About the Role

Salary: £160,000 p.a

Annual Leave: 30 days p.a

Pension: Negotiable

Contract Type: Permanent

Reports to: Board via the Chair

Line Manages: Director of Housing Services, Development Manager, and Executive Co-ordinator

Key internal relationships: Board, Executive, residents

Key external relationships: Royal Borough of Greenwich; RSH: funders; local authority partners; local councillors, development partners, contractors, trade and influencing bodies, the Housing Ombudsman; peer and housing providers

The purpose of the Chief Executive is to provide leadership for the efficient and effective operational management of Meridian Home Start’s (MHS) activities. Through direct management of the Senior Management Team, the Chief Executive will ensure that (MHS) achieves the highest standards of conduct, performance and accountability.

The Chief Executive will work closely with the Chair and other Non-Executive Board Members, assisting Board Members through the effective translation of the Board’s strategies, Business Plan and policy decisions into operational results.

The overall purpose of the chief executive is to:

Be responsible to the Meridian Home Start Board for the overall strategic direction, leadership and performance of the organisation, including the setting and delivery of the vision, values and strategic objectives in alignment with RBG’s wider community outcomes.
Develop effective joint working across governance and executive teams to ensure alignment between MHS’s strategic objectives and RBG’s wider community outcomes.
Responsible for the organisation’s regulatory and legislative compliance, including health and safety, working within the organisation’s governance framework.
Take oversight for ensuring the organisation’s viability, and its financial and operational performance.
Develop an organisational culture of excellence and continuous improvement
Drive a customer-centric culture that ensures the residents’ voice is heard and acted upon to deliver high-quality and safe homes and excellent services.
Lead the Executive Team, encouraging collaboration and accountability, to empower and inspire.
Be an authentic leader and ambassador for Meridian Homes Start, increasing our reputation and influence locally by building strong relationships with the Royal Borough of Greenwich and other key partners and stakeholders.
You will provide strong, focused leadership, direction and continuous development of all services.

Responsibilities

Governance and Assurance

Ensure that MHS achieves Registered Provider status and complies with all legislative, regulatory and other requirements.
Maintain effective working relationships between the Senior Management Team and the Board.
Ensure that the Board is properly advised on all legal and compliance matters and complies with its own rules and statutory and regulatory requirements.
Ensure that the Board (and its committees) are effectively supported and given the information necessary to perform their duties, and their attention is drawn to matters they must consider and decide.
Provide strategic advice to the Board to enable it to provide strong, effective and appropriate governance.
Work with the Chair to ensure the business of the Board is properly conducted and in the preparation of documents.
Ensure the continued financial stability and viability of MHS.
Ensure that all financial covenants are fully met.

Leadership

Embeds a style of leadership culture which enables and encourages high performance and creativity from staff, valuing their feedback, engagement and insights.
Ensures the management of change, which raises standards and drives value for money.
Identify future roles and resources within the Executive Team structure and lead on any role creation and recruitment.
You will demonstrate a flexible approach to strategic leadership, to ensure that the strategic and operational needs of the organisation are met, undertaking different duties as, when and where required by the Board of Directors.
Drives a commitment to equality so that it informs all we do, establishing MHS as a place where diversity is valued, to support an inclusive culture.
Acts as a role model, demonstrating the highest personal standards of integrity and conduct at all times.
Shows curiosity with a commitment to learning, is open to exploring new technology and innovation for the pursuit of our strategic objectives and ambitions.

Business & Delivery

Ensure that MHA delivers excellent customer experiences, ensuring that services are responsive, of a high quality and delivered to the convenience of residents to maximise customer satisfaction, ensuring that residents and colleagues are safe and that services fully comply with statutory and regulatory requirements.
You will lead the procurement of service providers as the business needs to ensure the smooth operation of MHS and to deliver a quality service to our stakeholders and residents.
Seek to improve, develop and implement procurement strategy plans for the organisation that meet its objectives.
Ensure appropriate mechanisms are in place to enable true resident and community engagement.
To lay the foundations for the future so MHS can evolve and grow in the short, medium, and long term.
Lead and shape the development and effective implementation of the Corporate Plan.
Ensuring strong relationship management with RBG and all other key stakeholders.
Ensure the organisational infrastructure is fit for purpose and that there is appropriate resourcing of the organisation to deliver excellent services to our residents and meet our strategic objectives, including proper systems of control and limits of delegation, achieving high performance levels whilst wishing to continually improve.
You will exercise effective financial management controls, working within budget parameters and time constraints to achieve business objectives. At all times seeking value for money.
You will provide sound, up-to-date professional advice to colleagues, members, partners, and customers.
Along with the Executive Directors, you will lead on performance management of the service providers to ensure performance targets are being met and maintained with regular monitoring and review processes in place.
You will identify and mitigate major risks and issues across service areas, informing the Board of any areas of serious concern and advising on corrective measures.
Managing and coordinating all key stakeholder relationships, ensuring each receives the appropriate level of focus and attention (including Regulator, Ombudsman, lenders, local authorities, key local politicians, NHF, and other influential sector stakeholders).
Oversee the development of MHS’s new business development, regeneration and growth strategies and ensure programmes are in place to meet identified need and with appropriate consideration of risk.
You will be responsible for the development and delivery of a robust asset management strategy.
You will actively promote inclusion and support diversity.

Person Specification

Experience and knowledge

Education to degree level or equivalent track record in work, continuing professional development would be an advantage.
Experience of operating at a senior and strategic level within a professional organisation with responsibility for housing management and/or development.
A commitment to affordable housing and community regeneration that transforms lives.
Excellent insight into the housing regulatory and legislative environment, with a focus on assurance and compliance.
Ability to demonstrate political astuteness in day-to-day communications and tasks whilst maintaining high standards of integrity through open and honest dealings.
Strong commercial and financial acumen, alongside effective risk management.
Experience of working with a Board, with knowledge of good governance principles and accountability to a Board.
Insight into working with multiple stakeholders and partnerships, managing relationships with purpose and as needed, sensitivity and nuance.
A track record of leading a high-performing staff team.
Understanding of embedding equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of work.
Experience in delivering successful change or transformation.

Skills

Translate vision into strategy, and strategy into action.
A credible leader who inspires, motivates and is also a strong team player.
Be articulate, with excellent written and presentation skills, and an engaging style.
Be persuasive and achieve buy-in.
Encourage collaboration and build high levels of trust.
Generate and/or pursue opportunities, negotiating on major business matters.
Be able to make sound judgments, give advice and be accountable for that advice.
Innovate and champion the optimisation of the use of IT and other new technologies.
Value customer, community, stakeholder and staff influence and feedback
Demonstrate the ability and capacity to lead and/or manage a growing organisation.
Demonstrate effective communication, marketing and media relations skills to enhance business outcomes.

Attributes

Integrity, which earns respect.
A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Tenacity and resilience.
Drive and presence.
A commitment to learning for yourself and others.
A willingness to work flexibly, with agility and visibility