Head of Housing and Property Services
Candidate Information Pack
November 2014
1. An Introduction to North Kesteven
North Kesteven is located in the central belt of England, just to the south of Lincoln and forms one of the seven districts of Lincolnshire. Its administrative headquarters are located in the pleasant town of Sleaford and the District covers some 356 square miles of predominantly arable land made up of small rural settlements and market towns. The 2011 census showed that North Kesteven (NK) was the fourth fastest growing district in England and Wales, and is set to grow by a further 16% in the next 10 years.
Delivering growth - jobs, homes and infrastructure – to support that increase will be critical over the next few years. As well as the predicted growth levels, the age profile of the population will change significantly with a projected 70% increase in the 65+ population by 2031. There is only one other district in England where there is a projected faster rate of increase.
The Council’s key priorities can be viewed by clicking here (or by copying and pasting this link into your browser: http://www.nkesteven.gov.uk//Download/50248)
The council has earned a reputation in recent years for ambitious growth and investment and has seen particular development in the field of creative and environmentally focused businesses which has benefitted both the Council and the area, both financially and in terms of much needed employment. The Council is widely recognised as a high performing, value for money organisation, and in particular for the quality of services it delivers. Despite this progress, the Council still faces many challenges over the next few years.
The District has lower house prices than the national average which helps to attract people into NK, but has the effect of pricing many local people out of the housing market. The challenge is to ensure the provision of low cost affordable homes suitable for all sections of the community and providing a range of tenures. The draft core plan for Central Lincolnshire includes policies for affordable housing, based on an aspiration for 40% affordable housing. The rising cost of fuel for homes and cars is driving fuel poverty in NK, whilst the UK commitments to reducing carbon footprint, moving towards a low carbon economy and developing renewable energy is a key area of focus for the district. Minimising waste and maximising recycling remain significant priorities, and maintaining a clean, green and safe environment is a key issue. The particular challenge will be to promote low cost solutions, which combine low carbon approaches with a reduction in cost for residents and businesses.
The Council continually challenges itself to improve services and to deliver value for money, through business transformation programmes, efficiency programmes and service reviews. In the last two years, it has achieved £2million in efficiency savings. The Audit Commission commented that the ‘Council performs well with the resources it has available’.
The Council is also recognised for innovation in delivering challenging priorities for the district. NK was the first council in the country to achieve 50% recycling, and the first to build energy efficient straw-built council houses.
NK Corporate Plan 2013-17 requires that services are commissioned to achieve quality and value for money through a combination of in-house delivery, shared services with neighbouring local authorities, and partnerships with private, voluntary and social enterprise organisations. A range of services are currently commissioned in partnership with the private sector (leisure services, recycling, housing repairs) as well as other public sector organisations (council tax, NNDR, benefits, waste, procurement and legal services).
Finally, the Council’s philosophy is of a partner and a community leader, working to ensure that North Kesteven continues to be a great place to live, work and visit.
2. Overview of the role
This is one of the key posts on the Council’s Senior Management Team, which will be at the heart of our investment plans for the District over the next few years. The post has been slightly adapted to bring out its core purpose following the internal promotion of the current post holder to the position of Corporate Director.
The core purpose of the role is to provide leadership on all aspects of the Council’s landlord services. The key role for the Service relates to our investment strategy with Housing and Property Services having the largest share of the Council’s capital programme at approximately £17m in the current financial year. The main focus of this is the new build programme and we have extremely ambitious plans to meet the growing levels of housing need within the District. We have a target to deliver 500 new Council properties over the next 10 years and are about to complete on our 100th property since Council house rebuilding began three years ago. These skills are already in house and we need to maintain momentum to ensure delivery against this target.
Central to the post will be the on-going improvement of the customer experience and a focus on improving our already excellent performance levels across a wide range of indicators. Our customers expect a high quality of services and you will need to be committed to meeting these requirements.
Overall, the Housing Service is in a strong position, with a robust Housing Revenue Account Business Plan, which demonstrates long-term viability for the service and offers an exciting investment programme.
You will combine these important service responsibilities with providing clear, visible and accountable leadership to the organisation as a whole. The senior team at the Council work incredibly closely together and operate very much as a corporate unit when it comes to tackling challenges. That is not to suggest in any way, shape or form a ‘cosy’ or overly familiar environment – effective challenge is both sought and expected, but overall this is a job for a team player and consequently not for a pure individualist.
You can hear more about the role from the Council’s current Head of Housing, Partnerships and Communities, Phil Roberts by clicking on this link or copy and paste this link into your browser: http://youtu.be/Pbs-3ZcGl0g
3. Context for the role
The role reports to Phil Roberts in his new role as Corporate Director – so having recorded the video clip above, we asked him the following …
Tell us about your style and what is important to you.
- Strategy led and outcomes focussed
- A collaborative and team based approach
- An expectation of personal responsibility and delivery against targets.
- Does not run with a blame culture – encourages a ‘learning’ culture
What attributes do you like to see in those who work with and for you?
- Strategic, but with an ability to deliver in detail on programmes and services
- Team players
- Strong at building internal and external relationships
- Empathy with customers
- Sensitive to the political environment
- Ability to manage performance
- Able to provide leadership across a range of disciplines
- Solution focussed
- Structured
- A sense of humour
- A capacity to be flexible
- North Kesteven District Council has very much a ‘family feel’ to it – so this person will need to fit in
- Not a ‘hunter-killer’, aggressive type; an ambition to ‘change the world’ is fine – just so long as we do it together; an unguided missile/loner will not work well here, whereas a team player will
Any other points that you want to reinforce?
- Although not at all essential, given the scale of our housing service and future investment, previous experience of working with housing services would most certainly be very useful
- A more than superficial understanding of Housing Revenue Account finance and housing capital programmes
- Innovative; really looking to push limits and push boundaries; there are no ‘holy grails’ here – we are willing to discuss and contemplate anything
- Past exposure to elected members would most certainly be helpful
- An inherent ability to adapt and flex one’s style
- To repeat – ‘solutions’ focused
Why come here to North Kesteven?
- The organisation
o We offer lots of potential to make a real difference for our communities
§ We are ambitious
§ We have the resources to invest
§ This is a great opportunity to deliver something ‘on the ground’
o We have elected members who really are ready to listen and engage
o The role offers you a chance to get your teeth into ‘investing’ in our communities
o We employ high performers and try always to be the best
- The place
o It’s a great area in which to live and work
o There is a great quality of life
o Education/schools are top notch
o House prices are low relative to many areas in England
o We are the safest (in terms of crime) district council in the country
- The rewards
o The non-financial rewards have been outlined above
o Remuneration is competitive
o We offer a good package for relocation
o Generous terms and conditions; we still have private healthcare, essential car allowance, and a good pension
- Health & Wellbeing as an employer
o We take the take the health and wellbeing of our employees very seriously
How long are you looking for this person to stay with you?
- Ideally, a minimum of 3-5 years
4. Role Description
DIRECTORATE: / Corporate DirectorDIVISION: / Housing and Property
POST TITLE: / Head of Housing and Property Services
POST GRADE: / Head of Service
RESPONSIBLE TO: / Corporate Director
RESPONSIBLE FOR: / Housing Landlord Services (Needs; Tenancy Services; Systems and Admin)
Property Services (Repairs, Maintenance and Improvement; Health and Safety; New Build Construction; General Fund Asset Management; Adaptations)
Safeguarding (Children’s and Adults)
Wellbeing Support
[Note that responsibilities will vary over time and other functions may be added to support the Council’s strategic direction]
POLITICALLY RESTRICTED POST: / Yes - This is a politically restricted post in accordance with Section 2(1)(b) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.
JOB PURPOSE: / To support the Chief Executive and Directors in taking effective responsibility for the overall leadership and management of the authority, so as to deliver the Council’s vision, objectives and corporate agenda.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Management Responsibilities:
Responsibilities:
Knowledge, Skills and Competencies: / As a member of the Senior Management Team, to lead the organisation by:1. Assisting in the development of the short, medium and long term forward programmes of the
2. Council, which achieves the Council’s vision, objectives and priorities to meet the expectations of Members, customers, citizens and stakeholders.
3. Providing leadership and support to the organisation, fostering mutually supportive working across the Council, providing a clear sense of direction and collaborative purpose, achieving genuine corporate delivery.
4. Delivering the corporate commitments of the Council, as allocated from time to time, actively working across organisational boundaries, engaging local communities, partner organisations and stakeholders.
5. Providing leadership and support to the Council’s governance mechanisms, as allocated from time to time, ensuring appropriate standards of performance, operational effectiveness, probity, open government and availability of relevant and timely advice and guidance to members.
6. Promoting and ensuring the delivery of effective performance management throughout the Council, in conjunction with other members of the senior management team, providing timely and direct intervention to sustain high standards of corporate performance, and continuous improvement.
7. Providing leadership to promote and achieve customer and citizen focused services, empowering customers/citizens through service delivery and contact.
8. Contributing proactively to the Council’s strategic development and corporate management.
As a manager with responsibilities for specific activities and services, to deliver the corporate agenda to meet the changing needs and demands in line with the Council’s vision, objectives and Corporate priorities:
8. Setting the direction and the programmes for a portfolio of activities, ensuring that business plans, strategies and work programmes are provided, and to be responsible for effectively managing the risks for the portfolio.
9. Delivering and reporting on the performance of the portfolio of services to the Director, Chief Executive and/or Corporate Management Team and elected Members, including any specific personal or team performance targets, which may be set from time to time.
10. Promoting strong, direct and effective communications and consultations internally and externally, which provide accessible and responsive feedback mechanisms.
11. Through personal example, open commitment and clear action, providing employees with positive leadership, guidance, direction and motivation that harnesses the strengths and talents of individuals and promotes their performance and development in a confident learning environment, to benefit the corporate agenda, and to standards set by being an Investor in People.
12. Be an effective ambassador of the Council, promoting the Council’s vision and values, building a positive corporate reputation and developing active partnerships with relevant stakeholders, to influence their policies, programmes and delivery and improve the quality of life for all its citizens.
13. Promoting effective resource management that delivers the Council’s agenda within approved budgets, and provides for future activities through the pursuit of innovative and flexible working methods, effective and imaginative use of technology and the enterprising pursuit of external resources, inward investment and collaborative working with all sectors, to optimise the opportunities to achieve the corporate agenda.
14. Ensuring equality of opportunity and adhering to all equality legislation and ensuring that service requirements take into account, and reflect diversity.
15. Ensuring compliance and continual improvement for Health and Safety, Risk and Business Continuity within the Division.
These will be the specific responsibilities as allocated from time to time, although they are subject to change as required by the need to deliver the corporate agenda.
You will be the named Senior Manager who champions Safeguarding and ensures the Council is compliant with safeguarding standards for promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
You will need to demonstrate a good standard of competency in a number of core competency areas as defined within the Council’s management competency framework. Additional competencies may also be required depending on the nature of the post. The knowledge and skills required to demonstrate the core competencies are integrated into the person specification for this post.
5. Role profile