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Board recruitment – Chair

Great Places Housing Group

Closing Date: 2 May 2025

Scroll down the page to find out more about the role.

About the role

Purpose

To provide leadership to the Board by creating the conditions for collective Board and individual Board member effectiveness, both inside and outside the Boardroom.

Key accountabilities

The Chair has particular duties and responsibilities which are additional, and complementary, to those of other Board members, including an overarching responsibility for providing strategic leadership to the Board.

However, in carrying out these duties, the Chair should always remember to act on behalf of the Board and should seek the advice of, and proactively involve, other Board members and/or the Chief Executive as necessary. The Chair also shares the accountabilities of other Board members and should apply the principles of the Board member role profile.

Management of meetings

  • To set a positive leadership culture, with strong customer focus in line with Great Places' corporate plan.
  • To ensure that the Board’s work plan is appropriate and agendas are forward-looking and strategic.
  • To work collaboratively with Committee and Subsidiary Chairs between meetings to ensure a co-ordinated approach to meeting agendas and work plans.
  • To ensure the efficient and effective conduct of the Board’s business and Great Places' general meetings.
  • To ensure that sufficient time is allowed for the constructive discussion of complex or contentious issues, where appropriate arranging informal meetings beforehand to enable thorough preparation for Board discussion.
  • To ensure that the Board receives accurate, timely and clear information, including about Great Places' performance, that enables it to take sound decisions and monitor its effectiveness.
  • To ensure that appropriate internal and/or external professional advice is available at all times (normally with the prior agreement of the Board).
  • To ensure that decisions are correctly recorded and that matters arising and other follow-up actions are monitored.

Board Members' Contributions

  • To ensure that the organisation provides appropriate Deeds of appointment for all Board members.
  • To ensure that the Board has a Skills, Competency and Behaviour Framework for Board members and makes the best use of the skills, competencies and experience of all Board members at, and between, meetings.
  • To encourage the active engagement by all Board members in all aspects of the Board’s business.
  • To ensure that appropriate standards of behaviour are maintained in accordance with a suite of Probity Policies and the Skills, Competency and Behaviour Framework approved by the Board.
  • To ensure that all Board members are given the opportunity to make their contributions before any important decision is taken.
  • To ensure that individual Board members' minority views and concerns are addressed appropriately.
  • To make sure that equality, diversity and inclusion issues are considered and addressed appropriately.
  • To ensure that the Board agrees the role and role profiles of the Chair, Deputy Chair & Senior Independent Director, Committee/Subsidiary Chairs and other Board members.

Chief Executive and Senior Management

  • To ensure that the respective roles and responsibilities of the Chair and Chief Executive are clear.
  • To establish and develop a constructive and supportive working relationship with the Chief Executive.
  • To ensure that the Board as a whole acts in partnership with the Executive team.
  • To set objectives for and appraise the performance of the Chief Executive with the Deputy Chair.
  • To ensure that the Board makes appropriate arrangements to determine the remuneration of the Chief Executive and other senior colleagues.
  • To ensure, when necessary, that the Chief Executive is replaced in a timely and orderly fashion.

Delegation

  • To ensure that the Board delegates sufficient authority to its Committees, Subsidiaries, the Chief Executive and others, in line with the agreed delegations, to enable the business of the Group to be carried on effectively between meetings of the Board.
  • To ensure that any decisions taken under urgency procedures are as inclusive as practicable.
  • To ensure that the Board monitors the use of any delegated powers.

Board Learning and Development

  • To establish and lead effective processes for the Board’s own collective appraisal and that of individual Board members, including participating in the Chair’s own appraisal.
  • To promote and deliver continuous improvement in the Board’s effectiveness.
  • To ensure that adequate resources are available for on-going training and development for board members, collectively and individually.
  • To ensure that there is a properly constructed induction programme for every new Board member that is comprehensive, formal and tailored.

Succession Planning

  • To develop and oversee the implementation of the succession plan for Board membership that balances continuity with the need for fresh perspectives.
  • To ensure that the Board, Committees and Subsidiary Boards have the requisite skills, competencies and perspectives appropriate for the business as envisaged in the business plan.
  • To ensure timely and open recruitment processes for Board members.

Board Member Recognition and Remuneration

  • To ensure that Board members have appropriate administrative and other support to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities.
  • To encourage a positive culture of mutual support and appreciation within the Board and with the Executive team.
  • To ensure that the level of any Board member remuneration results from an approved process that minimises the potential for conflicts of interest.

Probity and Integrity

  • To ensure that the Board receives professional advice when it is needed, either from its senior colleagues or from external sources, to ensure appropriate levels of compliance.
  • To ensure that the Group's affairs are conducted in accordance with all relevant statutory, constitutional and regulatory requirements and best practice standards, including its chosen Code of Governance.
  • To ensure that the Board develops an understanding of the views and priorities of its major stakeholders.

Transparency and Openness

  • To ensure that the Board’s deliberations and decisions are as open as practicable to all Board/Committee members, colleagues and other stakeholders.
  • To promote and demonstrate effective two-way communications between the Board, Committees and other entities throughout the Group.
  • To establish and maintain the Board’s visibility and appropriate communication with colleagues.

Ambassadorial Role

  • To represent Great Places on occasion as appropriate.
  • To ensure that Great Places is represented to the wider community and key current and potential stakeholders and partners.
  • To ensure the prompt and effective management of any critical event with a potentially adverse impact on Great Places’ reputation.

Responsibility lines

The Chair is elected annually, and appointed by, the Board. The Board collectively and by its consent gives the Chair authority and responsibility to ensure the efficient conduct of the Board’s business. There is a mutual obligation between the Chair and other Board members to respect and support each other to achieve the success of the Group, its vision and values, and its aims set out in its current Corporate Plan and Business Plan and Great Places’ objects as set out in its rules.

Remuneration

Renumeration or the chair is £25,000 per annum, to be paid monthly.
Remuneration is inclusive of travel expenses to attend meetings at our Didsbury HQ, Manchester. Great Places also pays for full Directors’ and Officers’ insurance to limit liability for our Board Members.

Board Member Recruitment Apply for Great Places Chair
Homes for the North Stonewall Diversity Champion Disability Confident Employer