Ochil View Housing Association Ltd. is an ambitious social landlord committed to providing good quality affordable housing and high standards of customer service to over 1460 households in Clackmannanshire and West Fife.

We wish to recruit to our Housing Services Team a suitably qualified, skilled, and enthusiastic individual for the Assistant Housing Services Officer (Maternity cover) post.

• To assist the Housing Services Officers with the delivery of a generic housing management service with responsibility for a range of Housing Management Services within a defined area of operation and assist with other areas as required.
• To contribute to achieving the targets and performance measures set for the Association, the Housing Services department and the post.
• To promote resident participation and community involvement.
• To contribute to establishing, operating and reviewing the Policies and Procedures of the Association that are relevant to the delivery of Housing Services, particularly Income Management, Void Management, Tenancy Management & Anti-Social Behaviour, Tenancy Sustainment and Allocations.

To share the Board’s collective responsibility for the effective governance of St Joseph’s Services, setting its strategic direction and major policies in accordance with the charities objects, vision, mission and Vincentian Values. To be fully engaged with the ethos of St Joseph’s Services and support the development and future growth and sustainability of the organisation.

Specific Duties:

Leadership and Strategic Direction

• To ensure St Joseph’s Services strategic direction, policies and objectives are clearly established and kept under review, maintaining effective communication with the Chief Executive and senior staff
• To discuss and approve the charity’s annual plan and budget, ensuring that these are formulated within a sound and viable financial framework
• To consider the organisation as a whole and the people we support in all discussion of planning, strategic direction and activity
• To work collaboratively with the Board of Advisors ensuring inclusion and representation of the people we support in our strategic direction
• To bring fresh thinking and ideas to the Trustees discussion, enhancing the boards effectiveness and St Joseph’s ability to deliver its charitable services.

Ensuring Policies and Procedures are in keeping with St Joseph’s aims and objectives

• To ensure robust and comprehensive policies and procedures are in place which meet the charity objectives and safeguard the people we support, staff and the organisation.

Safeguarding Ethos and Values

• Safeguarding and promotion of the Vincentian Ethos and the particular Vincentian Values of the organisation.

Ensuring Best Practice

• To fulfil the Trustee’s legal and financial responsibilities – ensuring risk and compliance is appropriately managed
• To maintain partnership and good relations with the Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team, the wider staff team and the people we support.
• To be an active member of the Board and as appropriate, any of its Sub-Committees and Working Groups
• To ensure St Joseph’s Services complies with all appropriate regulatory and statutory bodies: Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), Companies House, The Care Inspectorate (SCWIS), Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
• To monitor Health and Safety compliance and ensure staff members, volunteers and People we support live and work in a safe and healthy environment.

Commitment:

Four Trustee meetings are held annually plus one development day. Trustees may also be asked to chair / sit on organisational sub-committees. An average time commitment of one day per month is expected.

Meetings are held in St Joseph’s Services Head Office, in Rosewell, Midlothian.

Person Specification:

• A commitment to support services to Adults with a Learning Disability
• A strong commitment to the vision and mission of St Joseph’s Services
• Support the upholding of St Joseph’s Services Christian Principles and Vincentian Philosophy and Values.
• Ability to think and act strategically, using your expertise, skills and knowledge to help our own team deliver this growth.
• Good independent judgement and the ability to communicate effectively with others
• Ability to forge effective relationships with stakeholders internally and externally to further the organisations strategy.
• Knowledge / Experience of the Third Sector
• Ability to devote sufficient time to St Joseph’s Services
• Willingness to attend events in support of St Joseph’s Services
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, liabilities and responsibilities of trusteeship.

About us

Established in 1924, we provide high quality person-centred care and support services to adults with learning disabilities in a variety of locations in Midlothian and Edinburgh. The flexibility we offer means people have individualised care and support plans which are tailored around their current lifestyle. Our large and experienced organisation is set up in models of ‘Circles of Best Practice’ to ensure that all we do focuses on connection, friendship, inclusion and belonging.

Are you looking for a new challenge and an opportunity to shape the next phase of Ark’s ambitious strategy ?

Ark’s mission to create the best possible customer outcomes through our highly skilled people, the provision of high-quality affordable homes and excellent care will be achieved through creating inclusive communities where quality of housing and care enable people to thrive and live a good life.

Established in 1977 Ark provides 450 tenancies and supports over 400 people through our dedicated and highly skilled workforce of 700+ staff. We operate in 12 Local Authority areas in the North and East of Scotland, and we also have services in The Western Isles.

The Ark Group is made up of three companies:

1. Ark is a registered charity and registered social landlord (RSL) that provides housing and care and is the parent company within the group structure.

2. Ark Services Limited is a private company limited by guarantee and a wholly owned subsidiary of Ark.

3. Ark Commercial Investment Limited (ACIL) is a private limited share company and wholly owned subsidiary of Ark.

Although a housing association, the majority of Ark’s activity relates to the provision of care and support for people with long term and enduring conditions such as learning disability, mental health issues, dementia and autism. Our aim is to ensure that those who use our services receive the very best support from Ark to enable them to live a good life. For further information see Ark’s website: arkha.org.uk.

We currently have vacancies for Non-Executive Board members on both the main board as well as the group subsidiary board, at a very exciting time for Ark. We are about to launch a stakeholder engagement exercise across the business to consult on our new corporate strategy as well as celebrate our 50th anniversary. As a new Board Member, you will play a key part in developing and enabling the delivery of the strategy for the next 5-10 years and improving the governance framework to effectively monitor performance. This will be clearly focussed upon delivery of high-quality Housing and Care & Support services.

Ark Group Board

We are seeking 2-3 recruits to fill non-exec positions on Ark’s parent Board: Ark Housing Association.

This Board meets 6-7 times per year in a hybrid approach and will require some attendance face to face. We welcome applications from people with experience in Care & Support, Housing/Asset, Finance or Digital Improvement, and understanding of governance in an RSL would be an advantage, however not essential.

Ark Subsidiary Board

We are seeking to strengthen our governance by appointing non-executive directors to our Subsidiary Board and separate from the Ark Group Board to ensure independence. This Board is completely independent from the parent Board. Your role will be to serve both subsidiary companies with meetings being held consecutively, 4 times per year. This board meets on a remote basis and will be the perfect opportunity for people seeking their first Board role, with the opportunity for exposure to two very different businesses; one a commercial/private company and one a registered Charity. We will provide you with a full induction and an opportunity to be mentored by an experienced Board member and we do not expect you to have any previous board experience. Overall, we are looking for dynamic, forward-thinking and enthusiastic people from a variety of backgrounds to contribute to Ark’s emerging future.

Help shape the future of a fostering and adoption charity with over 100 years of impact.

We are seeking an inspiring and values driven Chair of the Board to lead our Trustees at a pivotal point in our journey. With a proud history of delivering adoption services for more than a century, the charity has grown to also provide a mainstream fostering service, alongside our therapy centre, supporting children, young people and families living within a 60 mile radius of our office in Edinburgh. A key focus of our current strategy is to improve the overall financial resilience of the organisation by broadening our philanthropic support base and extending our services to the sector more widely on a fee-paying basis.

As Chair, you will provide inclusive leadership to the Board, ensure strong governance and safeguarding, and work in close partnership with the Chief Executive to set strategic direction and uphold our mission and values. You will help ensure the organisation is financially sustainable, well governed, and delivering the highest quality outcomes for children and families, and you will support the Chief Executive in delivering the strategic objectives of the organisation.

This is a voluntary role, requiring approximately 2–3 days per month, and offers a meaningful opportunity to use your leadership experience to make a lasting difference. We welcome applications from individuals who share our commitment to children’s rights, equity, diversity and inclusion. Lived experience of fostering, adoption or care is particularly valued.

Join us and help shape the next chapter of our work for Scotland’s children.