Estates Team Leader

Norwich City Council; Norwich; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government body in Norwich seeks a motivated professional to lead a specialist estates team, ensuring effective management and service delivery. This role involves project management, mentoring junior surveyors, and contributing to the council's sustainability goals. Candidates should have a degree in a property-related field and RICS membership. Competitive pay and excellent benefits are offered.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Generous holidays

Local Government Pension Scheme

Qualifications

• Must have significant experience in a managerial position.
• Commitment to continuous professional development.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operations of the estates team.
• Lead on specific projects and schemes.
• Supervise and mentor junior surveyors.

Skills

Advanced negotiation skills

Effective communication

Report writing

Customer service

Project management

Analytical skills

Teamwork

Flexibility

Education

Degree in a property-related subject

Professional membership of RICS

Job description

Overview

To have management responsibility for a specialist team to deliver a highly effective and professional service for the Property & Economic Development Service. To provide a lead professional role through delivery of non housing estate management priorities. Working with the Strategic Asset Manager to ensure that the team’s workload is appropriately managed and process/service improvements are identified and achieved. To lead on specific projects, schemes, programmes of work and activities ensuring compliance with corporate policies, statute and regulations and RICS standards. To assist in the mentoring, training and development of colleagues within the team. To provide a customer focused service for internal and external customers which is focused on excellent delivery, service improvement and maximising efficiency. To contribute to the delivery of an effective and focused Property & Economic Development service for the council.

Responsibilities in this role include leading on work priorities, supervising and mentoring career grade surveyors as necessary, and providing guidance to internal clients and external partners in respect of potential projects and the team’s work programmes.

To respond to elected member and stage 1 complaints and to ensure activities support the council’s plans to be net zero by 2030, including the reduction of operational carbon emissions.

Responsibilities

Responsible for the day to day operation of the estates team. Ensuring assets are proactively managed with tenant liaison taking place. Provide support to the Strategic Asset Manager in the production, implementation, monitoring and review of the strategic asset management framework.

Carry out the following asset-related activities and reviews:

• Challenge the use and retention of existing assets, identify underperforming assets and make recommendations for their improvement, development or disposal to enhance the asset base
• Identify assets suitable for disposal to support the council's capital programme
• Undertake valuation and development appraisals in support of the asset review including detailed feasibilities and desk top surveys
• Review assets in terms of cost, condition, suitability and sufficiency and make appropriate recommendations for change
• Promote the efficient and effective utilisation of the council's land and property
• Liaise with service departments in order to identify, monitor and facilitate future property requirements
• Act in an agent capacity on behalf of Housing Department in the valuation and disposal of surplus housing assets
• Act on behalf of the council in the acquisition of land and buildings whether by compulsory purchase or otherwise, where the council is either the acquiring authority or seller
• Review, monitor and report on the use and performance of operational buildings
• Carry out and co-ordinate asset reviews incorporating the above, undertake options and risk appraisals and make professional recommendations to senior leadership team and elected members on the future of property assets

Carry out the following activities in relation to estate management:

• Tenant liaison including ensuring they meet their obligations under the lease
• Coordinating marketing of vacant properties
• Agreeing tenancy terms and writing recommendation reports on new tenancies
• Undertaking rent reviews
• Debt monitoring
• Void property management
• Coordinating dilapidation surveys
• Monitoring property and portfolio performance

Assist the Strategic Asset Manager in the development, implementation and review of the management plan for the council's investment portfolio, to ensure optimum financial performance. Review and monitor the use and performance of operational assets to ensure they remain fit for purpose and to undertake valuation and appraisal activities in connection with this. Lead on specific projects, schemes, programmes of work and activities and perform a key role in project management for property related projects (as required) ensuring compliance with corporate policies, statute and regulations and RICS standards. Responsible for supervising and mentoring career grade surveyors as necessary. Carry out budget management and prepare information as required for regular reporting purposes and forecasting. Provide advice to internal clients with respect to potential projects and other proposed actions, to the public in respect of council owned property and the team’s work programmes and liaise with outside agencies and partners as required. Produce and present reports, briefings and presentations on projects covered by the role as required with regular reporting to senior managers on performance/progress. Respond to elected member and stage 1 complaints. Lead on work priorities set by the Strategic Asset Manager. Look for opportunities to bring in income streams into the council and horizon scan for business opportunities, innovation and efficiency savings across the council. Ensure activities support the council’s plan to be net zero by 2030 which includes the reduction of operational carbon emissions of the council.

Skills Required

• Advanced negotiation skills with the ability to sensitively negotiate solutions to problems
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing and ability to give presentations as required
• Ability to write clear and concise reports, letters, briefing notes, conduct meetings and discussions
• Provide clear explanations of policies, give professional advice and judgment and make proficient logical decisions
• Deliver an effective customer-focused service and create and maintain effective relationships with all customer groups including the public, elected members, other professionals and bodies
• Use effective project management techniques for workloads and delivery of work to the required standard and corporate/project timescales including monitoring and reporting
• Analyse and evaluate technical plans and drawings as well as technical and specialist supporting documentation
• Ability to give guidance and provide a mentoring role for other members of staff and to contribute to team work and service improvement
• Use effectively and efficiently standard office computer systems and corporate and specialist technical systems
• Ability to collaborate with colleagues to share/provide information as required for activities/tasks
• Highly developed teamwork skills with the ability to work as a partner, developing collaborative solutions to meet business need
• An ability to operate sensitively in a political environment
• Ability to be flexible at all times and work under own initiative
• Positive, optimistic outlook and a self starter who enjoys a challenge
• Well developed analytical, numerical and data collection skills with excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of diversity and equality requirements around service delivery
• Ability to deliver a high level of customer service and proactively look for ways to improve the customer experience and tailor information to meet the needs of the customer
• Ability to “model” appropriate behaviours that encourage a culture of empowerment, initiative and transparency across the Council
• Ability to work on own initiative, prioritise and plan to deliver individual and organisational objectives. Meet stringent and tight deadlines whilst dealing with a range of issues

Educational Requirements

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a property related subject
• Professional membership of RICS with significant professional experience in a managerial position
• Commitment to continuous professional development

Why work for us

Our council is full of people who have chosen to work in local government because they want to help others and make a difference to their lives or the environment in which local people live.

To find out more about working and living in Norwich Home | Work in Norwich. The council has a long and proud history of being a council that is keen to push the boundaries of what a district can achieve, to find out more about what it is like to work in local government visit Working in local government - #LocalGov Careers - Youth Employment UK

We offer our employees a competitive pay and benefits package. Whether you’re looking for a new career, promotion, flexible working opportunity to fit with your home life or a sideways move – we have a variety of challenging employment opportunities for everybody.

Norwich City Council offers the opportunity to work with great people who are passionate about promoting Norwich and the services the council provides. We also offer good career prospects with competitive rates of pay, generous holidays and working arrangements to suit all lifestyles.

Equal Opportunities

The council is committed to a policy of equality opportunity in employment, in recruitment and the services we provide. Applications are considered on the basis of their suitability for the post regardless of sex, gender reassignment, race, ethnic origin, disability, age, marital status, domestic responsibilities, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. People with disabilities are guaranteed an interview provided they are suitably qualified and/or experienced.

Candidates will be considered for shortlisting on the factual information on their application form. Therefore it is important to give as much detail as possible including information about experience gained outside employment.

Benefits

We offer our employees a competitive pay and benefits package and are proud to have the Living Wage accreditation. Whether you’re looking for a new career, promotion, flexible working opportunity to fit with your home life or a sideways move – we have a variety of challenging employment opportunities for everybody.

• All employees are eligible to join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Paid holiday entitlement starts at 26 days per annum and increases with length of service to a maximum of 33 days per annum. This is pro rata for part-time employees
• In addition to the statutory public holidays, we grant an additional statutory day leave at Christmas
• Norwich City Council supports its employees through the provision of occupational health and employee assistance support