The National Housing Federation (NHF) has appointed a former permanent secretary to the Cabinet Office to lead the hunt for its next chair.

Dame Mavis McDonald, who was also permanent secretary to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, will head up a nominations committee that will recommend the name of the person to succeed current chair John Cross.

Dame Mavis's committee will table the name of its suggested candidate to the Federation's annual general meeting in Birmingham on 23 September.

To ensure the committee can choose from the widest possible field, the Federation placed an advert for the post of chair in the Sunday Times, with another one to follow in this week's Inside Housing magazine.

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Having been appointed on a temporary basis, Dame Mavis, who is also a trustee of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and chair of Catalyst Housing Group, will step down following the annual general meeting.

Under her successor, the committee will go on to nominate the names of two new members for the Federation board, to fill the vacancies due to arise under the usual board rotation process. The board positions have also been included in the Sunday Times and Inside Housing adverts.

NHF Chief Executive David Orr said: "The Federation recognises that it is operating in a fast-changing environment and wants to ensure its governance processes are fit for purpose, as well as inclusive and more accountable.

"We hope that through the work of the new nominations committee we will find a chair who will have a proven track record in leadership and be a driving force in presenting our mission, aims and policies to our members.

"We also hope the new chair will help us ensure that the Federation is positioned so that housing remains top of the political agenda following the next election and that housing associations are seen as key players in delivering housing policy."

(CD/JM)