Ocean Group is a local housing provider based in St Austell, Cornwall who is the parent company for Ocean Housing and Gilbert & Goode. We manage over 4,500 homes and have ambitious plans to build 3,000 homes by 2030 and we are looking for a Head of Neighbourhood Services to provide leadership & effective management within the Neighbourhood Services Division.

We have a Group Board and two subsidiary company boards. The Group Board is accountable to its residents and a wide range of stakeholders and customers. Our common purpose is supporting as many people as we can to have a good quality home, within a caring community.  This purpose is accomplished through a great team of people across Ocean Housing Ltd and Gilbert and Goode Ltd, supported by an excellent leadership team. The philosophy of the Boards is rooted in support and challenge. Together we support our people to achieve our ambitious agenda and we challenge each other to ensure regulatory and other standards are met or exceeded.

We are ‘One Ocean’ committed to getting better and better at being at the heart of the Cornish community.

Ocean has a clear vision for its future, and we will gear all our activities towards achieving this vision

“To be an innovative provider of quality homes and services, with residents and staff at the heart of Ocean, and Ocean at the heart of the community”

As a Group we have five clear Golden Threads:

• Have residents at the heart of everything we do
• Maintain strong and effective Governance.
• Provide good quality services, right first time
• Provide innovative, energy efficient, good quality homes
• Be an employer of choice, creating local job and training opportunities, recruiting and retaining the best people.

Some quick facts:

• The company was originally formed in 1998 and commenced operation in February 2000 when it purchased the whole housing stock of 3,502 homes from Restormel Borough Council 
• Since being established, we have invested over £200 million in the county through community involvement, property development, jobs and apprenticeships
• We now manage 4,500 tenanted homes, over 450 shared ownership properties and just over 400 leasehold properties in Cornwall.  
• We employ around 210 staff who operate in our main office in St Austell and various site schemes throughout Cornwall within our group company Gilbert & Goode.

Our Role

The Head of Neighbourhood Services will provide leadership and effective management of the resources, performance, systems and risks within the Neighbourhood Services Division.

You will need to demonstrate a proven track record of successfully delivering housing, income management and older person services along with delivering service improvements and tackling under performance. Your people management skills are equally as important to ensure you provide support, mentoring and coaching to frontline staff with the ability to influence and lead teams to achieve targets.

You will have the passion to deliver a customer focused division where the residents are at the heart of what you do and that you are able to provide clear direction and informed decisions involving others and have the ability to think creatively and solve problems.

You will have experience of leading and managing with the responsibility for delivering good performance against defined targets and standards and you will have knowledge of the legislation, statutory guidance, quality standards and good practice in relation to housing management.

You will be able to work under pressure, meet deadlines and remain calm in high pressure situations along with being able to adapt, manage and move between a varying workload.  You will be able to demonstrate patience, diplomacy and able to show empathy whilst balancing the needs of the business.  

We require that you will be educated to Degree or equivalent level 6 qualification. Having a Professional qualification in housing is desirable and not essential. Due to the nature of the role, it is essential that you have the ability to travel to various locations.

For more information regarding the role and knowledge and experience please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification.

What we offer

• Competitive salary
• Company Pension scheme – 4% contribution with employer match at 4%
• Entitlement to more than the statutory days paid holiday per annum plus statutory bank holidays – this role entitles 32 days per year plus bank holidays
• Family Friendly Policies
• Work within an organisation with a comprehensive Health & Wellbeing strategy which includes FREE yearly Flu Jabs
• Health and Wellbeing ‘Gold Award’ Winner in 2018 & 2019 and Healthy Workplace mentor in 2019 and recognized as a ‘Mindful Employer’ on their Charter

Ocean is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community

Closing date: Monday 28th September 2020 @ Midday

Interviews to be held: 19th and 20th October 2020

2nd interviews to be held: 4th November 2020