NSCG was engaged by Industrial Dwellings Society to recruit a permanent Director of Operations. This was a key role, reporting directly to the Chief Executive at a time when the organisation was facing a number of challenges around resident satisfaction and following the relatively quick departure of the previous Operations Director.
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Industrial Dwellings Society owns some 1500 properties and has a strong connection with the Jewish community.
It was felt that the role might well suit somebody with strong operations experience who would be “stepping up” into a Director role and who had the capability and leadership skills to be effective quickly.
NSCG identified c.90 potential candidates who were at Head of Service or Assistant Director level at medium sized housing organisations or at Director level at smaller or similar sized ones to Industrial Dwellings Society.
Recognising the need to sell the opportunity to candidates, NSCG put together an extensive information pack, including an introduction by the Chief Executive to set the scene and outline the challenges and opportunities associated with the role.
NSCG’s lead consultant on the assignment – Keith Butler – interviewed 12 candidates, focussing not just on technical capability but on leadership style and approach, and on culture and values.
Given that a key part of the role was providing a high-quality service to residents, the final part of the recruitment process comprised of a panel interview including members of the Residents Committee. This was an excellent way to assess the candidates’ ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels and to gain the trust of the residents, which was a key part of the role.
The whole process was successfully completed with 6 weeks, with the appointed candidate being highly rated by all the stakeholders involved in the interview process, including the CEO, other members of the executive team and the resident committee representatives. The latter felt that he was “an excellent fit” and that he demonstrated a real understanding of the challenges faced by residents and what they looked for in a social landlord, including regular communication, a commitment to providing safe and secure housing and a belief in the importance of really listening to grievances and taking positive action.
The appointed candidate settled into the role really quickly, getting to grips with the financial and operational challenges faced by a small housing association based in a relatively deprived area of London.
He ensured that there was regular and effective communication with the residents and put together a realistic plan based on the needs of the property portfolio and the funds available to address essential and desirable actions that were needed.