Customer Board Member

About the job

Key information

Location: Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater, United Kingdom / Hybrid – home & office based

Salary: from £3,500 per year plus reasonable expenses

Closes at 08/09/2025

Contract Type: Permanent, Board Member

What will I be doing?

We are seeking a new Board Member to join Homes in Somerset. This remunerated role requires approximately 10 days per year plus ambassadorial activities, with a salary of £3500 plus expenses. We welcome applications from existing customers or members of the public, ideally with expertise in property development, risk management, corporate of housing law, change management or finance.

What kind of experience or qualifications do I need?

All Board members are encouraged to expand their general knowledge of the sector and maintain their specialist knowledge if it is of positive relevance and benefit to the Company.

Core Qualities for all Board members

To have and demonstrate a commitment to:

1. The success of the Company.
2.  Social housing and the development of sustainable communities.
3. Meeting the needs of vulnerable people.
4. Working effectively with other Board Members and with staff.
5. The vision of the organisation.
6. The Company’s values.
7. The involvement and engagement of customers; and
8. Equality, diversity & inclusion

To have and demonstrate a sufficient standard of education to enable the proper assimilation of information presented to the Board and its Committees; to be able to raise relevant questions about them; and to reach informed decisions.

To have personal circumstances that enable:

• Time to attend an average of ten meetings a year, whether Board, Spotlight Sessions, Committee or working group meetings.
• Ad-hoc discussions to be held between Board Meetings with other Board Members and staff to help inform and develop the work of the Company; and
• Attendance at two Board Away Days (held twice per year and each is two days in duration) and a minimum of two days a year of training and related activities.

To have the ability to:

• Place customers at the forefront in all decision making and ensure that the customer voice is heard loud and clear.
• Work effectively in groups.
• Understand the concepts of budgeting and monitoring financial performance.
• Understand the core elements of letting, managing, and maintaining property and monitoring performance; and
• Take rational decisions based on the information available.

Special knowledge, skills, and experience to be provided by Board Members

Each Board member is expected to contribute at a strategic level to at least one of these qualities and the Board will have at least one Board Member who can demonstrate each of these qualities:

• Knowledge of how customers experience the services provided by the Company.
• Knowledge of how other key stakeholders experience the services provided by the Company.
• Experience in the housing sector at a senior level in a similar organisation.
• Experience in leading and directing the activities of others within a business environment.
• Experience operating at a strategic level within a medium-sized business.
• Experience in change management
• Experience in participating in community-led groups, developing solutions, and securing resources to tackle neighbourhood issues.
• Skills in evaluating detailed financial information and making major decisions on priorities and resources.
• Skills in developing solutions to complex problems.
• Skills in identifying and managing risk and developing and monitoring internal controls.
• Skills in corporate governance and housing law
• Skills in providing or managing large-scale housing maintenance, development, or construction-related services.

Any knowledge/skills/experience gaps will be a consideration when recruiting Board Members and succession planning.

Homes in Somerset has adopted the NHF Code of Governance requirements and previously elected members of the Board are not permitted to apply unless a period of three years has elapsed.

Reasonable adjustments will be made for anyone requiring additional support with numeracy and literacy

DBS check

All appointments are subject to two satisfactory references, a DBS check and access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Supporting documents and information

To apply, please visit the vacancies section on our website

You will be asked for full contact details for two referees (including your current employer if applicable). Please note we will not request references without your prior permission.

Claire Tough, Director of Communities & Customer Service, is more than happy to answer any questions that you might have about the vacancy. Please contact the People Team on jobs@homesinsomerset.org to ask for a call back and we will arrange this for you.

The closing date for applications is Monday, 8 September 2025, at 5pm.

Apply on the Homes in Somerset website