Alice Smith has been appointed as the new Head of Neighbourhoods for housing association LiveWest.
The 38,000-home landlord has recruited Alice to play a key role in delivering its vision, business objectives and strategy through providing strong leadership and focus on its general and sheltered services.
Leading in the developing of policies, procedures and working practices, Alice (pictured above) will ensure that LiveWest are at the forefront of delivering services to customers in line with the Social Housing White Paper. Alice will join the Operations Senior Management team at LiveWest and contribute to the development and implementation of strategies and services, ensuring a joined-up approach to the directorate’s work. The leadership role will see Alice leading 170 colleagues who have responsibility for around 30,000 homes across the South West.
Alice, 36, said: “I moved back to the South West during the pandemic and was drawn to LiveWest as its an ambitious organisation with strong values. I am extremely passionate about social housing and felt that the opportunity to join LiveWest would enable me to really make a difference.
“The pandemic has transformed the ways in which our frontline teams work across the sector and although there have been positives, it’s also created some challenges. Over the next few months, my priority is to get to know the teams and learn more about them and the communities that they work in. My main areas of focus will be ensuring my team are supported in delivering great services for customers and supporting the sustainability of communities in terms of letting our homes.”
Having worked in housing for the last 17 years, Alice — originally from Dorset — has worked in a number of roles for housing associations across the South West, including a Housing Officer, Maintenance Surveyor and Neighbourhood Team Manager before moving to Wales in 2017. It was there that she worked in Business Improvement and Housing Management leadership roles before becoming Head of Housing Operations at Pobl, a housing association in Newport.
Alice added: “My passion lies in creating thriving communities and delivering a great housing management service, and although the teams already do this, my aim is to ensure that they are empowered and supported to deliver the best service to our customers. Hopefully with restrictions easing, over the next year I’d love for us to be out more in our communities doing that important engagement and ensuring we’re delivering services that really matter to our customers.”
Outside of work, Alice is a history enthusiast with a thirst for learning about the past from Roman Times to the two World Wars. She enjoys walking through muddy fields, a spot of lunch at a country pub and has a love of cats. She was the winner of the CIH Rising Stars competition in 2016.
James Reseigh, Director of Neighbourhoods for LiveWest, added: “We are delighted Alice has joined LiveWest to head up our Neighbourhoods team and support me in driving forward out strategy so that our customers love their homes and the neighbourhoods they live in. Alice has a wealth of experience in the housing sector and will bring new ideas to an already well-functioning team.”
