Non-Executive Director

Why join Curo?

Our work makes us proud. We're a housing association propelled by a profound social purpose. Our purpose is Homes for Good, providing affordable, secure homes and supporting the communities we work with. We really live our CROFT values: Caring, Respectful, Open, Fair and Trusting. Based in the beautiful city of Bath, we provide housing and other services where they’re most needed to more than 29,000 people, and we’re a major local employer and investor. 

Purpose of the role

As a member of the Board, you will make a significant contribution to Curo fulfilling its responsibilities around governance and strategic direction, ensuring that every action helps to achieve our vision and promote our values. You will work with fellow Board Directors to make a positive contribution to the neighbourhoods we work in, inspiring and empowering people to succeed in life.

As a non-executive Board Director, you will sit on the Combined Board. In addition, you may be a member of the Curo Enterprise Board and/or the Group’s Committees. This role profile applies to each Board or Committee that you are appointed to.

Key requirements

• Contribute to setting and articulating Curo’s strategic direction, supported by ambitious financial and operational objectives, targets and plans.
• Contribute to establishing robust frameworks and systems for delegation and accountability.
• Uphold and promote Curo’s values and culture.
• Establish excellent relationships with other Board Directors, Executive team members, employees and customers.
• Accept individual and collective responsibility for decisions, ensuring that Curo achieves the highest standards of governance, control and efficiency; manage risks effectively; and take opportunities which result in Curo’s objectives being achieved.
• Ensure that any concerns about Board Directors, Executive team members or other employees are raised with the relevant Chair or Vice-Chair (as appropriate).
• Play an important role in ensuring the continued effectiveness of the Board or Committee, including undertaking performance appraisals, participating in learning and development opportunities, and accepting that the needs and composition of the Board or Committee will change over time.
• Ensure that appropriate action is taken, including holding the Executive Team to account, if the expected standards of performance or results are not, or unlikely to be achieved.
• Ensure that the approach shifts between the Board or Committee’s fiduciary ('oversight'), strategic ('foresight') and generative ('insight') roles, in doing so focusing on strategic matters, issues of greatest importance and be receptive for change.
• Act as an ambassador for Curo, as required, maintaining excellent relationships with any customers, stakeholders and shareholders.
• Using foresight and insight, act as a sounding board for the Executive and senior managers in dealing with business issues including problem solving and developing strategy or policy.
• Be a portfolio holder and/or take part in projects or similar which will be established from time to time to consider an issue of importance to the Group. In doing so provide Board Director engagement and supporting as befits the role. Portfolio roles will be established from time to time and reviewed at least annually. Projects operate on a short-term basis to specific terms of reference.

Experiential criteria

• A demonstrable track record of front line operations within social housing, particularly in property maintenance and asset management. We’d be particularly interested to hear from candidates who have experience around change and transformation, where digitisation and new technologies have driven up organisational performance and service levels. Candidates must also evidence clear-sightedness around the cultural implications of change.
   
• Notable credentials in strategic leadership of organisations of at least comparable scale and complexity to Curo.
   
• Whilst senior leadership/strategy setting experience is important, prior non-executive credentials are not necessarily essential for this position. But you will need to understand, and be comfortable with, the distinction between non-executive and executive roles.
   
• A positive personal presence, with the confidence and ability to provide support and positive challenge to the Executive and Board colleagues on a wide variety of topics.

Basis of engagement

Initial term of 3 years, renewable to a maximum of 6 years and subject to Board needs and succession planning.

Time commitment

Approximately 2.5 days per month.

Remuneration

£8,000 per annum.

Key dates

The deadline for applications is Monday 13 May 2024.

Following shortlisting by the Selection Panel, successful candidates will be invited to interviews at Curo’s offices in Bath on Wednesday 19 June, Thursday 20 June and Thursday 4 July 2024.

How to apply

In order to apply, please submit a comprehensive CV along with a covering letter which sets out your interest in the role and encapsulates the aspects of your experience relevant to the experiential criteria as set out in the role specification. Please include the names and contact details of two referees. Referees will not be approached until the final stages and not without prior permission from candidates.

The preferred method of application is via email to ApplyforNonExecutiveDirector@curo-group.co.uk

We are committed to ensuring everyone can access application processes. This includes people with sight loss, hearing, mobility and cognitive impairments. Should you require access to these documents in alternative formats, please contact governance@curo-group.co.uk

Also, if you have any comments and/or suggestions about improving access to our application processes please don't hesitate to contact us at governance@curo-group.co.uk

For information discussions about the role, please get in touch with our Chief Governance Officer, Katy Gullon at katy.gullon@curo-group.co.uk