Non-Executive Directors | North Star Housing | Stockton-on-Tees | £5,473 per annum

About North Star

North Star provides affordable and supported housing across the North East, combining strong local relationships with a clear social purpose: creating homes, building futures.

Our work extends beyond providing homes. We work with customers and partners to help people feel secure, connected and able to build their futures. Our values—Creative, Connected and Courageous—shape how we make decisions and work with our communities.

Relationships, trust and clear accountability are central to our culture. We encourage people to contribute ideas, take responsibility and learn from one another. North Star has held Investors in People Platinum since 2017 and achieved ServiceMark accreditation from the Institute of Customer Service in March 2026.

The Opportunity

We are recruiting at least two new Board Members to help shape North Star’s future and oversee delivery of our new five-year strategy, Leading and Growing to 2031.

The strategy brings together four priorities: Customers, Homes, People and Foundations. It sets out our ambition to become the region’s most trusted landlord, improving services, investing in existing homes, providing new homes and supporting thriving communities.

As a Board member, you will contribute to strategic decisions, scrutinise performance and investment, and ensure that customers’ experiences inform the Board’s thinking. You will support and challenge the executive team while protecting North Star’s financial sustainability, culture and social purpose.

You

We would like to hear from people with a wide range of professional backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives who share our purpose and could make a strong contribution to the Board.

You may already be a non-executive director or be considering your first Board appointment. Experience outside housing is welcome. We are interested in your judgement, your willingness to learn and how you work with others.

You will bring:

• The ability to think strategically, weigh up different perspectives and contribute beyond your own specialism.
• Independent thinking and constructive challenge, alongside the ability to listen, build trust and respect others’ views.
• Confidence in questioning financial, performance and risk information and reaching balanced decisions.
• An appreciation of collective accountability and the distinction between Board oversight and day-to-day management.
• A commitment to social housing, equality, diversity and inclusion.
• The time and enthusiasm to prepare thoroughly, participate fully and continuously develop your knowledge.

We particularly encourage interest from people currently underrepresented at board level and value the contribution that lived experience can make alongside professional expertise.

Experience That Would Strengthen Our Board

We want complementary skills and perspectives across the appointments. No individual is expected to cover every area, and an accountancy qualification is not essential.

Property, Development and Contracting

Experience of property, development, construction, asset investment or contracting, bringing insight into investment decisions, contractor performance, value for money and commercial risk.

Risk and Audit

Experience of overseeing organisational risk, scrutinising assurance and internal controls, or strengthening audit arrangements, with the confidence to test evidence and follow through on action.

Governance

Experience of effective governance, accountability and decision-making, helping a Board provide sound oversight and hold an organisation to its purpose and obligations.

These are particular priorities across the appointments. Two appointees will also join the Risk & Audit Committee, helping the Board scrutinise risk management, internal control and assurance.

HR, People and Organisational Development

We also welcome people who can bring insight into workforce strategy, leadership development, organisational change and culture. Your experience could help the Board support North Star’s people, strengthen inclusion and oversee how the organisation develops the skills it needs for the future.

Digital Technology, Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We welcome experience that could help the Board assess the opportunities offered by digital technology, data and AI, alongside the associated risks. You could contribute to decisions about responsible innovation, better services and how technology supports customers and colleagues.

HR and digital expertise are additional areas of interest, rather than skills applicants must bring alongside the main priorities. If you believe your experience could strengthen our Board, we encourage you to apply or speak to Jim about the opportunity.

Why Join Us

You will join a Board that values thoughtful challenge, different perspectives and strong working relationships. You will help make decisions that directly affect the quality of people’s homes, the services they receive and the opportunities available in their communities.

With a new strategy in place, this is an opportunity to help North Star look ahead while staying close to the people and communities it serves. Induction, training and ongoing development will support you in making an effective contribution.

Commitment and Remuneration

Annual remuneration is £5,473, with normal expenses covered. Appointments are for three years.

Allow approximately 24 days a year for Board duties, including preparation and residentials, with additional time for induction and, where appointed, Risk & Audit Committee membership. The Committee meets four times a year, on Mondays.

Meetings are based at North Star’s Stockton-on-Tees offices, with residentials held in the North East. Board and Committee papers are issued 10 days before each meeting.

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

Closing date for application: Friday 4th December, 12pm

Final stage interviews will be held in person in Stockton in early January (TBC)

We plan to agree the shortlist before Christmas and hold final interviews in January 2027. Interview dates and selection arrangements, including details of any customer involvement, will be confirmed to shortlisted candidates before Christmas.

We aim to complete appointments ahead of the February 2027 Risk & Audit Committee meeting.

Find Out More and Apply

Please read the candidate pack for full details of the organisation, roles and application process.

For an informal discussion, contact Jim Allcroft at jim@allcrofta.com or on 07783 701 922.

To apply, please provide:

• Your current CV.
• A concise covering letter explaining your interest in North Star, the contribution you could make to the Board and how you meet the criteria in the candidate pack. Please include any relevant specialist experience and indicate your suitability for Risk & Audit Committee membership.
• A completed diversity monitoring form.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion – Different Together

At North Star, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are part of our DNA. Together, we continue to build a culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates difference. It fuels our innovation and connects us even closer to customers and communities.

We are keen to reflect the communities we serve and welcome applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experience.

We are committed to tackling issues of under representation in our staff team. As such we will guarantee an interview to any candidate who, has a disability, or considers themselves to be from an ethnic minority background and meets the essential criteria of the role.

We can provide all recruitment material in any format,

this includes accepting written applications, as well as online. We will also make any reasonable adjustments necessary to help candidates participate in our recruitment processes.

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.