Senior Building Surveyor

About Us
The Guinness Partnership is one of the leading providers of affordable housing and care services in England. We build and manage homes and provide housing services for around 135,000 customers nationwide. Of our 65,000 homes, more than 70% are let at a social or affordable rent, while around 10,000 are owned or part-owned by the people who live in them.

Our vision is to deliver great service, provide great homes, to be a great business and to be a great place to work. Because everything we do is about our customers, our communities and our people, any profit we make is re-invested in new and existing homes and improving services

About the role
We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Building Surveyor to join our team in the South West on a permanent basis. We have stock in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, BANES, Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, the successful Senior Surveyor will be required to look after various projects within the region depending on where your home base is.

Reporting to the Asset Maintenance Manager, you will work collaboratively with contractors (via our Planned Maintenance Framework and on occasion using standard procurement methods) and colleagues to ensure the delivery of high-quality replacements, cyclical programmes and improvements to our customers’ homes – ensuring that our properties are well maintained and contribute to the delivery of the Asset Management Operating Plan Objectives

The post holder will be responsible for contract managing between £2.5m - £4m worth of investment work each financial year as part of the South West Planned Delivery Team, including; larger more complex projects with multiple workstreams in one place, sprinkler systems and fire safety work, component replacements including; kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors, storage heaters, warden call, lift replacements, fire doors etc. Taking the lead on specialist works and acting as a source of best practice for the wider planned team. The work is predominantly delivered through the NATFED SOR contract – but occasionally there may also be the need to produce specifications and tenders for procurement outside of the framework.

The Senior Building Surveyor role in Planned is varied – there will be a lot of on-site contract management, contract administration and liaising with customers (internally and externally) to successfully deliver annual planned programmes.

The successful applicant will be responsible for:

• Managing several local field-based planned surveyors to ensure that good quality, value for money works are delivered to the right buildings, at the optimum time, that projects are administered effectively and that contractors are monitored and managed robustly. Liaise closely with Finance and deliver within budget.
• Support the Asset Maintenance Manager in maximising performance. Provide workload delivery, financial and contractor performance data etc.
• Manage and develop the team to ensure that it works effectively, with individuals achieving objectives, supporting each other and that constructive liaison with and support of other teams takes place to minimise duplication.
• Ensure information on the asset management and single housing and other systems is used to inform activities and decision making and is kept updated when works are completed, or component lives changed.
• Ensure timely investigation and response to complaints and that workflow tasks are completed in a timely fashion and systems updated appropriately in line with the service style.

What we’re looking for
Individuals to work closely with the existing team in the South West and wider National Planned Team to help deliver planned works to the 17000 homes in the South West – at the right time, for the right value and quality. Completing pre inspections/surveys to ensure the work is appropriate and what is required to maintain good quality homes.

Lead on contract management to ensure compliance with the framework, the contract itself and to help maintain good working relationships ensuring services are provided in a way that keeps customers, colleagues and third parties safe, and complies with health and safety legislation and Guinness’ H&S policies and procedures

Liaise closely with other teams around the business that support our role – Home Ownership, Planned Support Team, Customer Liaison, Estates etc. You will be responsible for producing reports – financial and performance related for Head of Service, Directors and Executive Team as and when required

Financial management of the £2.5 - £4m budget allocated – ensuring that regular weekly, monthly and quarterly reports to Asset Maintenance Manager are provided accurately

Effectively use and update Guinness systems, including the Asset Management, Management Information, Customer Relation Management and Housing systems

Please review the attached role profile for a full list of key responsibilities

Skills & Experience:
We’re a customer-focussed organisation so we know that how we do things is just as important as what we do. You’ll not only be an experienced Senior Building Surveyor, but you’ll also have great customer service skills and a willingness to go the extra mile to get the job done. You’ll also be able to demonstrate:

• Excellent knowledge of building construction
• Excellent knowledge of relevant legislation, building regulation, standards and ability to manage Health & Safety during a project.
• Ability to survey and specify required works, or where necessary manage expert external consultants.
• Ability to diagnose and specify remedies to building defects.
• Manage contractor’s performance delivering building works at a project level including H&S, quality, value, progress and KPIs.
• Understanding of maintenance services within social housing sector (responsive, empty homes, planned, cyclical and compliance).
• Excellent standards of customer care and the ability to deliver accurate and clear communications in writing, face to face or by telephone.
• Good understanding of the Leasehold Process.
• Good IT skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office, housing and property management systems.
• Successful track record of delivering building surveying services or M&E projects, and management of substantial work programmes in a similar environment.
• Experience of preparing and issuing performance reports.
• Demonstrates the Guinness Behaviours.

Essential Qualifications:

• Level 5 (HND) or above qualification in building, construction, surveying or related subject.
• Chartered Surveyor (MRICS, MCIOB or equivalent) or
• Member of recognized professional body (APM or similar)

Interviews will take place remotely via MS Teams

We offer an excellent benefits package that help make The Guinness Partnership a great place to work. These include but aren’t limited to:

• Salary of £52,627 rising to £55,186 after 12 months service
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Medical expenses cover
• Employee assistance programme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Benefits Portal - Everyone Lifestyle Benefits
• Eye test vouchers
• Aspire - £100 allowance per employee each financial year
• Professional qualification support
• Professional subscriptions
• Purchase additional leave
• Salary Sacrifice - Deduction of various benefits from ’gross’ salary, before tax and NI deducted
• E-learning courses
• Thank you award - by nomination

If you’re interested in finding out more about the key responsibilities of the role and/or to ensure you meet the essential criteria, please review the attached role profile.

The Guinness Partnership is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all colleagues, and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.