Non-Executive Director (HR/People)

Board Member – HR / People Expertise
 Freebridge Community Housing
 West Norfolk

Tenure: Initial tenure will be for 3 years (with the option to extend to 6 years)
 Remuneration: Board Member: £5,585.15 a year (approx. 24 days a year)

 Freebridge Community Housing is a values‑led organisation with a clear sense of purpose: to put people and communities at the heart of everything it does, while staying resilient and ready for what comes next. In this role, your HR and People expertise will give the Board the confidence, challenge and insight it needs as Freebridge reshapes how it works, partners with others and leads its people through a significant period of change.

 Having recruited to the organisation at Executive, Board and Committee level, we can attest to their commitment to their purpose and believe this role to be a genuine opportunity to make an impact across West Norfolk.

 If you believe you could have a positive impact at Board level with Freebridge, we’d love to hear from you.

 The role

We are looking for a Board Member with strong HR / People expertise to bring strategic insight, constructive challenge and sound judgement to the Board and, where appropriate, to relevant committee discussions. This is a governance role, not an operational one, and will suit someone who can work at a strategic level while keeping people, culture and organisational effectiveness firmly in view.

Freebridge is entering an important phase of change, including the development of a shared service arrangement with another housing provider. This will shape the way some core services are delivered over the coming years and creates a real opportunity for a Board member who can help oversee workforce implications, organisational design, cultural alignment and the people dimensions of transformation.

Alongside this, the role will support Board oversight of broader people matters, including workforce strategy, leadership capacity, organisational culture and the handling of complex employment issues where senior‑level judgement is valuable.

 The organisation

Freebridge Community Housing is the largest provider of housing in West Norfolk, set up in 2006 to receive the transfer of homes from the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk. They own and manage around 7,000 homes across West Norfolk, making a difference to thousands of customers within communities across an area of almost 550 square miles. They have an annual turnover of £35m and employ well over 200 people. Over the last 17 years, there have been numerous achievements, not least delivering their tenants’ promises and bringing homes to the Decent Homes Standard, affording their customers a much better quality of living.

As the organisation evolves, Freebridge is looking for Board members who can help them think long term, govern well and ensure the organisation remains resilient, people‑focused and fit for the future.

 Who we are looking for

If you have an enquiring mind and are ready to challenge, question and support the organisation, to share your knowledge gained from your senior‑level experience and to offer a solutions‑focused approach, we’d love to hear from you. 

We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:

• Senior HR / People leadership experience, ideally including organisational change, transformation, workforce planning or shared services.
• The ability to contribute at Board level, distinguishing clearly between strategic oversight and operational management.
• Strong judgement on people, culture, governance and organisational effectiveness.
• The confidence to support and challenge executive thinking in a constructive and collaborative way.

Previous non‑executive or Board experience would be beneficial, but it is not essential. We are open to first‑time Board members who can demonstrate the strategic capability, perspective and judgement needed to succeed in the role.

Candidates from outside the housing sector will be welcomed, particularly where they can bring fresh thinking and transferable experience from complex, customer‑facing or regulated organisations.

 Diversity

Freebridge are committed to developing an organisational culture which values people from all sections of the community. This involves creating an inclusive environment that builds on everything that makes people unique and gives everyone a fair and equal chance to be successful. Freebridge encourages understanding and focus around diversity, encourages people to be themselves at work, and promotes an environment which feels more exciting, fair and inclusive.

We encourage applications from everyone. If you require any support with the application process for these roles, please contact barry@greenacre-recruitment.com.

To apply

Please send your CV and supporting statement to barry@greenacre-recruitment.com alongside completing our online recruitment monitoring form- https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/EDIFreebridge