Carole feels that she is a great example of a North Star ‘Grow Your Own’ employee. After joining in 1991 as the Supported Housing Manager, she worked her way through a range of different roles and is now part of the executive team.
Previously, she was with Middlesbrough Council for 11 years, managing their homelessness and housing advice service. Through her work, she was dealing with Housing Associations, and met Endeavour, as North Star was then.
“Over time, I came to understand that I wanted to have more influence to make change happen,” Carole says. “Of all the Housing Associations that I worked with, my values most aligned with North Star, so I waited for a post to become available, I applied and got the job.”
Her next role with North Star was in Business Development, and then Assistant Director of Housing, moving into her previous role as Executive Director of People and Culture in 2017. This involved organisational development training and HR-type support functions to ensure progressive people approaches and strategies.
Carole moved into her current role on 1 May 2024. Carole says that taking on this role is a huge privilege. She will work with staff across the business to deliver great services to customers and ensure that customers can influence what we do and how we do it.
Along with the other directors, she is also charged with keeping North Star strong; ensuring they develop more homes, provide a great workplace for staff, and deliver high-quality services to their customers.
Carole says that she wants North Star to continue to grow and develop its approach to delivering flexible, accessible, effective services, developed by listening to and involving its customers.
“It’s great to work here, to be so involved, to be able to influence, to be doing a job that I love, and be part of something so worthwhile.”