Executive Director - Finance

Briefing Papers

June 2019

Executive Director - Finance

Contents Page

• Welcome Letter from Charlie Norman, Group Chief Executive

• Annual Report 2017 – 2018 (link) https://www.msvhousing.co.uk/tenants/useful-videos.html?video=_voRDo7sGkE

• MSV Performance KPIs 2017 - 2018 *available to download

• Job Advert

• Job Description and Person Specification

• Structure Chart

• Summary Terms and Conditions

• Application Guidelines

• Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form *(Word version available to download)

*available to download from www.emaconsult.co.uk

About Mosscare St Vincent’s

About the Role

Other Important Documentation

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Executive Director - Finance

About Mosscare St Vincent’s

Dear Applicant Executive Director - Finance Thank you for your interest in this exciting opportunity to work with Mosscare St Vincent’s (MSV) as our Executive Director - Finance. MSV is a pretty unique place to work. We are a truly community focussed organisation that exists to ensure people and communities thrive and do not get left behind. Much of our work is in the Greater Manchester region and our organisation was created through the merger of Mosscare Housing Group and St Vincent’s Housing Association. We believe this amalgamation of two long established and respected community landlords has brought real benefit for our customers, both present and future. This role has been established following the retirement of our previous FD and a reshaping of our Executive team, and the successful person will join a strong team - one that works collaboratively and draws on a range of strengths and skills to deliver the vision and mission of MSV. We want MSV to offer great services to our customers and recognise the need to be progressive. For example we are currently working with our customers to enhance the customer experience including digital services. We are also delivering on a huge range of exciting development opportunities and playing a key role in devolution in Greater Manchester. To achieve this we need a strong and inspirational person - someone with real passion, commitment and drive who can address the challenges and embrace the opportunities ahead of us. As the Executive Director - Finance, you are expected to work closely with the Board and Executive Team, providing dynamic leadership within MSV, ensuring that we respond positively and in a coordinated way to deliver our priorities and our customer’s needs and expectations. Exemplary leadership and close involvement with our stakeholders and internal customers are a must, as is the drive to ensure excellent standards and business resilience and rigour to ensure we remain strong as a business. Our growth ambitions are supported by our sound financial position, and we operate in a risk aware control environment with leadership from a strong and experienced Board. This is an exciting time to join MSV and we really look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Charlie Norman Group Chief Executive

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Executive Director - Finance

About the Role

Head of Finance(1 FTE)

Financial Services Accountant (Transactional)

(1 FTE)

Assistant Financial Services Accountant

(1 FTE)

Service Charge Officer (1 FTE)

Finance Team Leader (Expenditure) (1 FTE)

Finance Assistants (Expenditure) (3 FTE)

Document Controller(1 FTE)

Finance Team Leader (Income) (1 FTE)

Finance Assistants (Income) (4 FTE)

Data Input & Clerical Support Assistant (1 FTE)

Senior Business Partner (Financial Management)

(1 FTE)

Housing & Corporate Services Business Partner

(1 FTE)

Property Services Business Partner (1FTE)

Business Analyst (Property Services, Housing & Corporate Services)

(1 FTE)

Development Business Partner (1 FTE)

Capital & Assets Business Partner (1 FTE)

Business Analyst (Development, Capital &

Assets) (1 FTE)

Treasury Accountant (0.8 FTE)

Treasury Assistant(1 FTE)

Project Accountant(1 FTE)

Executive Director - Finance Salary: £107,100 plus 5% car allowance Location: South Manchester

Mosscare St Vincent’s Housing Group (MSV) is a values-led, people and communities focussed landlord with an exceptionally strong track record of creating thriving neighbourhoods, filled with opportunity and purpose. We work in partnership with others to achieve more together and we help to influence and shape local and national agendas. Employing around 300 members of staff, we’ve come together to do more for more people, extending our community focus and commercial expertise across the North West.

We are investing in neighbourhoods by building new homes; currently the stewards of over 8200 across Greater Manchester and we plan to build 1600 new homes across the North West in the next 5 years. Our mission is to create an environment in which everyone can flourish in a can-do, agile, flexible and high-performance culture. In this role, you’ll work collaboratively with the Chief Executive, Board and EMT to shape and deliver our strategic plan, contributing to a culture of open and effective leadership across the business. You’ll help us become more efficient: growing the business by creating further opportunities, developing our talent, having greater influence on our patch, and above all providing residents and customers with a quality service, so we continue to make a difference in neighbourhoods.

Finance is also a key accountability of the role, and we’ll expect you to ensure our long-term financial viability and growth by leading and developing best-in-class financial, business assurance and procurement functions. A key deliverable will be the financial business plan: you’ll ensure it’s fit for purpose, regularly reviewed and stress-tested. You’ll also design and deliver the process to secure appropriate and competitive funding to achieve the organisation’s Corporate Plan. In a sector that manages risk at a highly sophisticated level, you must be able to lead on the strategic management of risk, financial viability and regulatory compliance, including our VFM Strategy and all other regulatory and compliance matters.

A qualified accountant, and educated to degree level (or high-level equivalent qualification) with a proven track record in a similar, senior-level leadership role, you’ll bring experience of leading and managing change in a creative and inclusive way. A good track record of the effective management of significant budgets, achievement of financial targets and managing large capital and revenue budgets will be a must. Strong candidates will demonstrate the expertise to build relationships and develop partnerships regionally and beyond. Most of all, we want to hear from people with excellent leadership skills, and the ability to exemplify our visions and values when dealing with customers, staff, partners and peers.

For an informal discussion, please contact Andy Roskell 07977 464459 or Ian Robertson on 01926 887272.

For a copy of the briefing papers, visit www.emaconsult.co.uk

Closing date: 12 noon, Friday 28 June 2019

Job Description

Job Title: Executive Director - Finance

Location: Trafford House, Stretford

Hours: Full time (35 hours) but open to job share and flexible working

Salary: £107,100 plus 5% car allowance

Responsible to: Chief Executive

Responsible for: MSV Finance and Business Assurance

MSV is a values-led, people and communities focussed landlord with an exceptionally strong track record. Our mission is to create an environment in which everyone can flourish in a can-do, agile, flexible and high-performance culture. We work in partnership with others to achieve more together and we influence and help shape local and national agendas. We are the stewards of over 8,200 homes across the North West with homes in 8 out of the 10 Greater Manchester authorities and further afield with a growth programme to develop 1,200 new homes over 5 years across multiple tenures.

Purpose of the Role

To work collaboratively in partnership with the Chief Executive, Board and Executive Management Team to shape and deliver the strategic plans in a culture of open and effective leadership across the business. To become more efficient, grow the business by creating further opportunities, develop our talent, have greater influence and above all to provide residents and customers with a quality service and continue to make a difference in neighbourhoods.

In particular, the Executive Director - Finance, in collaboration with the CEO and EMT will:

• Focus on the mission and objectives of MSV and inspire staff and stakeholders todeliver on these for the benefit of the customers and communities we serve, deliveringon The MSV Way, within a strong business environment.

• Provide strategic direction to maintain and enhance the financial and businessresilience of the organisation, ensuring all obligations are met and surpluses arereinvested in assets, neighbourhoods and people to increase life chances andopportunities.

• Provide a clear vision in an environment where decisions are based on the benefits tothe whole organisation, rather than on functional specialisms, creating a highperformance culture that builds future resilience for colleagues and customers.

• Promote and sustain a unifying culture and purpose across the organisation throughmotivational and authentic leadership, where openness and honesty is underpinnedby supportive and coaching leadership.

• Build relationships and develop partnerships regionally throughout the North West andmore widely, where beneficial, to develop and promote all the organisation’sbusinesses, products and activities to grow opportunities.

• Employ effective governance, financial and risk management controls to ensure allservices meet appropriate standards and provide excellent value for money, meetingall regulatory requirements.

• Advise and inform colleagues within the EMT regularly and openly about all significantissues that potentially affect smooth operations and business assurance.

• Embrace fully the MSV Way and values, and champion all facets of equality andinclusion, customer care and business partnering.

• Deputise for peer EMT Members as necessary to provide seamless leadership acrossthe business.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership, Corporate and Financial Management1.1 To be responsible for ensuring the long-term financial viability and growth of the

business through developing and leading the financial, business assurance and procurement strategies of the organisation.

1.2 Lead on the successfully delivery of the financial business plan, ensuring the plan is fit for purpose and regularly reviewed and stress tested for resilience.

1.3 Develop and recommend the organisation’s Funding, Treasury and Cash-flow strategies to secure appropriate and competitive funding to achieve the organisation’s Corporate Plan.

1.4 To successfully secure competitive funding, in line with agreed strategies, for all organisation’s operations and capital projects.

1.5 Champion the strategic vision for agile working and business partnering across the business.

1.6 In conjunction with the CEO, prepare and keep under review through business planning the Corporate Plan and ensure the appropriate alignment of priorities and resources to meet the Plan’s objectives.

1.7 Develop, recommend and implement the organisation’s Strategy and Policy for all Business Assurance activities to ensure the effective management of risk, financial control, tax, business continuity, insurance, performance reporting (KPIs), anti-fraud, compliance, regulation, project management and internal and external audit activities.

1.8 Lead the continuous development and implementation of the organisation’s VFM Strategy (including social impact) in line with best practice and requirements of the Regulator of Social Housing.

2. Governance, Regulatory, Audit and Risk2.1 In conjunction with the CEO, develop and maintain a constructive, supportive and

mutually challenging relationship with the Board and Audit and Risk Committee.

2.2 In conjunction with the CEO and Company Secretary, ensure an effective governance and risk framework to ensure all statutory, regulatory and legal obligations are met on behalf of the Group and we remain regulatory compliant.

2.3 In conjunction with the CEO and Company Secretary, ensure that the Board and Audit and Risk Committee are serviced effectively and that Board members are properly advised and provided with financial plans, policy proposals, financial and other performance information to enable them to discharge their statutory and governance responsibilities fully and effectively.

2.4 In conjunction with the CEO, Board and Audit and Risk Committee, lead on overseeing and developing appropriate business assurance arrangements to ensure the strategic management of risk, financial viability and compliance throughout the Group.

2.5 Keep abreast of regulatory developments within or outside MSV as well as evolving best practices in compliance control to prevent or deal with violations of legal guidelines and internal policies

3. Profile and Promotion3.1 In conjunction with the CEO, develop and maintain highly effective working

relationships with funders, banks, and regulatory bodies to build a financially strong and resilient organisation.

4. Operational ServicesThrough leading, supporting and coaching the team to:

4.1 Deliver effective financial management, accounting, treasury and cash flow management, risk assessment and taxation planning to ensure effective delivery of the organisation’s financial plans.

4.2 Develop and deliver effective high quality, timely and robust business assurance services for the successful management of legal and governance obligations.

4.3 Focus on continuous business improvement, performance management and benchmarking framework to deliver the business assurance strategy and to develop the culture of setting standards of service and effective alignment and planning of resources.

4.4 Develop and deliver business assurance processes to ensure that all organisational risks (in financial control, tax, business continuity, H&S, Insurance, performance reporting (KPIs), anti-fraud, compliance, regulation, project management and internal audit activities) are appropriately managed.

4.5 Develop effective control arrangements to ensure that the appropriate financial processes, systems and audit mechanism are managed to a high standard so full accountability is taken for financial and risk management.

4.6 Design and deliver a procurement framework to ensure effective and cost-effective procurement of goods and services.

4.7 Develop and deliver the rent and service charge framework for the combined organisation. Ensure effective legal services and support to deliver MSV’s operations and plans.

4.8 Deliver effective business partnering to enable and support the business to realise its aims and objectives and meet statutory and legal obligations.

4.9 Keep abreast of changes in legislation and wider political/socio-economical and housing issues and review, recommend and implement changes in policy that will improve service delivery.

4.10 Ensure the organisation complies with General Data Protection Regulations.

Person Specification

Job Title: Executive Director - Finance

1. Appropriate Professional Qualification• Educated to degree level or high-level equivalent qualification.• Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA / CIPFA).• Evidence of and commitment to continual professional, leadership and personal

development.2. Experience and Track Record

• Track record of excellence in business processes and performance.• Evidence of operating collaboratively/ as one team at EMT level to take collective

responsibility for overall performance and leadership.• Knowledge and experience of successful business planning and stress testing.• Experience of working collaboratively building successful working relationships

with all key stakeholders and providing strategic financial and business planningadvice to executives and non-executives.

• Knowledge and experience of risk appraisal and assessment to ensure appropriatedelivery of business case.

• Experience of successful funding management and dealing with financiers.• Proven experience and knowledge of strategic financial management and risk

assessment.• Proven experience of overseeing governance and regulatory arrangements.• Experience of managing financial compliance within financial regulations.

3. Leading and Managing Change• Effectively instigated and managed significant organisational change, successfully

achieved in a creative and inclusive way.

4. Board Member and Chair Relationships• Experience of working with Non-Executives in a variety of environments.• Evidence of effective Executive to Non-Executive relationships that have produced

positive results.

5. Business and Social Enterprise Awareness• Understanding of commercial activity and developing social enterprises, evidenced

by strong critical reasoning and perceptive judgement skills.

6. Leadership, vision and ability to represent the organisation.• Successful evidenced track record of leadership. Able to demonstrate the vision

and values in dealing with customers, staff, partners and senior figures.• An authentic and inspiring leader who is resilient and robust with a positive outlook.

7. Strategic Thinking• Evidence of high level strategic thought as part of an EMT, with significant insight

and able to get to the “nub” of key issues quickly.• The ability to maintain focus in implementation whilst managing and

communicating complex information.• Evidence of contributing, as part of an EMT, to the creation of Corporate Business

Plans in a cohesive, engaging way.

8. Performance Management• Experience of effective performance delivery for a major business function.• Ability to create plans for performance delivery in a challenging climate.

9. Interpersonal persuasion, negotiating and Influencing.• Evidence of influencing and persuading executive and non-executive individuals

and teams.

10. Stakeholder Relationships• An enthusiastic and excellent communicator who is sensitive to the needs of

different stakeholders.

11. Financial & Risk Management• Successful experience and competence in the effective management of significant

budgets and achievement of financial targets.• Successful experience and competence in the effective management of operations

within the risk framework.• Ensuring the risk appetite is understood and translated into appropriate financial

strategies.• Demonstrate an understanding and have experience of compliance with legal and

regulatory frameworks.• Experience of successfully managing large capital and revenue budgets.

12. Use of technology• Be IT literate and translate the benefits to the

organisation and its customers of technology, socialmedia and digital access.

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Executive Director - Finance

Terms & Conditions of Employment

Salary £107,100 (Reviewed every April)

Car Allowance/Mileage Rates 5% of annual salary car allowance/ HMRC rates (currently 45ppm)

Notice Period 3 months

Pension SHPS DB CARE 120th pension scheme or SHPS DC Scheme

Holidays

Other Benefits

25 days per annum plus up to 5 days for long service

Contributory Health Cash Plan, Employee Assistance Programme and other wellbeing options

Agile Working

MSV promotes an agile working environment which empowers our people to work where, when and how they choose – with maximum flexibility and minimum constraints – to optimise their performance and deliver “best in class” value and customer service.

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Executive Director - Finance

Other Important Documentation

Executive Director - Finance

How to Apply

Thank you for expressing an interest in the opportunity above. If you would like to apply, please follow the guidelines below.

Application Process

Please submit an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV) and covering letter (no more than 3 pages), ensuring that you quote the following reference numbers EMA366

It is important that your CV/letter highlight supporting evidence of how your previous experience and skills relate to the criteria outlined in the Job Description and Person Specification. Within your CV, please supply the following:

• Full name and postal address;• Work and home telephone number, mobile number and email address (NB most written

communication with you will be electronic);• National Insurance number;• Employment history (explaining any gaps);• Education and dates your qualifications were obtained;• Current memberships of relevant professional associations/institutes and dates;• Current or most recent salary.

We also request that you please complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form The equality and diversity information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence, will not be disclosed to the interview panel and will form no part of the selection process.

The timetable for the Selection Process is included below. In your supporting letter, please advise us if you have any difficultly with the outlined dates and/or any other dates when you are unavailable for assessment. We try to offer flexibility, but it can be difficult to convene the selection panel outside the advertised selection dates due to diary commitments.

Please return your application by 12 noon, 28 June 2019 to our retained consultants at EMA to responsehandling@emaconsult.co.uk. Due to issues with postal reliability email submissions are preferred to avoid disappointment. If you fail to receive confirmation of receipt of your application from us within 24 hours of sending, please contact us to ensure safe delivery. In order to avoid last-minute IT issues, we also ask that you allow yourself ample time to submit your application in advance of the deadline.

Your application will be treated with strictest confidence.

If you do choose to send a hard copy by post, the full address is as follows:

EMA Business & Management Consultancy Limited 13 Dormer Place Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 5AA

Assessment and Selection Process All applications will be considered and assessed against the requirements of the Person Specification in order to select an initial short list of candidates. If you have been successful at this stage, we will contact you via telephone/email immediately following the initial shortlisting meeting. If you are unsuccessful at this stage, you will receive a letter from us informing you of this decision.

Timetable

The information outlined below has been agreed with MSV:

Process Date

Advertised Closing Date for Applications 12 noon, 28 June 2019

First Stage Interviews Tuesday 9 July 2019

Final Interviews Wednesday 17 July 2019

*If you are invited for interview, you will be asked to bring along evidence of yourprofessional qualifications as described on your CV.

Contact Details

If you have any queries about either of the positions or the selection process; or if you would like an informal and confidential discussion with our consultant, please do not hesitate to contact Andy Roskell 07977 464459 or Ian Robertson on 01926 887272.

Thank you for your interest in this position.

Equality and Diversity Monitoring To help us monitor the effectiveness of the equality and diversity policy, please provide the following information. If you do not wish to complete, your application will not be affected in any way.

The information on this sheet will be separated from your application form as soon as it is received. It will be processed in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1988 and will be kept secure and separate from your application.

Age: 16-24 o 25-34 o 35-44 o 45-54 o 55-64 o 65+ o

Gender: Male o Female o

Sexual Orientation:

Bi o Gay/Lesbian o Heterosexual/Straight o Prefer to self-describe o Ethnicity:

Asian – Indian oMixed White & Black Caribbean oAsian – Pakistani oMixed White & Black African oAsian – Bangladeshi oMixed White & Asian oAsian – Other* oMixed Other* o

Black – Caribbean oWhite – British oBlack – African oWhite - Irish oBlack – Other* oWhite – Other* oChinese oAny Other* o

*If you have answered Other, please specify here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Disability

Do you consider yourself to have a disability? Yes o No o

If yes, would you have any special requirements to help you attend an interview?

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