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Key Information
Job title: Property Services Surveyor (Business Rates)
Salary: Up to £48,000 pa
Grade: Band 2
Contract type: TfL
Team: Property Services
Contract details: Permanent
Location: Southwark, include hybrid working where possible
Application closing date: 07/12/2025
Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.
Overview Of Role
To provide a full, high quality and efficient property surveying service to clients within both the TfL Group and the wider GLA family.
Key Accountabilities
* To prioritise work effectively and complete tasks to a high standard within agreed budgets and programmes.
* To ensure accurate pro-active and timely advice is provided to the client in order to minimise TFL’s business rates and council tax liability reducing operating expenditure.
* To assist in the provision of cost estimates and forecasts for the clients’ budgetary requirements in order to demonstrate effective control of expenditure.
* Reviewing empty property, considering opportunities for nil valuations or exemptions due to programmed works or poor condition.
* To advise on changes in occupation and property measurement implications across the TFL estate including opportunities for appeal, certification or exemption.
* Be involved in the identification of property related issues and the resolution of such concerns in order to avoid unnecessary delays to the delivery of projects.
* Assist the Rating & Head Office Manager and Rating & Head Office Surveyor to support specific projects in relation to overall objectives for the Business Services Directorate.
Key Interfaces
* Establish and develop relationships with the following:
* Key managers from within the TfL operational businesses: These interfaces will be critical to ensuring that rating activities and initiatives are aligned with ongoing budgeting requirements.
* Property Services Management team members and wider property and estates teams: help to develop and implement systems, methods and processes to ensure that the team is able to meet business objectives.
* Property Surveyors: to ensure alignment of property lifecycles.
* Professional advisors e.g. Lawyers, engineers, town planners, local authorities: Discuss and negotiate issues relating to business rates, council tax and property activity.
* Relevant staff from within the TfL finance function: To deal with property related finance matters, including void costs, refund forecasts, property acquisition and lifecycle cost budgeting.
* Relevant staff from within the TfL legal function: To resolve, in the first instance ahead of seeking third party legal advice, any disputes arising with 3rd parties (e.g. land ownership/rights disputes).
* Representatives of property consultants and property companies: To negotiate and resolve various business rates and operational issues relating to, for example, private treaty agreements, leases etc.
Skills
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
* Possess a high level of verbal, numerical and analytical skills. (Essential)
* A high level of problem-solving skills with the ability to apply commercial and strategic awareness to problem solving (Essential).
* Be an excellent communicator with a wide variety of people with an ability to deal firmly but sensitively with difficult situations (Essential).
* Build relationships and shares knowledge with others delivering a high level of customer service. (Essential)
* Drive and determination to achieve objectives. (Essential)
* Ability to recognise key business risks, on both direct casework and for own business unit and devise a strategy to resolve such issues. Escalating business risks appropriately. (Essential)
* Understanding of key drivers and risks of a potential deal to plot a path to a successful outcome across a varied and complex caseload, as well as in any wider context which maybe relevant. Sets clear approach to negotiations, including objective setting and quantifying both the approach and outcome desired. Escalates appropriate matters at the right time to the right level. (Desirable)
Knowledge
* Working knowledge of a range of general practice surveying property activities, including business rates management (Essential), estate management, town planning, acquisition and L&T. (Desirable)
* Membership of Surveying or Local Taxation related professional body desirable. (RICS, IRRV, CIPFA etc) (Desirable)
Experience
* Experience working in business rates administration (Essential) agency general practice and corporate real estate environment (Desirable), primarily undertaking case work directly rather than managing consultants (Essential).
Application Process
* Please apply using your CV. Think carefully about the skills, knowledge and experience in the advert and cover this in your CV. PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria.
Benefits
In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the level of role but mostly include the below:
Final salary pension scheme
Free travel for you on the TfL network
Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home or 75% reimbursement on a 28-day flexi ticket
30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays
TfL is committed to work-life balance, operating a hybrid working approach where business and role requirements allow
Private healthcare discounted scheme (optional)
Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme
Retail, health, leisure and travel offers
Discounted Eurostar travel
We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.