Location: Aylesbury
Overview
Are you a strategic leader with experience of maintaining a broad and varied estate inclusive of facilities, property and energy functions and looking for a new challenge where your skills and expertise can flourish? If so, this could be the role for you.
We are seeking a Head of Estate Management to provide effective leadership, management and strategic direction for the facilities, property and energy service area comprising of up to 70 professional building managers, surveyors and energy specialists who are responsible for the Council’s substantial and diverse range of property holdings spanning over operational buildings, community assets and schools.
This is an extremely exciting time to join our expanding and forward-thinking Property team who are essential to the delivery of the Council’s Estate Strategy, Strategic Asset Management Plan and the implementation of a Corporate Landlord. No two days are the same, as you will be part of a team that manages and maintains a large, diverse and ever-changing property portfolio ranging from corporate offices, leisure centres, theatres, car parks, farms, schools and other assets across a ~1,000 individual estate.
About us
The Corporate Property & Assets service area, within the Council’s Communities Directorate, are responsible for maintaining the Council’s estate portfolio. The service area comprising of Asset Management, Estate Management (facilities, property services and energy), Construction and Major Projects.
We pride ourselves on delivering high-quality property services that meet the needs of our clients and stakeholders. We value collaboration, innovation, and excellence in everything we do.
This is an opportunity to build on the legacy work already undertaken as part of the Unitary process and continue to shape the service of a strategically important part of the organisation. Any day will rarely be the same and we will provide the support to enable the successful candidate to make the most of the opportunity this role affords. The role is challenging but professionally very rewarding. The Council is looking for applicants who possess all the technical abilities required of a professionally qualified chartered Surveyor and are also sufficiently experienced with the ability to problem solve for themselves whilst building a high performing team.
Why Join Us?
You will join a highly supportive team and gain fantastic exposure within the Public Sector environment. We support professional development and there are lots of opportunities to be part of high-end projects and to develop in your career with us.
Additionally, you will enjoy a range of benefits, including a very competitive employer pension contribution, a great work life balance, generous annual leave allowance, and discounts on a variety of services and restaurants.
About the role
We are seeking a Head of Estate Management to lead the organisation through the next stage. Reporting to the Service Director of Corporate Property and Assets this is a senior role forming part of the senior management team that will bring together skills in service provision delivery as well as the ability to work in a changing strategic and operational environment, by actively managing and driving forward the Council’s Property Portfolio to ensure service delivery is efficient.
Responsible for a team of dedicated professional surveyors, building managers, energy specialists and administration staff the role will include leading the team and responding to the service and operational needs of the Council. Working within Corporate Property and Assets senior management team the role will be expected to contribute strategically to the Council's aims and objectives as well as the more general day-to-day operations of the wider team. Occasional deputising for the Service Director of Corporate Property and Assets will be required as well as the opportunity to be able to take a wider strategic view of service directorate objectives.
Key Accountabilities:
1. Provide visible, engaging and directional leadership to the entire estate’s teams, including performance management, professional development and workforce engagement, ensuring a positive, productive and output driven work culture is embedded and role modelled.
2. Responsible for the development and implementation of strategic and innovative service plans for estate management, inclusive of energy, facilities, reactive and planned preventative maintenance.
3. Prepare comprehensive business cases, options appraisals, presentations and other reports for decision making providing effective presentation, communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to apply these effectively to a variety of audiences.
4. Develop policies to affirm corporate strategic goals and service level agreements to align with service specific needs under a Corporate Landlord Model.
5. Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders (e.g. housing, education, children’s services) to ensure strategies and policies support wider Council priorities.
6. Ensure legal compliance with health and safety, environmental and building regulations.
7. Maintain robust reporting systems, providing regular updates to the Service Director, Corporate Management Team, and elected Members on the estate condition, compliance and performance.
8. To oversee all property related emergency procedures and be responsible for the management and delivery of an out of hours service for Council properties and to ensure a rapid response in the event of an emergency. This will include agreements with contractors to ensure disruption to building users is minimised.
9. Represent the Service at meetings with Members, Council Services, Consultants, Contractors, Housing tenant groups, Community Councils/Groups, commercial undertakings and the public.
10. Ensure all financial transactions are authorised, processed, controlled and reconciled correctly to assure financial integrity, regulatory and Council policy compliance. Systematically identify and deliver savings and efficiencies, maximising value for money.
11. Accountable for the statutory responsibilities which fall within the remit of the post, meeting all statutory duties as outlined in the relevant legislation. Constraints and opportunities posed by regulatory changes are identified and incorporated into strategic decision making. Response to service-related Scrutiny Committee enquiries are supported effectively.
About you
We’re looking for applicants who possess all the necessary professional skills and attributes that are required to deliver the accountabilities listed here and in the job summary. Naturally, we are looking for you to have the necessary qualifications and possess membership of professional body, with sufficient experience in solving issues under pressure and uphold the Council’s ‘PACT Values’ – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.
Significant demonstratable experience in the field of facilities and property services with a preferable understanding of energy management and the Buckinghamshire County area. Also, an understanding of how property can support the general aims of the Council and its Corporate Plan is essential to the role. Familiarity in managing the Corporate Landlord model is also key.
The scale of this role which covers strategic and operational will attract a candidate experienced in managing a complex management function across a multi-site diverse estate. The role will be attractive to someone who finds the mix of strategic and operational as well as the everyday demands of the role exciting and interesting. In addition to the ability to shape a service and a portfolio of place-making opportunities, the role will cover operational, commercial and community on a significant scale.
Given the scale and nature of the role, the candidate will be expected to be able to present a complex set of information and opportunity to a wide audience of key stakeholders.