Board Member, Lewes

Reports To: Board Chair

Direct Reports: None

1. Role Purpose

Southdown Board Members are collectively responsible for:

• Providing strategic direction to the business
• Governing Southdown, balancing responsibilities, risks and opportunities
• Working alongside the C-Suite, giving advice and support
• Ensuring accountability

2. Main Responsibilities

All Board Members share responsibility for:

• The vision, mission and objectives of the Association
• Strategic and long-term planning.
• Assessing risks to the business and ensuring strategies are in place to address them.
• Compliance with the Regulator of Social Housing Regulatory Framework which seeks to ensure a viable organisation which is well governed and well managed.
• Compliance with the Care Quality Commission Regulatory Framework.
• Compliance with the law and accepted standards of performance and probity.
• Compliance with the NHF Code of Governance (2015).
• Approving the Association Business Plan, budget and accounts.
• Overseeing the framework of internal control and delegation to Committees and the Executive.
• Taking key decisions.
• Monitoring the Association’s performance in relation to the agreed plans, objectives, budgets etc.
• Setting a positive culture with strong customer focus.
• The effective working of the Board and its relationship with the Executive Team.
• Appointment and, when necessary, dismissal of the Chair and Vice Chair; and
• Supporting the internal strategy for the Board’s own renewal and reviewing this regularly whenever there are risks or new work is planned.

In addition to the Statutory Functions detailed in Section D1 of the Association’s Rules, the Board reserves certain key decisions that it will not delegate to any of its Committees or the C-Suite. These are:

• Expansion of the Association’s operations into new activities or geographic areas.
• Cessation of a material part of the Association’s operations.
• Approval of resolutions to any Annual General Meetings.
• Changes to the structure, size and composition of the Board.
• Approval of Committee membership, including Committee Chairs and Terms of Reference.
• Approval of key policies including list of matters reserved for Board decision.
• Remuneration of Directors.
• Selection of Internal and External Auditors.
• Approval of any new loan or overdraft agreement following scrutiny by the Finance Committee.
• Approval for any new business opportunity involving the transfer of staff under TUPE which would result in the Association’s liability under “admitted body status” (pension related).

3. Personal Responsibilities Of All Board Or Committee Members

Each Board and Committee member accepts a personal responsibility that they will:

• Support the vision, values and objectives of the Association.
• Support all policies and, in particular, the Diversity and Equalities policy and adhere to the Board Members Code of Conduct.
• If requested, be a member of one or more committees of the Board.
• Read in advance Board and committee papers and contribute to the decisions of the Board and any committee of which they are a member from their skills and experience and share responsibility for all their decisions.
• Keep up to date with developments within the sector.
• Maintain a constructive relationship with the Executive and staff.
• Abide by the Board and Committee Terms of Office.
• Attend the bi-annual strategy away-days and training sessions provided for all Board members.
• Respect confidentiality.
• Represent the Association positively to all external audiences.
• Contribute from their specific skills by liaising informally with the appropriate C-Suite or other staff member.

4. Support For Board Members

Southdown values the work of its Board members and aims to support Board members to fulfil their role. All Board members can expect:

• A structured tailor-made induction programme to help them learn more about Southdown Housing Association and its work.
• Meetings with senior staff who will be able to answer questions whilst they become more familiar with specific areas of the business.
• An opportunity to work with another Board member who will act as a mentor/buddy for as long as they both want this relationship to continue.
• An opportunity to receive Board reports in good time and an opportunity to discuss Board reports with their author or one of the executive directors, which will be distributed in good time.
• An on-going tailor-made development programme which may include attendance at both internal and external training sessions and conferences.
• An opportunity to enjoy the company of colleagues at both Board member and staff level, in a stimulating environment where they will be able to make a real difference to people’s lives and their futures.

5. Board Commitments

All Board members are required to abide by the Board Commitments – see separate document.

6. Person Specification

Skills and Behaviours.

See Board Governance Competencies document

In addition, we are particularly looking for the following:

Knowledge and Experience – Commercial/Finance role.

• Senior leadership experience in a commercial or financial role.

Knowledge and Experience – Equality Equity Diversity and Inclusion role.

• Knowledge and experience in implementing EDI strategies and championing diversity initiatives across organisations.

Knowledge and Experience – Service Delivery.

• Senior leadership experience of service delivery or contract management in a mental health, learning disability or CQC regulated area.

Regulatory Requirements.

Board Members need to meet the requirements of CQC’s Regulation 5: to be a fit and proper person as a director. These include:

• Being of ‘good character’.
• Having the required skills, experience and knowledge the role requires.
• Having the mental and physical fitness the role requires.
• No personal bankruptcy, sequestration or insolvency.
• Not appearing on any barred list or being prohibited from holding directorships under any other law.
• Not having been involved or complicit in any serious misconduct, mismanagement or failure of care in any CQC regulated activity.

Board members are also required to have a DBS check pre-appointment.

Time Commitment.

• Attendance at all Board meetings and Committee meetings (four Board meetings and three Committee meetings a year – approximately one-third online and two-thirds in-person in Lewes)
• Attendance at two Board strategy days each year in person in Lewes or the surrounding areas
• Able to commit sufficient time to Southdown business (approx. 3-6 hrs per month to include preparing for meetings, being visible in the business and liaising with C-Suite and other senior staff members)
• Participation in an annual individual appraisal meeting with the Board Chair

Remuneration, Terms and Conditions.

Remuneration for services: £3,873.96 per annum

Initial Term: Board members will be elected at the December 2024 board meeting. The initial term is three years, with an expectation that a second term of three years will follow.

Notice period: Board members can choose to stand down at any time or be asked to vacate their roles for poor attendance, ineffective contributions, or breaches of the terms of their service contract.

Applications will be welcomed from first-time Board members local to Sussex.

How to apply

Please send through a copy of your CV along with a supporting statement (no more than two A4 pages) addressing the Person Specification

Alternatively, if you would rather, you can complete an application form instead, which is available download or you can request a form be sent to you via our Recruitment Team (recruitment@southdown.org).

We are looking to increase the diversity of our Board to represent our tenants and the communities we serve more closely. As such, we particularly encourage people with lived experience of social housing and/or supported housing and people from black and minority ethnic communities to apply.

Previous Board experience is not a prerequisite for all Board positions, and we would welcome applicants who have senior management experience who are looking for their first Board position.

We look forward to receiving your application by noon on 8^th November 2024.

Please return your completed forms to Eve Clennell, Head of People and Experience, via email at: eve.clennell@southdown.org.

Our Vice-Chair Helen Tuddenham is available to speak to anyone interested in the role, she can be contacted at helen.tuddenham@southdown.org