Back office restructure will give foundation for success

Published by Jon Land for Merlin Housing Society in Housing

Merlin Housing Society said goodbye to Corporate Services Director Angela Parks at the end of September, and will say hello to almost 20 new staff,  after her decision to leave sparked a restructure.

 It’s the second restructure this year for Merlin – which owns more than 8,000 properties in South Gloucestershire following stock transfer in 2007.

“In May, following consultation with staff and residents, we totally transformed our housing services,” says Chief Executive Ian Matthews.

“We’ve turned our housing officers into specialists in either supported housing, financial inclusion or neighbourhood services, we’ve strengthened our customer service teams, and introduced a more specific focus on community investment.

“In supported housing, we’ve streamlined our operations and introduced brand new services – like activities and site officers -  based on what our residents have told us they want.

 “We’d always planned to look at reducing our two back office directorates down to one, and with Angela’s decision to leave this year after being here almost from the very start, we decided to take the opportunity – front line services need good back office functions to succeed.”

The restructure sees former Director of Finance Sue O’Neill take on the mantle of Director of Finance and Resources.

She says: “The restructure has given us the chance to develop and shape our back office services to really support our colleagues on the front line. Going forwards, we’ll have a focus on performance management, organisational development, business improvement and safety, health and the environment.

 And as a result of the restructure, we’re able to advertise 19 vacancies within our organisation – giving a real boost to the local economy.”