Assistant Director of Customer and Community …...Customer engagement Customer advice teams – Foundations for Life, Money Matters Community investment strategy Community initiatives

Assistant Director of Customer and Community

Engagement

Candidate packJune 2020

Providing a strong foundation for life

1 Your application2 Welcome to Customer Services at Karbon Homes3 About us and Our values3 Role Profile4 Person Specification5 The Karbon team6 Principle terms and conditions7 Key dates and selection process

Contents

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Your application

Thank you for taking the time to consider this senior position with Karbon Homes. This application pack provides the information you’ll need before applying, highlights some of the key benefits of working for Karbon Homes and clarifies the recruitment and selection process.

How to apply:To apply for the role please submit the following to [email protected]● An up-to-date CV, ideally no longer than three pages.● A supporting statement to explain why you are interested in this role, why you are a suitable candidate, and how you fulfil the person specification, again ideally no more than three pages.● A completed Equal Opportunities form (downloadable from this site.) These details are not used in the recruitment process, but as a committed equality, diversity and inclusion employer, Karbon Homes would like to monitor this data.

Please let us know if you are unable to make any interview dates outlined later in this document.

For further information please contact Jim Allcroft on 07388 642 631 or [email protected]://www.dixonwalter.co.uk/housing-infrastructure-property/opportunities/assistant-director-of-customer-and-community-engagement/

Following receipt of your application, you will receive an acknowledgement from Dixon Walter. Within this response, you will be required to provide consent under the new general data protection regulations. If you do not provide this consent we will unfortunately be unable to process your application further.

Closing date: Monday 22 June 2020First stage selection date: Monday 29 June 2020Final stage selection date: w/c 20 July 2020

Diversity is valued at both Dixon Walter and Karbon Homes and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.

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Hello and welcome to Customer Services at Karbon Homes!

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To meet the challenge of the housing crisis as it presents itself to our customers and communities, we need to understand what our customers want from us and build more homes of the right kind, in the right place. Through increased understanding of our customers and communities, we can focus our efforts on their needs and aspirations, deliver excellent service and strengthen the communities where our customers live. By focusing on our three strategic aims, combining a sound business head with a strong social heart and staying true to our values, we will build strong foundations for more people.

Through providing this strong foundation for life, we play an active role in shaping the communities and places in which our homes are located, especially for those living in the most deprived communities where many of our homes are situated. We can be the ‘anchor’ to work with partners both voluntary and statutory to ensure that in places where Karbon has a significant number of homes, we can work together to tackle the multiple dimensions of deprivation offering aspiration and hope to our customers. The Assistant Director of Customer and Community Engagement will lead all our community teams, and community projects, together with the teams who provide critical welfare and benefits advice and who deliver important employability skills and support. They will also lead all our resident involvement work ensuring that the resident voice is placed front and centre in Karbon. These services are a fundamental part of the Karbon offering and post Covid 19, we know these services will be in greater demand than ever in our communities.

As a member of the Karbon Senior Management Team you have a key role to play to ensure that the services that our communities need are targeted to the right communities, at the right time, to build strong networks with voluntary and statutory agencies, and our local authority partners and to look creatively at how we can expand our resident involvement offering to a wider group of residents.

I am looking for someone with a core passion for delivering excellent strategic and transformational community and customer interventions. This is a high profile and influential leadership role so you will need strong people and communication skills and be used to driving change. I am looking for someone who really wants to make a difference, with the energy and drive to deliver on this, and who is fundamentally in tune with our purpose, ambitions and values.

I am pleased that you are considering this opportunity to come and join us on this journey. So, I invite you to do your own due diligence, ask others what they think of us and speak to our retained consultants, Dixon Walter. I am confident you will hear good things.

Warmest regards

Jo Ray Executive Director Customer Services

About us Our values

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At Karbon we build, manage and look after homes for people across the North. And then we go further, we give them the strong foundations they need to crack on with life.

Since our formation in 2017, we’ve been focused on delivering on our three strategic aims - to provide as many good quality homes as we can; to deliver excellent service to our customers; and to shape strong, sustainable places for our communities.

Our footprint covers the North East of England and Yorkshire, south from the Scottish border to almost as far as the Humber, where diverse communities face differing opportunities and challenges.

Some customers just need an affordable home, or a way onto the property ladder. Others might need a bit more – financial advice, community services, sheltered accommodation or even training that can lead to a new job. Whatever people need to feel more secure, confident and happy with where they’re at, we work our heart out to provide it.

We always make the effort to understand our customers. We believe that everyone deserves respect. Everyone’s voices should be heard. And everyone deserves someone in their corner now and then. We believe that by focusing on our three strategic aims, combining a sound business head with a strong social heart and staying true to our values, we will build strong foundations for even more people.

Inspiring We believe in people, and create the conditions for them to succeed and unlock their own potential

Dynamic We continually learn and innovate so we are able to respond to change and be the best we can be

Bold We go forward with confidence and are passionate, proactive and influential in building a better future

Reliable We use our knowledge and experience to be effective and efficient, and make sound well-informed business decisions with integrity

Thoughtful We work hard to understand the needs and aspirations of others and are mindful of our impact on people, communities and the environment

Role profile and person specificationAssistant Director of Customer and Community Engagement

Reports to: Executive Director Customer Services

Responsible for: ● Resident involvement and scrutiny● Customer engagement● Customer advice teams – Foundations for Life, Money Matters● Community investment strategy ● Community initiatives

Role purpose To be accountable for the effective delivery, development and management of the highest possible standard of customer and community engagement services across Karbon.

Provide leadership and direction for the Customer and Community Engagement Team, responsible for delivering the Karbon’s customer and community services to ensure innovative, customer focused, cost effective services are designed, delivered, monitored and continually improved.

Act as a positive member of the Karbon Leadership and Management Teams, encouraging collaboration and enthusiasm for the effective management of Karbon, inspiring a culture that delivers results and service excellence, promoting the Karbon values and brand.

Define and develop key relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

Leadership:As a member of the Leadership Team, contribute to the future direction and success of Karbon through the delivery of customer and community engagement services.

Provide effective leadership, management, motivation and support to colleagues in the Karbon Customer and Community Engagement Team.

Develop and maintain key external relationships with all relevant bodies, networking effectively within the housing management arena nationally and regionally, in support of Karbon’s housing strategy.

Act as a role model for the Karbon’s values and culture, demonstrating and embedding a coaching style of leadership, ensuring that all employees are supported and engaged in the delivery of our Group’s objectives.

Lead and embed structural and cultural business change and service improvement, through collaboration and development of corporate strategies and plans.

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Delivery:Lead the development and implementation of an innovative Resident Involvement Scrutiny and Resident Engagement Strategy across Karbon Homes to respond to regulatory guidance, build strong relationships with the Karbon Board, support a customer centric culture, and integrate the voice of the customer into key business decisions.

Lead the design, development and delivery of a single strategy for community investment activity across Karbon Homes to support the Karbon strategic objective on ‘Place’.

Lead the teams delivering all initiatives to promote sustainable communities and tenancies i.e. Benefit/Welfare advice, Financial inclusion, Employability, Digital skills, Volunteering etc, across Karbon in order to provide 360 degree support to customers or communities in need.

Lead the design, development and delivery of a framework to monitor and measure the operational and social impact of all Community involvement activity to ensure Karbon has visibility of the social impact value for money and return on investment of the investments made.

Working in partnership with the Growth and Business Development team, design, develop and deliver a strategy to identify and ‘win’ new sources of funding for community projects.

In collaboration with Housing and Income Management colleagues, support the strategic approach to all Welfare Reform changes and identify key initiatives thereby responding appropriately to changes in government policy that will impact both Karbon and Karbon customers.

Lead on the operational planning and delivery of an effective Money Matters service for current and future customers to ensure that customer income is maximised, income to the company is secured, and customers are able to sustain Karbon tenancies.

Drive a ‘performance improvement’ and innovation-led culture within teams to deliver performance in line with the top decile of external benchmarks.

Support the Assistant Director of Customer Services and Operations, and the Executive Director for Customer Services in the development and execution of the Karbon Customer Experience and Customer Service Strategy. Deliver all activities in line with the Karbon Customer Experience.

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Organisation wide:Deliver financially viable and economically effective products and services, seeking to maximise resources and social value.

Ensure all systems and processes deliver operational excellence, driving continuous improvement and innovation.

Ensure that services within the division fully comply with all organisational policy and procedures.

Ensure that the risks within the directorate’s activities are identified, removed or minimised.

Create a safe and healthy working environment, ensuring all systems of work, policies and procedures are fully and consistently applied.

Responsible with the leadership team for the effective management and utilisation of the Karbon’s assets.

Promoting the values of the Karbon at all times and demonstrating a high level of commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Ensure that Karbon complies with all legal, regulatory and health and safety requirements.

The Assistant Director – Customer and Communities is part of the Karbon Leadership and Management Teams who will be responsible for a wide range of activities as would be expected of an organisation of this size. As with all senior management positions, there are also specific responsibilities and delegated powers in relation to financial and operational matters, regulatory compliance and information security. These are not all listed here and will change over time as the organisation continues to grow and develop.

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Person Specification

Experience and qualifications:a. A strong record of demonstrable achievement, at senior level in an organisation of comparable size and complexity to Karbon Homes, in the strategic management and delivery of customer and community engagement services.b. Experience of leading and managing significant technical and organisational change.c. Experience of working in partnership with internal and external stakeholders to deliver excellence.d. Experience of collaborating and working as part of an effective senior management team.e. Experience of attending and presenting papers to Boards and committees.f. Track record of developing and sustaining effective partnerships.g. Relevant degree or relevant professional qualification, or equivalent work experience, and evidence of continuing professional development.h. Recognised professional qualification in the field of housing, customer and community services.

Knowledge:i. Comprehensive knowledge of current and future challenges facing customer and community engagement services.j. Comprehensive working knowledge of strategic housing, customer and community engagement services.k. Understanding of housing and customer engagement services governance practices and issues.

Skills:l. Leadership skills and the ability to coach, motivate and engage others.m. Ability to manage significant budgets within tight controls.n. High level of skills in strategic and analytical thinking.o. Ability to interpret and analyse financial information and complex data.p. Ability to critically evaluate opportunities to maximise the use of new technologies.q. Ability to identify and manage risks and make sound judgements, whilst not being risk averse.r. Ability to lead / manage a multi-disciplinary team of customer and community engagement staff.s. High level of written, presentation and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to tailor to a variety of audiences.

Attributes:t. Transparent and open, acting with integrity and able to build high levels of trust.u. Committed to diversity and inclusion.v. Champions innovation and encourages ideas.w. Resilient and able to work under pressure.x. Collaborative and inclusive.y. Contribute to the development of, and actively role model and champion the Karbon vision, values and purpose.

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Our Customer Services Team

Jo RayExecutive Director Customer Services

Wendy GrahamAssistant Director - Customer Services

and Operations

DirectorPre-tenancy and Property Services

Jonathan FletcherAssistant Director -

Operations

Kelly TaylorAssistant Director -

Housing

VacantAssistant Director -

Customer and Community Engagement

Customer and Community Engagement Team

The Executive Team

Assistant Director of Customer and Community EngagementVacant

Foundations for Life Manager

Suzanne Jobson

Community Connectors.

Volunteering Support Officer.

Apprentice.

Money Matters Manager

Lee Forrest

Engagement Coordinator

Customer Engagement

Specialist Lewis Rimington

Project Support Officer.

Foundations Tutor.

Employment Advisors.

Digital Coach.Wellbeing

Coach.

Money Matters

Caseworkers.Money Matters

Advisors.

Community Investment

Manager Paul Moralee

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Terms and conditions

Principle terms and conditionsSalary: £67,626 pa, plus a car allowance of £5,568 pa.

Pension scheme: Social Housing CARE (career average 1/60th).

Annual leave: 26 days pa (rising to 31 after three years’ service) plus bank holidays and birthday leave.

Additional terms:Hours: 37-hour week from Monday to Friday. As this is a leadership role, flexibility in fulfilling role requirements is key. This will include evenings and occasionally weekends.

Location: The office base for this role is Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, however there is flexibility on location and home working for some of the week.

Travel: Regular travelling across the geographical footprint is expected, as is some travel nationally to fulfil the requirements of the role.

£500 flexible pot (following successful probationary period) to spend on flexible benefits such as private medical insurance, buying annual leave, IT equipment or charity giving.

Probation and notice periods:Confirmation of employment is subject to satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.

Notice period following probation is six months.

Selection processThe closing date for this role is 22 June 2020.

We will be talking to candidates by w/c 29 June 2020 to advise on the outcome of your application.

First interviewLonglisted candidates will be invited to an interview with representatives from Karbon Homes and Dixon Walter. This will take place on 29 June 2020.

We will be contacting longlisted candidates with the outcome of the first interview by 3 July 2020.

Final assessmentShortlisted candidates will be invited to an assessment day w/c 20 July 2020. This will consist of:

• An informal panel of peers and direct reports from Karbon Homes• A formal interview and presentation with a Karbon Homes panel

Proof of Right to Work documentation will be required during the assessment process.

If you are unable to attend on any of the identified dates, please contact Jim Allcroft at Dixon Walter on 07388 642 631

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Media Advert

Karbon Homes, Assistant Director of Customer and Community Engagement

Providing a strong foundation for life

£67,626 pa, plus a car allowance of £5,568 pa - Newcastle, Durham offices and flexible

At Karbon we build, manage and look after homes for people across the North. And then we go further, we want to build better lives for our customers, not just better homes. Everything we do is for their security, health and happiness under their own roofs, in their communities and out there in the wider world.

Despite being a large and diverse organisation, we have a local approach. Karbon provides homes and services which form the foundations to support people and places to fulfil their potential. Our turnover is £127m on a fixed asset base of £868m and as a social enterprise we re-invest our surplus into improving properties and communities, building new homes and delivering services which provide sustainable outcomes for customers and communities. We employ approximately 800 people, looking after 60,000 customers in 30,000 homes.

The Assistant Director of Customer and Community Engagement is an important role for Karbon and this is a rare opportunity to join us at a key stage in our evolution. We are seeking an experienced individual who will provide leadership and direction and be responsible for delivering Karbon’s customer and community services to ensure innovative, cost effective services are designed, delivered, monitored and continually improved. Leading a team of 40, the role covers resident involvement and scrutiny, customer engagement, our customer advice teams – Foundations for Life and Money Matters, delivering our community investment strategy and our many and varied community initiatives.

You will have a strong record of demonstrable achievement at senior level in an organisation of comparable size and complexity; in the strategic management and delivery of customer and community engagement services. Experience of leading and managing significant technical and organisational change and of working in partnership with internal and external stakeholders to deliver excellence is also important.

Whatever your background, you will need to be comfortable working within an organisation which seeks to balance a strong business head with a warm social heart. You will be enthusiastic about the prospect of using your commercial or strategic skills to help deliver the best outcomes for our customers and to give confidence to and influence a wide range of people across and beyond the organisation.

Karbon is a collegiate, challenging and progressive environment where leadership and teamwork combine to deliver exceptional results. If you are interested in finding out more please call for a confidential discussion

How to apply: For further information and details of how to apply please visit: http://www.dixonwalter.co.uk/housing-infrastructure-property/opportunities/director-of-development-and-regeneration/ Closing date: Monday 22 June Final stage selection date: WC 20 July (TBC)

Covid19: With the continually developing situation we will endeavour to interview face to face where possible.

Contact: Jim Allcroft, [email protected] 07388 642 631

Diversity is valued at both Dixon Walter and Karbon and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Assistant Director of Customer and Community …...Customer engagement Customer advice teams – Foundations for Life, Money Matters Community investment strategy Community initiatives

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