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- Tasks: Lead the Board in shaping strategic vision and governance for Great Places.
- Company: Great Places Housing Group provides over 25,000 homes, focusing on quality housing and community improvement.
- Benefits: Earn £25,000 per year plus travel expenses; engage in meaningful community impact.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team driving ambitious plans for affordable housing and community enhancement.
- Qualifications: Leadership experience in social housing, strong governance knowledge, and excellent stakeholder management skills required.
- Other info: Board meets eight times a year; includes in-person and online meetings.
The predicted salary is between 25000 - 25000 £ per year.
Great Places Housing Group is a leading provider of housing, owning and managing over 25,000 homes across the North West and South Yorkshire. With a strong commitment to creating great homes and communities, Great Places ensures that its customers receive high-quality housing and services that improve lives. The organisation strongly believes that everyone should have a safe, good quality home to provide a sound foundation that enables them to fulfil their potential in life.
Great Places are also one of the leading developing housing associations in the North. As a strategic partner of Homes England, Great Places will see 4,500 completions during the life of the Affordable Homes programme. Their aim is to maximise investment in affordable, high quality and sustainable homes, ensuring they meet the needs of their customers and enhance their local communities.
This pivotal role will provide strategic leadership and governance, ensuring that Great Places continues to deliver on its vision, values, and objectives. It is an exciting time to join Great Places as the organisation has recently launched its new Corporate Plan and the successful Chair will have the opportunity to influence and drive ambitious plans over the next few years.
Core responsibilities include:
- Lead the Board in setting and upholding Great Places’ strategic vision and values.
- Chair Board meetings, setting clear agendas and enabling open, strategic discussions.
- Ensure the board is run with a strong customer focus in love with the corporate plan, and that all board members' minority views are addressed appropriately.
- Work collaboratively with Committee and Subsidiary Chairs to ensure a coordinated approach to governance and decision-making.
- Support and challenge the Executive team in delivering strategic priorities, ensuring accountability and performance excellence.
- Ensure that the Board receives accurate, timely, and clear information to support informed decision-making.
- Establish and oversee a framework for Board development as part of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee, including skills assessment, succession planning, and continuous improvement.
- Oversee the performance appraisal and remuneration process for the Chief Executive, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
- Ensure that equality, diversity, and inclusion principles are embedded across all areas of governance and decision-making.
- Act as an ambassador for Great Places, representing the organisation externally and fostering relationships with key stakeholders.
- Promote transparency and open communication between the Board, Executive, and key external partners to support collaboration and innovation.
- Lead the development and implementation of the organisation’s corporate plan, ensuring alignment with long-term business objectives.
- Ensure appropriate delegation of authority to committees, subsidiaries and the Chief Executive monitoring the effectiveness of internal controls and governance structures.
Great Places is looking to appoint a Chair with the following attributes:
- Demonstrable leadership experience at executive or board level - ideally in the social housing sector.
- A strong understanding of corporate governance and regulatory frameworks.
- A commitment to social purpose and the values of Great Places.
- Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
- The ability to foster an inclusive and collaborative Board culture, ensuring diverse perspectives are heard and valued.
- Strong analytical skills with experience evaluating the risks, opportunities, and organisational performance of a housing association such as Great Places.
- A track record of working effectively with executive teams, providing support and challenge in equal measure.
- Ambassadorial qualities, with the confidence to represent Great Places externally and build meaningful partnerships.
Time Commitment:
Board meets eight times per year in-person at the Didsbury HQ. The Chair also sits on the Remuneration and Appraisal Committee, who meet four times a year with a mixture of in-person meetings (Didsbury) and online meetings. In addition to Board meetings there is a full-day away day in March, a two day residential meeting in November and occasional stock visits. Where required, additional meetings may be held to support the organisation with its business (e.g. task and finish groups), and the Chair may be required to attend community events as needed. Board meetings take place on Thursday afternoons, usually commencing with topic sessions from 3pm-4:30pm, followed by a buffet and then the formal Board meeting. There are also Away Days held at different points throughout the year.
The dates of the meetings in 2025 which new Board Members will be expected to attend are:
- Thursday 18th September 2025
- Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th October 2025 (two day residential away day)
- Thursday 13th November 2025
- Thursday 18th December 2025
Remuneration: £25,000 per annum, inclusive of travel expenses. Additional reasonable expenses are reimbursed.
Chair of the Board employer: Great Places Housing Group
Contact Detail:
Great Places Housing Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Chair of the Board
✨Tip Number 1
Network with current and former board members of Great Places or similar organisations. Engaging in conversations with them can provide valuable insights into the culture and expectations of the role, which can help you tailor your approach.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with Great Places' Corporate Plan and recent initiatives. Understanding their strategic goals will allow you to demonstrate how your leadership experience aligns with their vision during discussions.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience in fostering inclusive board cultures. Highlight specific examples where you've successfully integrated diverse perspectives, as this is a key attribute they are looking for in a Chair.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your stakeholder management skills by preparing case studies of past collaborations. Be ready to explain how you built relationships and navigated challenges, as this will resonate well with the responsibilities of the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Chair of the Board
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure to thoroughly understand the responsibilities and expectations of the Chair of the Board position at Great Places. Tailor your application to reflect how your experience aligns with their strategic vision and values.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasise your leadership experience at an executive or board level, particularly in the social housing sector. Provide specific examples of how you've successfully managed governance and stakeholder relationships.
Showcase Your Commitment to Social Purpose: Great Places values a commitment to social purpose. In your application, articulate your understanding of their mission and how your personal values align with their goals. This will demonstrate your genuine interest in the role.
Prepare Thoughtful Questions: When submitting your application, consider including thoughtful questions about the organisation's future plans or challenges they face. This shows your proactive approach and genuine interest in contributing to their success.
How to prepare for a job interview at Great Places Housing Group
✨Understand the Organisation's Vision
Before your interview, make sure you thoroughly understand Great Places' vision and values. Familiarise yourself with their Corporate Plan and be prepared to discuss how your leadership style aligns with their goals for creating sustainable communities.
✨Showcase Your Governance Experience
Highlight your experience in corporate governance and your understanding of regulatory frameworks. Be ready to provide examples of how you've successfully led boards or committees, particularly in the social housing sector, and how you ensured accountability and performance excellence.
✨Demonstrate Stakeholder Management Skills
Prepare to discuss your approach to stakeholder management. Share specific instances where you've built relationships with key stakeholders and how you've fostered collaboration and open communication within a board setting.
✨Emphasise Inclusivity and Diversity
Great Places values inclusivity and diverse perspectives. Be prepared to talk about how you've promoted an inclusive culture in previous roles and how you plan to ensure that all board members feel valued and heard during discussions.
