General information for applicants for employment - page 1
Information about the post of Finance & IT Officer
The post has become vacant due to the retirement of the current post holder. The role is an integral part of the finance team based in the office situated on the Darrick Wood estate. This post reports to the Finance Director. Please refer to the Person Specification for details and the skills and experience required for the role.
General information
At Keniston we pride ourselves in providing excellent services to our residents. A key aim is to achieve very high levels of satisfaction amongst our residents, so how staff deal with the public is extremely important. It is fundamental that staff can deal with residents in all kinds of situations and leave them happy with their dealings with our organisation. All staff who deal with the public need to have excellent customer service skills.
We employ about 40 staff, many of whom are part time or job sharers. Just over half are based in the office while the others are based on estates as cleaners, gardeners, caretakers, sheltered housing managers etc.
Keniston is a housing association with charitable status. We own approximately 700 rented properties in Bexley, Bromley, Crawley, Croydon, Islington, Lambeth and Southwark. Included are four sheltered housing schemes for the elderly in Crawley, Sidcup and Farnborough, Kent. Most tenants are nominated to us by the local authority. All are in housing need, and some are vulnerable. We also manage about 40 properties sold on long leases.
We are very aware of the need for good quality, genuinely affordable and well managed housing. Keniston has ambitions to grow and develop, and we are actively pursuing opportunities to expand the housing we provide.
The governing Board is made up of interested professional and lay people who give their time entirely voluntarily.
Keniston achieved continued recognition as an Investor in People in 2015(Silver award) and is committed to training, developing and maintaining a motivated work force.
Personnel information
Our comprehensive Staff Handbook sets out the rules, terms and conditions of employment and personnel policies.
Life cover is provided for all staff at three times annual salary either through the pension scheme or a separate insurance.
Basic leave is 25 days a year plus bank holidays, rising to 30 days for long service. Part time staff and job sharers are entitled to leave proportional to the hours worked. Job sharers take bank holidays as and when they fall on their normal working days. Some staff have leave specified in hours where it is fairer to do so.
Office
Keniston’s offices are situated on our Darrick Wood estate. Parking is available. Access by public transport: bus routes which stop near the office include 358, 402, R3, R4, 654 and 261; the nearest overground railway station is Orpington – about 25 minutes walk.
Equality and fair treatment
Keniston is committed to treating everybody fairly and trying to ensure that particular groups are not discriminated against in service provision or employment. All staff must be committed to this principle and ensure in all their dealings with the public and other members of staff, that they do not exercise intentional or unintentional discrimination in any way.
At present people from Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) communities are under-represented amongst staff compared with the communities we provide services to. We welcome applications from anyonebut applications from people from BME communities are particularly welcome.
Feedback for unsuccessful applicants
Unsuccessful candidates may request feedback after the interview which we will attempt to give as helpfully as possible. If you wish to have feedback, please ask within two weeks of the interview.
The law on preventing illegal working
We require all shortlisted candidates to bring documentation with them to the interview to prove that they are allowed to work legally in the United Kingdom. Further information about the law in relation to illegal working is available on the Home Office website –
Conflicts of interest
Keniston HA is a Registered Provider and as such its activities are regulated by the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA). Anyone considering working for a Housing Association should know that there is legislation about the possibility of conflict of interest which may affect them. The purpose of this legislation is to require high standards of conduct and integrity by staff to avoid the possibility of actual, potential or assumed conflicts of interest.
Such conflicts can include actual or business relationships, or financial interests between staff and the Association’s suppliers, contractors or tenants. Adherence to regulatory guidance regarding conflicts of interest is an explicit obligation of staff of the Association and is spelt out in detail in the Staff Handbook.
If you have any concerns about the possible effect of this legislation on you please ensure that you raise the matter if shortlisted for an interview.
Further information
For further information about Keniston please see