Trainee Board Member in Leeds

Develop your potential. Help shape the future. We’re excited to be launching our very first Board Trainee opportunity as part of the Housing Diversity Network’s (HDN) national programme to nurture the next generation of Board level talent. This is a unique two year development role for someone with passion, ambition and fresh ideas. You don’t need Board experience - or even housing experience. You just need to bring curiosity, commitment and the drive to make a difference.

What you’ll be doing

• As a Yorkshire Housing Board Trainee, you’ll gain hands on exposure to governance at the highest level. Over the two-year programme, you will:
• Observe our Board and Committee meetings to see first hand how strategic decisions are made.
• Work alongside senior leaders and experienced non executives to build your understanding of governance, risk, finance, regulation, and strategy.
• Take part in HDN’s national Board Trainee Programme, including workshops, structured learning, mentoring and peer networking.
• Develop your understanding of Yorkshire Housing’s strategic priorities including our customer obsessed approach, our focus on pre-emptive service delivery, and our commitment to strong, diverse, inclusive governance.
• We’ll encourage you to bring your own voice, lived experience and ideas to help make our decision-making more inclusive.

While this programme doesn’t guarantee a Board or Committee position afterwards, it’s designed to set you up for success. You’ll grow in confidence and capability, leaving with valuable experience and a strong foundation for future leadership roles in Yorkshire Housing or the wider sector.

The stuff that sets you apart:

• You don’t need to be a leader yet – we want someone who’s excited to become one. You’ll also bring:
• A passion for social purpose and improving people’s lives.
• Curiosity, an open mind, and a willingness to challenge constructively.
• Strong communication skills and the confidence to engage with complex information.
• Commitment to learning, personal development and being prepared for meetings and training.
• A commitment to social housing, whether inspired by your own lived experience or through working with communities who are underrepresented.
• Alignment with Yorkshire Housing’s values and a desire to contribute to a forward thinking, customer obsessed organisation.

You don’t need professional expertise in housing or governance, that’s what the programme is for. What matters most is your enthusiasm, commitment and motivation to grow.

The two-year Board Leadership Development Programme

Fast-track your board level skills and get hands on governance experience, mentoring, and structured development in partnership with HDN, helping to grow diverse leadership across the social housing sector. This programme supports our aim to strengthen generational diversity within our governance, addressing gaps identified in our equality, diversity and inclusion reporting and succession planning.

Why this opportunity matters

Yorkshire Housing is committed to shaping a governance structure that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. Through our partnership with HDN, we’re building a pipeline of future Board talent and encouraging people who may not have seen themselves in these roles before to step forward. We’re especially keen to hear from applicants bringing new perspectives, including those earlier in their careers or from backgrounds not typically represented at Board level.

• A structured two year development programme.
• A dedicated mentor and access to expert facilitators from HDN.
• Opportunities to attend Yorkshire Housing Board and Committee meetings.
• A comprehensive induction and ongoing support from our Governance team.
• Access to workshops about Boards, regulation and the housing sector, including in person finance sessions and HDN networking opportunities.
• Valuable experience that will support your future applications for Board or Committee roles in the sector.

Remuneration: You will receive an annual allowance of £2,000, plus reasonable expenses.

Time commitment: Approximately 2 days per month, including workshops, mentoring, Board observation, and preparation time.

At Yorkshire Housing, we’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive governance structure to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those underrepresented at Board level: people from ethnically diverse communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+, and people with lived experience of social housing.

If you need additional support with your application, just let our recruitment team know via email at recruitment@yorkshirehousing.co.uk.

Join our online open session on 23 April 2026, from 4pm – 5pm, via Microsoft Teams, where you can find out more about Yorkshire Housing, what the Board Trainee role involves and how the Housing Diversity Network programme supports your development.

Closing Date: Please submit your application by midnight on 1st May 2026.

Interviews will take place on 21st May 2026 at our workspace in Leeds.