Transfer Promises as demonstrated in our Annual Report 2011/12. Following on from these successes we launched our next five year Business Plan 2012-2017 in September 2012. Financial viability in a challenging economic environment and the delivery of cost effective quality services that meet our communities’ expectations are high on our agenda. We have achieved much in our first five years and now emphasis is more than ever on improving our services. As an employer, we seek to value, involve and empower our staff to provide customer-focussed services. We want to ensure the Trust has an acknowledged reputation as a developmental, solution focussed organisation. This is an exciting time to consider joining us. I would like to thank you for your interest in working for Watford Community Housing Trust and wish you good luck with your application. Yours sincerely,

Julie Robinson

Julie Robinson Director of Resources


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About Watford Community Housing Trust

Watford Community Housing Trust (the Trust) is a housing association providing homes and services to over 20 local communities throughout Watford and parts of Three Rivers. We are committed to working closely with residents and surrounding communities to ensure we deliver high quality homes and services. We own and manage nearly 5000 affordable homes. We are regulated by the Homes and Communities Agency.

We are a Community Gateway Organisation. This means that we place tenants and community empowerment right at the heart of everything we do. Tenants and leaseholders can become members of the Trust, enabling them to get involved in decision making and vote on important issues.

We are governed by our Board which is made up of tenants/leaseholders, independents and councillors. The Board is responsible for achieving our aims and objectives as an organisation. Vision and Values

Our Vision is to provide ‘Better Homes, Friendlier Communities – Together’.

Our Values are integral to how we work and in everything we do we are proud that together we:

• Take personal ownership for our actions to provide an excellent service;

• Act professionally and with integrity to deliver our promises;

• Offer progressive and innovative ways of doing things.

These values are set out in our Business Plan 2012-2017 which can be found on our website and there is a link to this document in this pack.

The Board

The Board is responsible for achieving our aims and objectives as an organisation and to make sure we keep to our Business Plan. We are governed by our Board which is made up of elected tenants/leaseholders, independents and councillors.

The Board sets the strategic direction for the Trust, while the Gateway Leadership group provides a representative voice for tenants and residents.

Please click here to learn more about our Board Members.

http://www.wcht.org.uk/our-board-members


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Our Gateway

We are a Community Gateway housing organisation. This means that we place tenants and

communities at the heart of everything we do. Tenants and leaseholders can become

members of the Trust, enabling them to get involved in decision making and vote on

important issues. Members are encouraged to get involved as much or as little as they

want, at a level they choose and on the issues that matter to them.

Residents living in our local community areas, but not tenants of the Trust, can become

associate members to support the work the Trust

is doing and get involved in decision making at a

local level.

We were created as a Gateway to increase

resident influence and empower people. Giving

local people control over decisions helps to

improve services and the long-term success of

the organisation.

Gateway Leadership Team

We have an elected Gateway Leadership Team, made up of nine tenants and residents, to

ensure that our communities have a strong voice within the Trust and direct access to our

Board of Management. The Gateway Leadership Team, working with the wider membership,

ensures that our members are at the heart of our decision making process. This is enshrined

in our Community Development Strategy 2012-2017.

Our services extend beyond providing homes...

We also:

Involve our residents in shaping our services

and all we offer

Help residents find affordable credit and

offer money advice with real results

Work with local agencies to tackle anti social

behaviour and work under the Partnership Protected Areas to ensure residents

are safe in their home

Deliver homes to the Watford Quality Homes Standard

Provide funding for improving communities under the Better Communities Fund

Encourage residents in finding employment and supporting new social enterprises

And much much more!


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The Executive Management Team

Tina Barnard - Chief Executive

The Chief Executive of the Trust is Tina Barnard. She is a qualified

accountant who has worked in housing for over 20 years. She has

worked as a Finance Director in three housing organisations, Chelmer

Housing Partnership, Worthing Homes and New Era, as well as being a

financial analyst at the Housing Corporation. She has also been a Non-

Executive Director for a number of housing and charitable organisations

and is currently Chair of Watford Citizens Advice Bureau and a Board

member at Watford & District YMCA.

There are 3 other members of the Executive Management team who are Julie Robinson

Director of Resources, Gareth Lewis Director of Property and New Business and Ruairi

McCourt Director of Housing and Neighbourhood and together they work closely to deliver

the Business Plan as agreed by the Board of Management.

Tina states “We, as a community based business are becoming a key player in Watford and

Three Rivers, providing both better homes and friendlier communities, together. We have

aspirations to grow in terms of both “bricks and mortar” and key services to ensure that we

can deliver our vision to more people. We cannot do this on our own and therefore building

partnerships is key.

Julie Robinson - Director of Resources

As Director of Resources I am part of a strong leadership team that sets

the culture and vision for the organisation. It is important to invest time

in creating team spirit and forming strong bonds. The areas which I

have responsibility for are Finance and Procurement, HR and

Organisational Development, Business Improvement, IT and Facilities.

We have now agreed our next 5 year Business Plan which incorporates

four Corporate Objectives: Community Focussed, Growth Agenda,

Excellent Services and Organisation of Choice. The Resources

Directorate need to ensure that they add value to the Trust by delivering excellent customer

services and enable the Trust to continue to grow and develop and achieve its objectives.

I am a qualified accountant and have worked in the Housing Sector for over twelve years

predominantly in Large Scale Voluntary Transfers (LSVTs) and have extensive experience

of business planning ensuring the financial viability of the organisations. I am also a Trustee

on the Board at the Peace Hospice in Watford and the Chair of their Policy & Resources

Committee.

In my spare time I am a keen football supporter along with my family and we are season

ticket holders at Wolves.


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Gareth Lewis - Director of Property and New Business

I am responsible for investment in the Trust’s stock through planned

improvements, day-to-day repairs and the provision of new homes. New

Business also includes developing our services to be both attractive and

competitive to other organisations.

Value for money is fundamental to the Trust and maintaining our assets

to the highest standards and making the best of them –homes,

community facilities and land – is key to making it happen. My vision is to

evolve the Directorate into a cohesive team which considers all options and then delivers the

best result for the Trust which can be achieved.

I have spent my entire career in social housing, predominantly in development, but also

general management. I also spent 12 years in consultancy, but always related to affordable

housing. There have been many changes during that time in how we house our tenants and

design and procure new housing, but the challenges we are now facing are probably the

most difficult. I hope that my previous experience will contribute to the Trust continuing to

improve and deliver the best of services to our residents and those in our neighbourhoods.

Music has always been a passion and remains so, whether it's playing, listening or watching

it live. Family and home responsibilities take up much of my time, but that is not a hardship

and we still find gaps for travel.

Ruairi McCourt - Director of Housing and Neighbourhood

I am responsible for frontline services – including managing our housing

stock and also helping develop stronger and friendlier communities.

I strongly believe that our Gateway model has created a strong

partnership with our tenants – the legal owners of our stock – and that

this has resulted in real community empowerment.

In the future I see us working much more closely not just with our

tenants and leaseholders, but also with others in the community –

including voluntary groups, residents’ associations and community

bodies in Watford and Three Rivers.

We already work well with these groups, but I want us to develop these relationships to

become even more embedded as a community organisation – while always keeping tenants

and residents at the heart of our decision making.

I joined the Trust in January 2009 having previously been Director of Operations for Cara

Housing in London where I was responsible for business development.

I have 20 years experience of working in a variety of front line and strategic roles in local

government and the housing sector. I also volunteer on the Board of Innisfree Housing

Association. I’m a law graduate with a Masters in Politics and Sociology.

The Beatles mug and Bob Dylan coasters in my office give a bit of a clue as to my interests away from work… (As did my stint as guitarist/singer in the Trust band at our 2011 AGM!)


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Job Description

Job title Head of Customer Insight

Department Resources Directorate

Responsible to Director of Resources Responsible for Customer Services Manager, Innovation and Research Manager

Role purpose

To be responsible and lead the Customer Services Centre and Innovation and Research Team to deliver excellent customer services and business improvement.

To play a full role in the Senior Management Team (SMT) and contribute to business development, improvement of services, achievement of high performance and targets and overall success and growth of business through the application of leadership, business and professional technical skills.

Key Accountabilities

To lead the implementation of the Customer Service Strategy and leading the Customer Care Coaching Group.

To provide a comprehensive, high performance culture within the Trust and incorporate learning from feedback. Integrate tenant feedback into the development of policies, standards, and service development.

To lead and develop a culture of Continuous Improvement through the adoption of “lean” service review techniques.

Ensure that the Trust’s Committees and Board are kept fully up to date with the performance of the Trust.

To take the lead in the preparation for and co-ordination of regulatory visits and inspections to ensure the Trust achieves the best possible outcomes.

To lead on the delivery of the strategy and action plan for corporate equality & diversity to ensure the Trust offers fair services & opportunities, and meets legal & regulatory requirements.

To lead on the development, implementation, cataloguing and monitoring of policies throughout the Trust, ensuring that they are kept up to date, are compliant with legislative requirements and best practice, and are regularly reviewed.

To lead the delivery of effective tenant scrutiny of Trust performance, determine recommendations and feed these into the continuous improvement process to drive improvement in performance.

To lead successful management of business change projects by providing project management expertise and guidance.

To ensure that the Trust’s Out of Hours Service is managed effectively including being available to deal with emergency issues as required.

To be a contact for the Trust’s IT contractor on a day-to-day basis responding and dealing with any issues.

To manage, develop and motivate the team, coaching them as required. Allocating and delegating work and effectively managing their performance to deliver the strategy and the corporate objectives. Including 121's appraisals and performance management as necessary.

Some work outside normal working hours will be required, in attending evening meetings or to meet deadlines at peak periods

NB: This job description is not intended to be a full list of every task or area of work; its aim is to give a broad representation of the role. Other duties, tasks and requirements may be made of the post-holder broadly consistent with those described and/or to meet the Trust’s aims and objectives. Post-holders will however only be asked to carry out reasonable tasks and duties.


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Person Specification

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Experience

(Essential Criteria)

Experience of developing and managing effective customer-driven services.

Experience of successful working at senior level with Boards and Committees.

Experience and/or understanding of successful change management.

Committed to delivering a quality Customer Service, best practice value in all aspects of the Trust’s operations.

Committed to a high level of tenant empowerment at board level and throughout the Trust.

Ensures quality and productivity goals and standards are met.

Highly numerate and data rational and able to present and discuss information that can be clearly understood and used.

Demonstrates drive, determination and commitment to the Trust’s objectives.

Sets stretching performance targets for organisation, self and team.

Capable of delivering results to tight deadlines and under pressure.

Demonstrates effective problem solving and decision making skills.

Able to adopt an innovative and entrepreneurial approach

Committed to the aims and ambitions of the Trust and broader issues of social housing

Continuously seeks ways to improve, learn and contribute to own personal development.

Ensures equality of opportunity and encourages diversity in service provision and employment.

Strong verbal and written communication skills.

The ability to use presentation and communication skills to promote the Trust.

Presents effectively to a range of audiences.

(Desirable Criteria)

Knowledge of Orchard arcHouse Housing Management Systems, Cor-vu plus Microsoft Office suite and other industry software.


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Competencies

Personal attributes/behaviours the role holder must possess to be successful in the role

Working Together - Leads by working collaboratively and efficiently (Level 4)

Articulates overall goals/vision to develop a one-team culture

Ensures staff are clear about their role within the organisation and their contributions to organisational success

Develops strategies to improve cross-functional working

Implements controls to track key performance measures

Works collaboratively with others across the Trust to generate shared understanding and provide consistent messages to staff

Informs, consult and influence stakeholders using a range of communication mechanisms

Creates an environment to deliver shared outcomes on the ground

Customer Focus - Acts as a customer champion and empowers colleagues to deliver excellent customer service (Level 4)

Challenges others to think and act in a way that improves the customer experience

Develops the service to deliver excellent and sustainable customer service

Identifies team’s development needs and implements appropriate solutions

Establishes and embeds a way of working where improving the customer experience is everyone’s goal

re-designs services from a customer perspective

Works strategically across the Trust to provide integrated and efficient services to customers

Continuous Improvement and Innovation - Leads and champions continuous improvement and innovation (Level 4)

Can describe what the future looks like in terms of service improvements and modernisation

Can identify risks of recommended solutions and propose ways to manage those risks

Can assess possible solutions against the requirements of the business and what is realistic

Helps the business to introduce change by focusing effort and commitment on making the change work

Keeps up to date with developments that affect the Trust and anticipate risks and opportunities that may arise

Individual Excellence - Set standards and champions personal development across the team (Level 4)

Communicates expectations and make sure people’s objectives are in line with priorities

Treats members of the team as individuals, valuing diversity and adapting my style to the needs of others

Builds a highly successful and motivated team who consistently achieve the Trust’s objectives

Understands and communicate the organisation’s priorities in a way which motivates staff

Creates a supportive environment where people feel safe to take responsibility

Sets clear standards for performance management and strategies for tackling poor performance

Actively champions continuous professional development, inspiring my team to develop and stretch themselves


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Corporate Responsibilities

The key areas that the Trust expects everyone to consider in all aspects of their role

Vision Works towards our vision of providing “Better Homes, Friendlier Communities …. Together”.

Values

Demonstrates our values every day, working together to:

Take ownership for our actions to provide an excellent service;

Act professionally and with integrity to deliver our promises;

Offer progressive and innovative ways of doing things.

Business Plan Helps to achieve the Trust’s Corporate Objectives and successfully deliver the Business Plan.

Equality and Diversity Abides by the Trust’s Equality and Diversity policies and procedures at all times, ensuring that colleagues, customers and other contacts are treated with respect and fairness.

Health and Safety Abides by the Trust’s Health and Safety policies and procedures at all times, ensuring they do nothing to compromise their own personal safety and that of others at work.

Code of Conduct Abides by the Trust’s Code of Conduct at all times.

Value for Money Considers issues of Value for Money in all aspects of their work, striving at all times to realise and demonstrate Value for Money.

Gateway Ethos Promotes and champions the Community Gateway ethos, ensuring that the principles of the Trust as a Community Gateway are embedded in their work and that of their team.


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Structure Charts


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Principal Terms and Conditions (For information purposes only)

1. Position

Head of Customer Insight

2. Remuneration £55,550 per annum

3. Holiday Entitlement

Starting from 28 days leave per year, plus bank holidays

4. Working Hours

37 per week plus occasional evening meetings

5. Pension Scheme

A contributory defined contribution stakeholder pension scheme. Minimum contribution rate is 2% of salary from the employee (and the Trust would then pay in 7%), but this can rise to 6% employee/11% employer

6. Relocation

The maximum payments under this scheme is £8,000 (relocation policy on request)


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Employee Benefits.... at a glance

The following benefits are available to staff at the Trust. For further information, please contact HR or look under the “Human Resources” tab on the intranet.

Health and Wellbeing Income, Savings and Protection

A free, confidential and independent Employee Assistance Programme

Access to a qualified Occupational Health Practitioner

Access to HSF Healthcare, a voluntary contributory health plan scheme

Subsidised eye tests and contributions towards the cost of glasses

Subsidised pilates and onsite massages, including Seated Acupressure, reflexology and Indian head massages

An annual programme of flu jabs

Modern, open-plan office spaces, with free refreshments, and fruit on Wednesdays

Reduced leisure centre membership fees

Competitive levels of basic pay

Discretionary performance-related pay, worth up to 10% of salary each year

Access to a defined contribution pension scheme, with a flexible range of individual contribution levels supported by generous employer contributions.

Access to the Watford Credit Union, which can help you save for the future

Life assurance worth 3 times salary

Reduced home contents insurance

Fantastic programme of learning and development, with support for professional qualifications and subscriptions

Lifestyle

Generous annual leave entitlement starting from 28 days leave per year, plus bank holidays.

A range of flexible working options

Childcare vouchers, which can reduce your tax and NI contributions when paying for childcare

Access to season ticket loans, the Cycle to Work scheme and reduced RAC membership, to help you get to work.

Car user allowances (where eligible) and a pool bike scheme to help you whilst working.

An active and well-supported staff social committee, including an annual all-staff party

Quiet room facility at head office

A large range of commercial discounts, including 25% off at Modellos in Watford, and 10% off hotels, villas and cottages in the UK, France, Italy and Portugal with Hotelstayuk.

Corporate clothing/uniforms (where applicable).


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Key Recruitment dates

Closing date for completed applications Friday 19th April 2013 at 12 noon

First interviews Wednesday 1st May 2013 (from 10am)

Online technical and psychometric testing Between Friday 3rd and Wednesday 8th May 2013

Assessment centre and second interviews Thursday 9th May 2013


March 2013 of 19

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