About the Role

 

Job Description

Job Title: Director of Development
Department/Section: Development
Location: Head Office, Selkirk, or other locations as required
Grade: Grade I
Salary: £90,255 to £100,039 per annum plus benefits (see Work for Us section)
Responsible to: Chief Executive

Overall Purpose

  • To share collective leadership responsibility and work collaboratively as a member of the Executive team to achieve SBHA’s strategic objectives.
  • To lead and secure desirable development opportunities to deliver SBHA’s commitment to expand the availability of affordable homes to the Scottish Borders community in a safe and sustainable way.
  • To develop and maintain effective strategic partnerships to ensure that SBHA secures opportunities to contribute to regional and national development priorities.
  • To be responsible for annual capital budgets exceeding £25m, ensuring that quality of design is at the forefront of all development activities

 

 

 

 

 

Principal Accountabilities

Leadership

  • Demonstrates inspirational leadership and ensure that all Directorate performance targets are exceeded with a newly established Team.
  • Undertakes the role of Strategic Lead on Development of New Homes & Regeneration, ensuring that the Development Programme delivers within Business Plan resources and meets the objectives of the Development Strategy.
  • Models and promotes behaviours consistent with SBHA’s values and standards. Create a culture of innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement, with Teams working across traditional boundaries to achieve stronger outcomes and standards.
  • Champions the effective use of modern and low carbon methods of construction, and digital technology to deliver high quality, sustainable homes, with particular emphasis on energy efficiency and future maintenance costs.
  • Ensures compliance with all relevant legislation, national standards and outcomes, alongside regulatory requirements, particularly those relating to the acquisition of sites and development of homes.
  • Ensure the importance of accurate asset and service performance information is embedded in the Directorate culture, providing suitable systems for the storage and reporting of such data and information and ensuring compliance with the use of these systems.
  • Contribute to SBHA’ s ambition for growth through working with partners and agencies to expand broader investment opportunities and oversee the preparation of bids and tenders for submission on behalf of SBHA.
  • Champion the delivery SBHA’s One Team principle and collaborates with colleagues to drive forward leadership skills and Talent Management.

Financial responsibility

  • Ensure that SBHA’s development programme opportunities meet the Business Plan requirement and schemes are accurately assessed and appraised for financial viability, financial risk and all other risks.
  • Accountable for the management of financial and people resources within the Development Directorate, delivering value for money, attracting resources and minimising associated strategic risks. Delivering individual schemes on time and within budget.
  • Ensure compliance with SBHA’s rules and best practice in relation to procurement, contract management rules and financial probity. Ensures value for money when procuring services, developing feasibility studies and partnerships.
  • Work closely with the Director of Finance to evidence future investment requirements to build new homes and the Director of Property to repurpose current assets to support regeneration commitments.
  • Develop and maintain records of Directorate activities, ensuring systems and information is appropriately recorded. Undertake strategic option appraisals recommending how to make best use of the assets, including asset disposal, refurbishment and/ or regeneration.

Strategy

  • Deliver SBHA’s growth targets through a Development Programme that ensures investment relates to housing need and sustainable affordable housing. This includes a clear pipeline of development opportunities (land led & Section 75 schemes) delivering homes for rent (social & mid-market) and explores other models, such as shared ownership and sale, in line with the development strategy.
  • Engage with the local authority and other partners to maximise SBHA’s contribution to regional housing supply targets, ensuring effective working relationships and contributing to regional programme and policy development and commitments.
  • As a leader in the Executive Team, provide corporate leadership and strategic direction to SBHA, leading the organisation and engaging with, and reporting to, the Board and its governance structure. Informing and advising the Board on development decisions to support effective decision making.
  • Make strategic recommendations and decisions to develop, deliver and grow SBHA’s asset base. Be responsible for the future development of SBHA’s existing land portfolio.
  • Pro-actively research emerging models of delivery and partnership and seek out external funding opportunities, joint ventures and partnerships to improve the quality of life of SBHA tenants and communities.
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of Strategic & Business Plans, projects and programmes, taking a lead role on asset growth.
  • Ensure effective analysis of risk, compliance, new and emerging policy, legislation and best practice when forming future plans.

General

  • Procure and effectively appoint professional consultants to ensure the efficient delivery of new land and property deals.
  • Forge effective relationships and collaboration with partners to enhance SBHA’s impact on local communities.
  • Model and promote behaviours consistent with SBHA’s values and standards and observe and continually promote equal opportunities and diversity in compliance with Association policy. Promote and represent the Association locally and nationally.
  • Commit to continuous personal and professional development and keep abreast of emerging or new legislation, standards and best practice. Be completely conversant with Local and National Housing/Planning Policy including Local Authority Planning Policies, key local, regional and national strategies and Section 75 agreements.

The list above is typical of the level of duties which the post holder is expected to perform or be responsible for. It is not necessarily exhaustive, and the post holder is expected to be sufficiently flexible to carry out other duties of a similar type and level as required from time to time.

There may be times when you’ll need to work beyond the usual hours. Additionally, you might be asked to work at different locations outside of Head Office and travel within and beyond the Scottish Borders area to fulfil your responsibilities.

Contacts

Internal: Board, Chief Executive, Executive Team, and SBHA Team.

External: Tenants and other customers, Housing Associations, Local Authorities and public bodies, Professional Consultants, Legal Advisers, South of Scotland Enterprise, the Scottish Housing Regulator, the Scottish Government, Health & Safety Executive, National Bodies (SFHA (Scottish Federation of Housing Associations), CIH, More Homes Scotland, etc.), Contractors & Suppliers and private and Third Sector Partners.

Person Specification – Director of Development