James Tickell: key projects

As Deputy Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation

• iN business for neighbourhoods: played major role in creation, implementation and communication of this major change project for the sector.
• Regional restructuring: Led a major restructuring and refocusing of the NHF's regional service, allowing highly effective collaboration with the new regional development agencies and regional chambers, and enhanced links with Federation members.
• Website and knowledge management: Responsible for organisation-wide change project to enhance, develop and extend the Federation's website, customer information, electronic communication, knowledge management and business methods.
• Joint Venture magazine: Took the lead on negotiating a Joint Venture with a major magazine publisher for the relaunch of the Federation's weekly journal, Housing Today (readership c.70,000)
• Speaking: Frequent public appearances and presentations at seminars, conferences and other events.
• Governance reform: Lead officer in running the Federation-sponsored public inquiry into the governance of housing associations, chaired by Sir David Hancock. Subsequently responsible for preparing and promoting the resulting Code of Governance. Devised and implemented major follow-up programme of activity to the governance inquiry, including new model rules, board member recruitment initiatives, publications, conferences and training.
• Corporate identity: Responsible for commissioning and implementation of bold new corporate identity and style for the Federation (launched 2004).
• Stock rationalisation: led a strategic research project to encourage and facilitate stock rationalisation in the Birmingham/Sandwell Housing Market Renewal Area.

As Harkness Fellow in the USA

• Research: Joint researcher and author of an influential report on the potential of Chicago's non-profit housing and community development sector, assessing its achievements to date, focusing on current barriers to effectiveness, and making recommendations for maximising its future contribution.

As Registrar (and other posts) at the Housing Corporation

• Ombudsman: Lead officer in devising, presenting and initially implementing a proposal for the setting up by the Housing Corporation of a Housing Associations Ombudsman.
• Trouble-shooting: Lead officer in handling (and resolving) major financial problems in a large housing association, responsible for negotiations with private lenders, local authorities, consultants and other interested parties.
• Author and expert: Author and promoter of a comprehensive hand-book for housing associations, setting out the legal and policy framework, with particular reference to the vires of charitable associations.
• Deregulation: Author of a wide new General Consent for the disposal of land by housing associations, eliminating the need for some 4,000 annual paper transactions, while retaining full public accountability. Author of a statutory Determination setting out classes of exemption from the prohibitions of Section 15 of the Housing Associations Act 1985, and associated guidance.
• Stock transfer: Author of guidance for local authorities on the setting up of new housing associations to take transfer of municipal housing stock. Responsible for reporting to the Registration and Supervision Committee of the Corporation's Board on such applicants for registration.
• Standard setting: Responsible for initial drafting of a major consultation document setting out a comprehensive new framework for the effective regulation of housing associations by the Corporation.

At the British Refugee Council and Community Housing Association

• Project development: Responsible for setting up and obtaining funding for ten new housing projects for refugees, in partnership with local housing associations. Responsible for development and management of numerous supported housing projects for the full range of client groups across three London boroughs. Chairman of Arlington House Board at the time when taken into public ownership.
• Board role: Founder board member of ASRA (Greater London) HA Ltd. Board member of Presentation HA during change of chief executive.
• Statutory appointee: To the board of Spiral HA - a major West Midlands association under Housing Corporation supervision.

More information about James Tickell is available here.