Help shape the future of a trusted, customer-focused housing association.

Homes, communities and support

We work together to provide quality homes, build stronger communities and offer individual support that gives people the freedom to live well. Most of our homes are in our Tees Valley heartland, with a growing presence across the wider North East, Yorkshire and Humber.

We own and manage more than 36,000 homes, support around 100,000 customers and employ over 1,600 colleagues. Our vision is to be the most trusted housing association with happy customers, and our mission is to provide fantastic homes and services through brilliant people.

Our Business Strategy 2024-2035 is built around three connected priorities: happy customers, fantastic homes and brilliant people. It is underpinned by values that ask us to be accountable, proactive, courageous and considerate in the way we work and make decisions.

A timely opportunity to join our Group Board

We’re proud to be recognized as a strong, well governed organization, with the highest C1, G1 and V1 regulatory ratings. We have a clear long-term strategy and strong track record in in development and asset management. Our Board must nevertheless keep looking ahead, testing whether our decisions remain right for customers and ensuring that governance and assurance continue to develop as expectations, risks and regulation change.

What we’re looking for

As part of our ongoing approach to Board succession and skills planning, we’re now seeking one Group Board Member with current expertise in legal, governance and regulatory matters. You’ll bring up to date professional insight that will strengthen Board discussions and decision making. You’ll also help us maintain strong links between governance, risk assurance and strategic oversight.

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to a large, complex organisation with a strong social purpose. As a Board member, you’ll help shape decisions and support our ambition to provide fantastic homes and services through brilliant people.

About the role

As a Group Board Member, you’ll share collective responsibility for our strategic leadership, governance and long-term success. You’ll bring independent judgement, current professional insight and constructive challenge, while respecting the distinction between Board oversight and executive management.

You’ll:

• Contribute to the development, approval and oversight of our strategy, purpose and values.
• Help the Board connect legal and regulatory expectations with strategy, organisational risk and major decisions.
• Test whether governance, assurance and accountability arrangements are clear, robust and proportionate.
• Support the continued development of Board and committee arrangements, bringing current insight into good governance practice.
• Hold the Executive Team to account for performance and seek sound assurance on customer outcomes, regulation, risk, financial resilience and delivery.
• Bring independent judgement to complex decisions, ask direct and well-framed questions, and contribute to collective accountability.
• Champion the interests and voice of customers and the long-term wellbeing of the communities Thirteen serves.
• Prepare thoroughly, attend meetings and development activity, declare conflicts and uphold collective responsibility and confidentiality.

About you

We’re looking for someone with senior-level experience in law, governance, company secretarial work, regulation, risk or a closely related field. Your experience is likely to have been gained in social housing, the regulated third sector or another complex regulated or public-interest environment.

You may be a practising lawyer, a senior governance or company secretarial professional, a regulator, a risk leader or someone whose work sits at the intersection of these areas. A legal qualification is not the only route to the role; what matters is the relevance and currency of your expertise, your strategic judgement and your ability to contribute effectively at Board level.

You’ll bring:

• The ability to translate legal and regulatory issues into clear strategic implications for a Board.
• A practical understanding of assurance, accountability and proportionate oversight.
• Current insight into governance and regulatory expectations in a complex organisation.
• Sound judgement, independence of mind and the confidence to provide constructive challenge.
• A clear understanding of collective responsibility and the distinction between governance and management.
• The ability to listen, communicate succinctly and keep discussion focused on the issues that genuinely require Board attention.
• A strong commitment to our customers, social purpose and values.

Experience in one or more of the following areas would also be valuable:

• Housing regulation or governance.
• Procurement, commercial contracting or wider organisational risk.
• Committee design, governance frameworks, nominations or remuneration oversight.
• Supporting Boards through governance change or regulatory review.
• Acting as a trusted adviser to senior executives or a Board.

First-time Board Members are welcome

Previous non-executive experience would be welcome, but it is not essential. We are also interested in senior professionals who are ready to take on their first Board role and can demonstrate strategic maturity, current expertise and a clear understanding of how a non-executive contributes without stepping into management. A comprehensive and tailored induction programme will be provided.

Connected to place

This is not a remote-only appointment. Board Members are expected to engage with the organisation, spend time with customers and colleagues, and be present in the communities we serve. A meaningful connection to the operating area will therefore be strongly valued. You may live or work locally, have roots in the area, or demonstrate a convincing and practical understanding of our communities and their needs.

What you’ll gain

This is a rewarding opportunity to:

• Help shape the future direction of a significant housing association with a clear strategy to 2035.
• Use your legal, governance and regulatory expertise to strengthen Board decision-making and assurance.
• Contribute to an organisation focused on happy customers, fantastic homes and brilliant people.
• Work alongside committed Board and Executive colleagues in a values-led organisation.
• Develop or deepen your non-executive experience in a complex, regulated housing environment.

About the appointment

Detail	Information
Remuneration	£10,500 per annum
Location	Middlesbrough / Teesside, with activity across Thirteen’s operating area
Term	An initial term of three years
Time commitment	Approximately 15 set days per year plus additional reading, prep time.
Meeting pattern	Four Board meeting cycles each year, the Annual General Meeting and two Board Development/Strategy Days. Board and committee activity is mainly in person, with some early-evening committee meetings.
Committees	Membership of one or more committees, with allocation agreed after appointment

Applications should be made via email to jim@allcrofta.com and must include on separate documents:

Closing date for applications: Tuesday 15th September, 12pm

Final stage interviews will be held in person in Middlesbrough in late September – early October TBC

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Thirteen aspires to an inclusive culture and welcomes a broad diversity of talent. We’re interested in your skills, experience, judgement and values, and warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and life experiences.

We want to widen the range of perspectives around the Board table. Applications are particularly welcomed from people of different ages, socio-economic backgrounds, professional routes and lived experiences, including perspectives that are currently underrepresented in Board leadership.

In 2024, Thirteen received a Bronze Talent, Inclusion and Diversity Evaluation (TIDE) Award for its approach to embedding an inclusive working culture. Adjustments will be made for candidates with a disability, learning difference, medical condition or other individual need so that they can perform at their best throughout the selection process. Please inform Allcroft Associates what support would be helpful.

In making an application for this role we ask you also to view our Privacy Notice which outlines our compliance to General Data Protection Regulations and the use and storage of your data.

Personal Data is held and processed on the lawful basis that such action is in the Legitimate Interest of the company in pursuing the purposes described and has been considered through the use of a Legitimate Interest Assessment utilising the Balance Test to not be outweighed by risks to the rights, freedoms and interests of the Data Subject.