Welcome

Thank you for your interest in becoming Chair of the Board at Solihull Community Housing (SCH). We are a well-established and well performing Arm’s Length Management Organisation (ALMO) dedicated to providing excellent housing services to the tenants and leaseholders we serve. Our team of almost 300 staff work hard to deliver these services throughout the borough and have established good partnership working with stakeholders, enabling us to play a valued role across the borough. As our current Chair comes to the end of his term, we are looking for an experienced leader to join SCH and shape our next chapter.

As an ALMO, we were established in April 2004 to take over the management of housing services on behalf of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) and whilst our core purpose is to provide homes and housing related services, we are proud to play a wider role in the borough supporting communities to thrive. SMBC and SCH enjoy a collaborative working relationship, and both recognise the added value brought through the ALMO, and this cements a strong platform for the joint delivery of key priorities across the borough.

Working in partnership with residents is key to the way we work and with a quarter of our residents living in high rise flats, building safety is a key priority and focus of our work. We have a good reputation for tenant engagement underpinned by our recent Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) accreditation, demonstrating residents are at the heart of decision-making.

It is an exciting time to be joining SCH, with a clear opportunity for the incoming Chair to shape the way we work and plan the strategic direction of our next chapter, as we soon embark on developing a new strategic vision for 2025 – 2030. We are also working across SCH and the Council to review our governance, in light of regulatory changes in the housing sector and this will underpin a renewed management agreement between the two organisations.

As Chair you will bring strong leadership skills and a demonstrable track record of collaboration to the Board. A strong communicator who is clear and persuasive and able to relate and listen to build strong relationships with stakeholders, partners, and our residents, ensuring their voices are central to our decision-making and future plans. You will have proven senior leadership experience within the field of social housing and an understanding of the opportunities and challenges SCH faces, along with an excellent understanding of governance.

We think now is a great time to join SCH on our journey, and we know the Chair role will be rewarding and will offer a clear line of sight on the impact SCH can have to improve the lives of our customers. If this role sounds like you, then please do apply and we wish you every success in your application. We look forward to hearing from you.