Contract Lead - Asbestos and Legionella
Watford Community Housing
Salary: £55,000 - £65,000 - 37 hours per week
The Vacancy
37 hours per week
Introduction to the role
Looking to make your mark in compliance and resident safety?
At Watford Community Housing, we're strengthening our Building & Customer Safety function with a renewed focus on assurance, performance and regulatory excellence.
We are now recruiting a Contract Lead - Asbestos & Legionella (Water Hygiene) to take ownership of two critical areas of landlord health and safety compliance.
Role purpose
This is a strategic delivery role that blends strong technical knowledge with commercial oversight and operational impact - ensuring our homes remain safe, compliant and well managed.
What's the role?
You'll lead the end-to-end management of our Asbestos and Legionella compliance contracts, ensuring we meet all statutory and regulatory obligations while delivering value for money and high-quality services to residents.
You will be responsible for:
* Managing specialist compliance contracts from procurement and mobilisation through performance monitoring, audit and renewal.
* Acting as the subject matter expert for Asbestos Management and Water Hygiene compliance.
* Ensuring compliance with Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, ACOP L8, HSG274 and associated health & safety legislation.
* Overseeing asbestos surveys, re-inspections, legionella risk assessments, sampling programmes and remedial works.
* Driving contractor performance through KPIs, quality inspections and robust commercial management.
* Ensuring certification, compliance data and reporting are accurate, audit-ready and aligned with our asset management systems.
* Managing budgets, forecasting expenditure and ensuring value for money across revenue and capital works.
* Supporting regulatory inspections and providing assurance reporting to senior management.
* Promoting a strong safety culture that keeps resident wellbeing at the center of everything we do.
What are we looking for?
We're looking for someone who combines technical credibility with strong contract and stakeholder management skills.
You will bring:
* Proven contract management experience within housing or a regulated environment.
* Strong technical knowledge in Asbestos Management and/or Legionella / Water Hygiene compliance.
* A proactive, solutions-focused approach - you take ownership and drive performance.
* The confidence to challenge contractors constructively and maintain high standards.
* The ability to build effective working relationships with colleagues, contractors and external stakeholders.
Essential:
* HND / HNC in Construction, Building Surveying, Environmental Health or relevant experience.
* Demonstrated technical competence in Asbestos Management and/or Legionella compliance.
* Strong understanding of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and ACOP L8 / HSG274.
* Experience of writing specifications and managing specialist compliance contracts.
* Experience of cost control, forecasting and delivering value for money.
* Development and management of risk registers and mitigation plans.
* Excellent written and reporting skills.
* Strong communication skills with a customer-focused approach.
* ICT literate including Excel and compliance reporting systems.
* Full current driving license and access to a vehicle with business insurance.
* Satisfactory Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Desirable:
* BOHS P402 / P405 or equivalent asbestos qualification.
* Legionella Risk Assessor qualification (City & Guilds / WMSoc or similar).
* BSc (Hons) in Building Surveying or related discipline.
* Knowledge of CDM Regulations 2015.
* Membership of IOSH, BOHS, WMSoc or other relevant professional body.
Who you'll work with
o Responsible to: AD of Building and Customer Safety
o Responsible for: Compliance Support Administrator
o Department: Building and Customer Safety
Our values
o Professional - We are honest, open and respectful. People trust us to keep our promises.
o Forward-thinking - We have a can-do attitude and embrace opportunities to improve and innovate.
o Collaborative - We work together as one team and build lasting partnerships to get results.
What can we offer you?
o 28 days' annual leave (pro rata)
o Employer pension contribution of up to 11%
o Development opportunities
o Comprehensive employee rewards scheme
How we work
We embrace agile working - blending time in our communities, shared spaces, and remote working. With digital technology at the heart of our approach, we empower teams and individuals to work flexibly.
How to apply
If this sounds like your next role, click 'apply now', tell us why you've got what it takes, and attach a copy of your current CV.
Closing date: 06 March 2026
Interviews: w/c 09 March 2026
(Please note we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a large response.)