Member of the Board of Directors

On December 31, 2023, the term of office of one of our members of the Supervisory Board will expire. This member was appointed on the recommendation of our tenant representative organization, SliM Wonen (tenant representative). Consequently, a vacancy will arise on the Supervisory Board of Tablis Wonen effective January 1, 2024. We are seeking a new member with knowledge and experience in the areas of “socialdevelopment, housing & care.” You shouldalso preferably have ties to our service area. Additionally, you should be able to empathize with the interests of our tenants and know how to connect with our tenant representative body.

About Tablis Wonen

Tablis Wonen is a housing association in Sliedrecht. We manage approximately 4,600 rental units in the municipalities of Sliedrecht and Molenlanden. It is important to us that our tenants enjoy living in an affordable home. Our tenants—both current and future—are at the heart of everything we do. We strengthen our engagement and collaboration wherever possible. We also ensure high-quality service. Furthermore, we ensure livable housing complexes, neighborhoods, and communities, and work to provide sufficient suitable, affordable, and available housing. We do this in close collaboration with residents, our tenant organization SliM Wonen, municipalities, and other stakeholders, and we work closely with the other housing associations in the Drechtsteden region. By 2030, we aim to build 400 new homes in Sliedrecht. In addition, we are working hard to connect our homes to a sustainable district heating network. We are a leader when it comes to natural gas-free neighborhoods. The organization consists of over 40 full-time equivalents (FTEs).

Role and procedures of the board of directors

Tablis Wonen is managed by a single-member board. The Supervisory Board oversees and advises the company based on its social legitimacy. The Supervisory Board also acts as the employer for the director. The Supervisory Board may provide the director with solicited or unsolicited advice. In its supervisory role, the Supervisory Board weighs the various interests at stake: the interests of tenants, the public interest in social housing, and the financial continuity of the housing association. The Supervisory Board is responsible for the quality and continuity of its own functioning and conducts an annual self-evaluation. The Supervisory Board exercises proactive oversight with appropriate detachment and acts within the legal frameworks applicable to housing corporations. The Supervisory Board takes proactive action in situations that require it, while taking the director’s position into account.

The Supervisory Board of Tablis Wonen consists of five members. Two of these members are appointed upon the recommendation of the tenants’ organization (SliM Wonen). Members are appointed for a four-year term and may be reappointed once. The Supervisory Board currently has an audit committee and a compensation committee. The entire Supervisory Board is fully responsible for forming opinions and making decisions.

The Supervisory Board’s procedures are outlined in its bylaws. The Supervisory Board meets at least four times a year. In addition, Supervisory Board members participate in thematic meetings and consult with internal and external stakeholders on a number of occasions. In its conduct, the Supervisory Board is guided by the principles of good governance as described in the 2020 Governance Code for Housing Associations. If you would like to learn more about our vision on governance, please click here.

Job opening for a member of the Supervisory Board with expertise in social development, housing, and healthcare, who will also serve as the tenant representative

We are seeking a new member for our Supervisory Board who is well-versed in the areas of “social development, housing, and care.” You work in the social sector and are able to apply your knowledge and experience in these areas to the context of Tablis Wonen. We strongly prefer candidates with ties to the Drechtsteden region. In addition, you have a strong affinity with the field in which Tablis Wonen operates, specifically with the interests and position of our target group. You work and think at a strategic level and preferably have some governance experience. Furthermore, you are capable of self-reflection and collaboration, and you identify with the general profile for our Supervisory Board members (see Appendix 1).

In short, you have:

• Knowledge of and experience with local community issues in the areas of social services, housing and care, poverty, and inclusion.
• Knowledge of stakeholders in the social landscape: at the national, regional, and (where possible) local levels.
• Experience with partnerships in the social sector, as well as knowledge and experience in the areas of participation and social infrastructure.
• Knowledge of the (local) target groups and the associated challenges for the housing authority.

The role of the tenant representative

Specific responsibilities associated with the role of tenant representative include:

• Committed to and interested in the target groups of Tablis Wonen, and curious about their interests.
• Understanding social processes.
• Widespread public interest
• The ability to communicate and connect on various levels.

Key general competencies that we expect every member of our Supervisory Board to possess are:

• Vision, social (environmental) awareness, and responsibility.
• Authenticity and independence.
• Integrity and a sense of morality.
• Self-reflection.
• Ability to work with others.
• Time, availability, and commitment.

These competencies will be discussed during the interviews with our candidates. Further details are provided in Appendix 2.

Independent

The Supervisory Board operates on the principle of collegial oversight. The members of the Supervisory Board are independent in their judgment and focused on reaching consensus in decision-making. They make decisions without external influence or consultation. This also applies to the Supervisory Board members appointed on the recommendation of the tenants’ organization. The Supervisory Board members have no personal or work-related ties to Tablis Wonen and do not represent the interests of specific groups. Finally, it is generally not desirable for our Supervisory Board members to hold a portfolio of rental properties with a profit objective. The guiding principle is “No, unless.” This means that our (prospective) Supervisory Board members must always report and have their private rental properties reviewed.

Procedure

Tablis Wonen is being assisted in this process by the executive search firm Colourful People. For more information about Tablis Wonen, the Supervisory Board position, or the process, please contact Rick Verhoeven, a partner at Colourful People (06 2670 6757). You can express your interest by submitting a cover letter and resume (PDF) no later than August 18via the Colourful People website. Naturally, the confidentiality of your information is guaranteed. Interviews with the selection committee will take place in weeks 39 and 40. The intended start date for the Supervisory Board membership is January 1, 2024.

This position is that of a tenant representative. This means that the tenant organization SliM Wonen is involved in all stages of the selection process and that the preferred candidate will be appointed by the Supervisory Board based on a binding recommendation from SliM Wonen. The candidate to be appointed will be nominated to the Housing Corporations Authority—in accordance with the guidelines in the Housing Act—for an opinion on suitability and reliability. For more information about this procedure, clickhere.

APPENDIX 1: GENERAL PROFILE OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD OF TABLIS WONEN

The Supervisory Board and the Board of Directors of Tablis Wonen share a common vision on governance and oversight. This vision outlines in detail the expected roles of Supervisory Board members. The Supervisory Board operates from a social and public housing perspective and oversees the Board of Directors’ policies and the organization’s operations. The Supervisory Board is involved in strategy development and determining the long-term social value added. The Supervisory Board also adds value to the functioning of Tablis Wonen by placing relevant strategic issues from society on the agenda. In doing so, the Supervisory Board fulfills its role as a networker. The Supervisory Board maintains an active stance toward stakeholders and coordinates its actions in this area with the executive director.

The guiding principle for the composition of the Supervisory Board is that all members are generalists who together form a multidisciplinary team. To ensure comprehensive decision-making, members are needed who possess a broad perspective and expertise in specific areas of focus. Supervisory Board members are expected to be decisive and engaged, maintaining an open and learning attitude. This means that Supervisory Board members articulate their perceptions, suspicions, and underlying feelings and, where necessary, engage in meta-discussion. Ambiguous behavior is not desirable. Together, the Supervisory Board members foster an open and safe atmosphere of trust among themselves, toward the CEO, and toward internal and external stakeholders. The tone is one of goodwill. In their discussions, there is room for diversity and differences of opinion. The Supervisory Board forms its judgments and makes decisions based on multiple perspectives. Discussions focus purely on the substance; relational or personal aspects do not play a role unless explicitly mentioned. The Supervisory Board members keep their focus on the higher goal and are mindful that their own “ego” or personal agenda remains outside the door. There is a strong sense of wanting to achieve something together, but this must never hinder the discussion or the independent opinions of individual members.

The Supervisory Board members place great value on self-reflection as a means of learning from and with one another to achieve an ever-improving Supervisory Board. This is reflected, for example, in discussing the “unspoken” after each meeting. This requires the Supervisory Board members and the CEO to adopt an open and honest reflective attitude toward each other’s values and standards. The degree of openness is linked to the extent to which members appreciate and respect each other’s qualities and are able to accept one another as human beings. Someone who feels valued will have no difficulty with areas for improvement. Therefore, the Supervisory Board consciously chooses to invest in the relationship by, for example, meeting once or more times a year without an agenda in an informal setting.

The members are committed to maintaining an appropriate balance of power with the director because the corporation is exposed to significant risks if a single person or body calls the shots without any checks and balances. The attitude is: we keep each other on our toes (there is no room for complacency), challenge each other to deliver better performance, and we do not create heroes. Good collaboration between the CEO and the Supervisory Board also means effective checks and balances—that is, power and countervailing power. In this regard, the Supervisory Board keeps in mind the interests of Tablis Wonen, the public interest, and the interests of tenants and stakeholders.

To ensure effective oversight, it is important to have access to accurate and complete information. This is a shared responsibility of the CEO and the Supervisory Board. During its meetings, the Supervisory Board receives updates from the CEO, in part based on reports. The Supervisory Board regularly invites members of the management team (or other employees) to its meetings to provide further clarification on an agenda item.

Skills

All members of the Supervisory Board therefore possess at least the following competencies/qualities:

• Authenticity, self-reflection, independent judgment, integrity, and a sense of morality.
• An interest in social issues related to public housing, combined with social (environmental) awareness and a sense of responsibility, as well as the ability to maintain a network in this area.
• A shared commitment to the mission, vision, and goals of Tablis Wonen.
• A bird's-eye view, analytical skills, and the ability to distinguish between what is essential and what is secondary.
• The ability to engage in strategic dialogue on broad policy issues and on specific policy areas or sub-areas within one’s own field of expertise, and to serve as a sounding board for the CEO and fellow Supervisory Board members.
• Understanding of strategic decision-making processes, administrative decision-making, and governance of civil society organizations.
• Skills such as the ability to engage in discussions, the ability to participate effectively in meetings, approachability, and communication skills.
• The ability to work as part of a team, prioritizing the group’s interests and contributing to the collective outcome.

Skills and expertise on the Supervisory Board

The Supervisory Board strives for a composition in which various areas of expertise and focus are well represented. These areas of expertise are aligned with the challenges facing Tablis Wonen. Diversity is necessary to serve as a sounding board and advisor to the management in various fields, but also to keep each other on our toes and prevent groupthink. The Supervisory Board places great value on diversity in its composition. This involves not only diversity in expertise, gender, and age, but also diversity in personalities.

The following areas of expertise and skills are important for supervision within Tablis Wonen:

• Governance, Human Resources & Organization.
• Public housing.
• Social development, housing & care.
• Real estate development and management.
• Adaptation to climate change in the physical environment, including making homes more sustainable, the energy transition, and circularity.
• Finance and economics, taxation, treasury, and real estate investments.
• ICT & Innovation, Communication & Marketing.

The areas of expertise listed above are described in more detail in the appendix. At least one member of the Supervisory Board must possess a high level of expertise in each of these areas.

APPENDIX 2: AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND CORE COMPETENCIES

The supervisory board includes members with diverse areas of expertise to oversee the organization. These areas of expertise are aligned with the organization’s stage of development and Tablis Wonen’s strategy. The following areas of expertise, knowledge, and experience are important:

Governance, Human Resources, and Organization

• Has a clear vision regarding oversight, compliance, and governance.
• Has experience as a director or supervisor and is knowledgeable about developments in the areas of governance, organizational development, and HR issues.
• Has knowledge of and experience with organizational governance, structure, and accountability issues, as well as with the development and implementation of integrity policies and risk management.
• Knowledge of corporate communication laws and regulations, and the ability to assess the societal risks associated with certain policy decisions.

Public housing

• Knowledge of relevant laws and regulations, including at least the Housing Act and the 2015 Housing Services Regulation (core tasks, target group, DAEB/non-DAEB, etc.).
• Experience working with or in housing cooperatives on a wide range of housing issues: quality of life, availability, accessibility (allocation policy), sustainability policy, and affordability (rental policy).
• Knowledge about stakeholders (such as tenants, municipalities, and regulators) and when and how to inform and engage them.
• Knowledge of and/or experience in the social and political arena, at the national, regional, and, if possible, local levels.
• Has experience with housing visions and performance agreements. Knowledge and experience in the areas of new media, tenant participation, customer processes, housing market research, and marketing strategies and tools.
• Knowledge of the (local) target groups of the policy and the associated challenges for the housing authority.

Social Development: Housing, Health Care, and Social Services

• Knowledge of and experience with local community issues in the areas of social services, housing and care, poverty, and inclusivity.
• Knowledge of stakeholders in the social landscape: national, regional, and local.
• Has experience with partnerships in the social sector and knowledge and experience in the areas of participation and social infrastructure.
• Knowledge of the (local) target groups and the associated challenges for the housing authority.

Real Estate Development and Management

• Knowledge of relevant laws and regulations, including at least those pertaining to the procurement and outsourcing of work, land-use policy, construction policy, safety, and sustainability.
• Knowledge of or experience with area development and project development; an understanding of how the housing market and the real estate market generally function.
• Knowledge of or experience with strategic inventory policy/management, asset/portfolio management, and maintenance systems at housing associations.

Adaptation to climate change in the physical built environment, including making homes, the energy transition, and circularity

• Knowledge of transition management and experience with strategic collaboration in the field of climate change adaptation. Circularity, the energy transition, and making housing more sustainable are all aspects of climate change adaptation.
• Able to identify the risks associated with the various scenarios and their impact on residents.
• Knowledge of and experience with area-specific collaboration among stakeholders. Familiarity with the legal, financial, and governance aspects of such partnerships.
• Knowledge of national and regional policies regarding climate change adaptation and its various aspects, such as the municipalities’ regional energy strategies.
• Be able to align climate change adaptation issues with Tablis Wonen’s overall portfolio strategy.
• Knowledge of investment models in the field of climate change adaptation and the ability to serve as an authoritative point of contact for external regulators (the Housing Associations Authority and the Social Housing Guarantee Fund).

Finance, management control, taxation, and (real estate) investments

• Knowledge of and/or experience with issues related to the institution’s financing and financial stability.
• Knowledge of and understanding of financial risks to the institution and the relevant requirements and regulations, including in the areas of treasury, investments, and taxation.
• Be able to assess investment decisions in terms of risks and tax implications.
• Knowledge of financial and economic issues and management techniques focused on control (risk management).
• Knowledge of the rules governing (financial) reporting and annual reporting.
• Knowledge of real estate valuation methods.

ICT and Innovation

• Knowledge of relevant laws and regulations regarding the management of personal data.
• Knowledge of and insight into developments in the field of business process digitization, with a specific focus on customer processes.
• Knowledge of information provision.
• Knowledge of digitization and digital security.

Additions by the Tenants' Commissioner

• Knowledge of public housing and participation issues.
• Involved with Tablis Wonen's target groups.
• Understanding social processes.
• Widespread public interest.

Addition by the chair

• Demonstrate decisiveness and leadership, and inspire confidence when necessary. Play a unifying role, both formally and informally.
• Being able to be transparent in one’s own actions and to delegate.
• Be able to handle pressure and know how to respond appropriately in difficult or complex situations, both in terms of content and interpersonal skills.
• Be able to facilitate a meeting without taking the lead or directing the discussion. Create an environment where participants can engage in conversation in a way that allows everyone’s input to be heard. Be able to listen and summarize.
• Ensure an open and safe environment where there is room for dissent, successes are shared, and the members of the Supervisory Board and the CEO feel free to bring dilemmas to the table.
• Be able to monitor and sense the quality of judgment and decision-making when important issues are left unspoken, and be able to address and evaluate this in a natural way.
• Be a good sounding board for the manager and act in a way that reflects an understanding of your role.

Skills

The competencies relevant to the supervisory role of the Supervisory Board of Tablis Wonen can be described as follows:

Vision, social (environmental) awareness, and responsibility

Possesses strategic insight, a big-picture perspective, and the ability to think holistically. Is attuned to developments, power dynamics, and sentiments within the housing association. Recognizes the specific role of the housing association and can monitor the association’s strategy and evaluate it against the organization’s stated vision and mission and their implementation. Demonstrates a solid understanding of (changing) social developments in the housing association’s environment and their potential impact on tenants and other stakeholders.

Authenticity and independence

Is alert to conflicts of interest, positions, or relationships. Is consistent in thought and action (behavior and attitude) under various circumstances. Makes clear what he or she truly values and what he or she stands for. This also involves openly communicating intentions, ideas, and feelings, and encouraging openness and honesty among the various parties involved. Demonstrates a willingness to be accountable, comply with laws and regulations, and adhere to governance rules.

Integrity and moral awareness

Performs the job adequately and diligently, in accordance with rules and responsibilities. Makes judgments and acts in an ethically responsible manner, based on generally accepted social and ethical standards. Is accountable for their own behavior and holds others accountable as well.

Self-reflection

Reflection on one’s own role, position, influence, and behavior. Is capable of self-reflection: reflects on (and learns from) his or her personal and professional conduct within the social context. Integrates this reflection naturally into his or her actions and encourages it within the Supervisory Board.

Ability to work with others

Has an eye for the group’s interests and the collective outcome. Is able to work effectively as part of a team and respect diverse perspectives.

Time and commitment

Actual time available for dedication and commitment