Executive Director of Customer, Livv Housing Group
Livv Housing Group needed an Executive Director of Customer at a point when customer assurance, regulatory readiness and organisational confidence were closely connected. The role carried responsibility for complaints, consumer regulation, customer insight and a broad range of customer-facing services. It would also help Livv regain momentum following internal change and regulatory inspection.
The Challenge
The appointment mattered because the customer brief extended far beyond service experience. The successful candidate would become Executive Lead for Complaints and the Housing Ombudsman, Consumer Regulation, social investment and the Customer Services Committee.They would also be expected to provide assurance that statutory and regulatory requirements were being met and could be evidenced through reliable data, clear performance reporting and accountable leadership.
Livv was preparing for regulatory inspection while rebuilding momentum after a period of internal change. The organisation needed someone who could give the Executive Team and Board confidence across customer services, complaints, insight, housing management and community investment. The appointment therefore carried direct implications for regulatory assurance, organisational credibility and the quality of services experienced by residents.
The Succession Approach
Our process needed to establish whether an internal applicant was ready to move from leading defined customer functions to carrying executive accountability across a much broader portfolio.
The applicant’s existing knowledge of Livv could not be allowed to become an automatic advantage. Equally, being an internal applicant could not place them at a disadvantage against candidates who could present broader external experience without having their current performance visible to the organisation.
Neemar and Livv agreed that every candidate would be assessed through the same process and against the same expectationsThe internal candidate would need to demonstrate board-level readiness, strategic range and the ability to lead functions beyond her core background. Neemar’s candidate assessment explicitly identified the scale of the step up, including the need to test her readiness for executive accountability across tenancy management, income, anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood services.
The market produced a highly competitive final stage. Three candidates were judged appointable by the final panel. That gave Livv genuine choice and ensured the eventual decision was not based on familiarity or convenience.
The applicant’s case rested on evidence. During their time at Livv, they had led customer services through industrial action while maintaining essential services and limiting disruption to customers. They had strengthened service standards, complaints learning and regulatory compliance. Their wider career also brought experience of customer insight, operating model design, commercial performance and large-scale investment programmes.
The real challenge was therefore twofold: find the strongest executive leader for a business-critical brief while running a process rigorous enough to validate an internal candidate’s promotion in the eyes of the Board, colleagues and external market.
The Solution
Neemar built the search around the outcomes Livv needed from the role rather than treating the process as a choice between an internal successor and an external appointment. The team invested time at the outset to understand Livv’s culture, the leadership context and the level of regulatory assurance required. The brief tested candidates on customer strategy, complaints, data integrity, organisational leadership and their ability to provide effective challenge at Executive Team and Board level.
A full external search created a credible field and allowed Livv to compare the internal applicant’s performance and potential with market alternatives. Throughout the assessment, every candidate followed the same process and was judged against the same criteria.
Neemar also addressed areas of risk directly. The internal candidates assessment considered the breadth of the portfolio, this being their first move into an executive role and the need to lead housing management services outside their principal specialism. This gave the panel a balanced view of their strengths, development areas and readiness rather than a one-sided recommendation.
The Outcome
Lisa Olsen, the internal candidate, was appointed Executive Director of Customer following a final panel that considered three appointable candidates.
Her appointment marked a rapid progression from the Director of Customer Services role into Livv’s Executive Team, 18 months after Neemar first introduced her to the organisation. The result demonstrated the value of looking beyond immediate vacancy fulfilment and considering how an appointment could contribute to longer-term succession.
Lisa entered the role with existing knowledge of Livv’s customers, colleagues and service priorities, but with her suitability independently tested against external competition. This gave Livv continuity without compromising the quality or credibility of the decision.
Following Lisa’s appointment, Livv received a C1 consumer grading from the Regulator of Social Housing. The grading reflected the organisation’s wider work and should not be attributed to one individual, but Lisa’s remit placed her at the centre of customer assurance, complaints, service standards and demonstrable compliance during an important period for the organisation.
The appointment also gave Livv an executive leader able to contribute immediately while continuing to grow into a broader corporate role.
The Impact
This assignment created value at two points in Livv’s leadership journey. Neemar first identified Lisa for the Director of Customer Services role, then helped Livv assess her readiness for executive responsibility 18 months later.
The competitive process gave the Board evidence that internal progression represented the strongest appointment rather than the easiest option. It protected trust in the decision while retaining organisational knowledge at a time when customer assurance and regulatory preparation were central concerns.
Lisa’s progression also demonstrated to colleagues that internal opportunity can sit alongside rigorous external challenge. Following the appointment, Livv achieved a C1 consumer grading, providing wider confirmation that the organisation was meeting the expected consumer standards during a critical period.
Candidate Testimonial
“I had the pleasure of working with Neemar during my recent appointment as Executive Director of Customer at Livv Housing, and I was really impressed by the support they provided throughout the process. From the outset, Eliot took the time to understand my experience, strengths and career aspirations, while keeping me well informed and offering honest, practical guidance at every stage.
"The recruitment process was handled professionally and efficiently, and I felt supported throughout. Neemar's insight and commitment helped make what can often be a challenging process a very positive experience. I would happily recommend Neemar to senior professionals considering their next career move, as well as organisations looking for a knowledgeable and trusted recruitment partner”
Client Testimonial
"Neemar Search have been our go-to recruitment partner since they were established. We've worked with Tom and his team on a number of senior appointments, including the recruitment of our Chief Customer Officer, as well as appointments across our Executive Leadership Team and Board.
“What makes Neemar different is the time they invest upfront in understanding both the organisation and the recruiting manager. They take the time to understand our values, our culture and what we're trying to achieve, so they don't just look to place somebody – they look to place the right person. The quality of recruitment has always been exceptionally high. We appoint people who fit our culture, demonstrate the right behaviours and are able to make an impact very quickly.
“Tom and the team are professional, but they're also genuinely personable. They don't disappear once the appointment has been made. They regularly check in with both the successful candidate and with us as the recruiting organisation to make sure everything is working well. It feels like a true partnership rather than a traditional recruitment agency relationship.
“What I've also found is that Neemar aren't solely focused on filling vacancies. They're committed to supporting the wider social housing sector. Through initiatives such as the Elevate Programme, they're investing in developing future leaders at a time when leadership capability and retention are real challenges for the sector.
“I would absolutely recommend Neemar Search. They provide an outstanding service, but more importantly they're focused on ensuring the right leader joins the right organisation. That commitment was evident throughout the recruitment of our Chief Customer Officer and across every appointment we've partnered on. That's why I would recommend them without hesitation."
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