At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to understand and influence customer needs for better housing solutions.
- Company: Join one of the UK's largest housing groups dedicated to affordable living.
- Benefits: Flexible working, professional development, and wellbeing programmes for you and your loved ones.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with opportunities for growth and a focus on social impact.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on communities and help shape the future of housing.
- Qualifications: Experience in customer research, policy governance, and strong communication skills.
We’re building thriving communities as one of the UK’s largest housing groups and a leading developer of affordable housing.
We believe everyone is entitled to a good home they can afford, in a place they are proud to live.
More than 100,000 people live in our homes.
If you want to experience work that’s truly rewarding, join us.
Because when we achieve together, customers and communities thrive.
Work for Orbit.
Believe in people.
The role As our Customer Involvement & Influence Manager, you’ll lead our customer influence team who will develop a deep understanding of our customers’ and their expectations in the future.
By designing and delivering an innovative programme of engagement and long-term modelling, you will enable us to proactively respond to future opportunities or challenges, embedding a customer first mindset that influences our future strategy and decision making.
This is an agile working role and will be based out of our Coventry office 2-4 times per month and then subject to business need.
This role is part of our Customer directorate where you'll help us to lead the way in keeping our promise to more than 100,000 customers.
- What you'll achieve
- Lead, develop and inspire high performing Customer Influence team that care deeply about people and progress.
- Contribute to the delivery of a research roadmap exploring emerging needs and future behaviours to predict what’s next for our customers.
- Champion and use inclusive, accessible channels that give all customers the power to influence services and decisions.
- Support delivery against government and consumer standards to ensure we achieve a C1 rating.
- Collaborate closely with teams across the organisation to ensure the customer voice is present across our transformation journey. What you'll bring Essential skills
- Strong experience in policy and governance, with extensive experience presenting reports to leadership, committees and boards.
- Ability to travel to meet the requirements of the role.
- Experience in customer research, insight and/or customer engagement.
- Strong grounding in qualitative/quantitative research methods and strategic foresight. Such as UX testing, and horizon scanning tools.
- Ability to influence and turn insight into positive change.
- Experience in service design, customer co-production, and inclusive customer engagement or customer participation leadership.
- Understanding of housing sector legislation and regulatory standards. Desirable skills
- Previous experience in developing or maintaining customer research programmes and segmentation, using this to drive personalisation in service design.
- Skilled in digital-first engagement tools and inclusive consultation tools.
- Understanding of co-production, customer involvement, community development, and social impact.
Why Orbit?
Choosing us means being rewarded in every sense.
Here’s what you can expect to enjoy with us.
A rewarding experience that works for you We strive to create an inclusive experience with benefits and wellbeing programmes designed to help you, and your loved ones, to thrive.
For a better work life balance, we offer flexible working opportunities for many roles.
A place to progress From training programmes to professional qualifications, we provide opportunities to learn and develop at every stage of your career.
Whether you’re a student, graduate or experienced professional we’ll support you to grow.
For leaders, our tailored development journeys are designed to stretch and strengthen your leadership skills.
As well as practical training, we give you access to renowned business schools and experiential programmes for greater breadth and depth of learning.
A purpose to feel proud of We’re proud to make a difference to people together.
We’re values-driven with a commercial focus on performance - because the more profit we make, the more we can achieve for people.
What brings us together is a passionate belief in progress and people.
Read more about the values and purpose that drive us on our careers website.
How we hire We aim to make our hiring process simple and fair
- 1. Online application
- 2. Interview(s)
Decision and offer We put the safeguarding of our customers, colleagues and contractors at the heart of everything we do and as such, certain roles will be subject to a DBS check
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Customer Involvement & Influence Manager
✨Get Involved Locally
Dive into local volunteer opportunities or social initiatives. This not only beefs up your CV but also connects you with like-minded folks in nonprofits. Plus, it shows your passion for social impact, which is key for getting noticed by Orbit Group.
✨Tap into Professional Networks
Join networks like the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) or local charities to meet professionals in the sector. Attend events and workshops to build relationships and learn about potential openings at organisations like Orbit Group.
✨Showcase Your Commitment
When prepping for interviews, be ready to speak about your personal connection to social issues. Dive into specific examples of how you’ve contributed to community projects – this will resonate with the mission-driven vibe at Orbit Group.
✨Utilise Online Platforms
We’re all about making connections, so use platforms like Idealist and CharityJob to hunt for full-time roles. And of course, you should keep an eye on our website for exciting opportunities at Orbit Group. Apply directly through us to stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Customer Involvement & Influence Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for the Cause:In the nonprofit sector, it's super important to demonstrate genuine passion for the mission of Orbit Group. Use your cover letter to showcase any personal experiences or volunteer work that connects you to their social impact initiatives. This emotional connection can really help your application stand out.
Highlight Relevant Experience:When crafting your CV, be sure to include any relevant projects or roles that showcase your skills in social impact. Whether it's community organising, fundraising, or advocacy, highlight what you've done and the difference it's made. Don’t just list tasks; quantify your achievements and the outcomes of your efforts.
Tailor Your Documents to the Role:For a full-time role like Customer Involvement & Influence Manager, ensure your CV and cover letter specifically address the responsibilities outlined in the job description. Use their language to describe your skills and experience, making it easy for the hiring team to see how you fit into their vision.
Emphasise Teamwork and Collaboration:Nonprofits thrive on teamwork, so make sure to emphasise your collaborative experiences. Whether you've worked in a team setting, partnered with community organisations, or facilitated group projects, highlight these experiences in your application. Show them you understand the importance of working alongside diverse individuals to achieve shared goals.
How to prepare for a job interview at Orbit Group
✨Show Your Passion for Social Change
When we’re prepping for interviews in the nonprofit space, it's vital to demonstrate our genuine passion for social impact. Be ready to discuss not just your skills and experiences but also why you care about the mission of Orbit Group. Sharing personal stories or insights can really make us stand out.
✨Highlight Project Experience
We should focus on specific projects we've worked on that align with the goals of social impact. Whether that’s a community initiative, volunteering, or a class project, having solid examples that showcase our role and the outcomes will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Familiarity with Relevant Tools and Practices
Let’s brush up on tools and methodologies commonly used in the nonprofit sector, like project management software or outcome measurement frameworks. Being able to speak fluently about these will show that we’re not just passionate but also knowledgeable and ready to hit the ground running.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that evaluate our problem-solving skills in real-world social issues. Think about how we’d handle challenges in the nonprofit environment and prepare stories that demonstrate our critical thinking and adaptability. Role-playing with a friend could help us feel more confident!
