Managing Agent Operational Lead

Riverside; West Kirby; Hybrid; GBP 74,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Generous pension

Learning & development

Benefits package

Job summary

Riverside is seeking a Managing Agent Operational Lead to steer performance management and assurance across externally managed schemes. You will set clear standards, hold agents to account, and lead a team delivering consistent customer outcomes across contracts.

The role focuses on governance, financial control and service quality, with hybrid working and a fixed-term contract up to six months in Liverpool.

Qualifications

• Significant experience of managing outsourced services and third-party arrangements.
• Strong knowledge of leasehold management, service charges, contracts and assurance.
• Experience in developing governance frameworks, controls, performance measures and reporting.
• Proven ability to lead improvements, use data effectively and influence senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead, support and develop the Managing Agent Coordinators with clear standards for quality and customer outcomes.
• Act as Riverside's expert for governance and assurance over managing agents and external partners.
• Set up and improve frameworks, controls and performance measures for oversight of agents and landlords.
• Use data and sector knowledge to identify risks and drive improvements across the organisation.
• Build relationships with agents, landlords and internal teams with clear escalation routes.
• Monitor service quality, compliance, value for money and customer outcomes; challenge poor performance.

Skills

Experience managing outsourcedservices

Leasehold management knowledge

Governance frameworks

Leadership and communication

Commercial judgement

Job description

Job Description

Job Title: Managing Agent Operational Lead

Contract Type: Fixed term contract up to 6 months

Salary: £74,314.00 per annum (£82,136.00 is achieved after 12 months successful performance in the role)

Working Hours: 35 Hours per week

Working Pattern: Monday-Friday/Hybrid

Location: Liverpool

About the role

You will lead Riverside's approach to managing agent performance, assurance and customer outcomes across externally managed schemes. The postholder will set clear standards, hold managing agents and superior landlords to account, give expert advice and lead the team that supports these arrangements. They will strengthen governance, compliance, financial control and service quality so customers receive a consistent service, regardless of who delivers it.

About you

• Significant experience of managing outsourced services, managing agents or other complex third-party arrangements.
• Strong knowledge of leasehold management, service charges, contracts, supplier performance and assurance.
• Experience of developing governance frameworks, controls, performance measures and clear management reporting.

Why Riverside?

At Riverside, we're a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we've been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives.

We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.

Working with us, you'll enjoy:

• Competitive pay & generous pension
• 28 days holidays plus bank holidays
• Flexible working options available
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside

We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues.

Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.

Role Profile

• Lead, support and develop the Managing Agent Coordinators, setting clear standards for quality, ownership, response times and customer outcomes.
• Act as Riverside's lead expert for managing agent governance, performance and assurance, providing clear advice and challenge across the organisation.
• Lead on complex legal and ownership structures that provide clear accountability, oversight and assurance for internal and external partners.
• Set and improve the frameworks, controls and performance measures used to oversee managing agents and superior landlords.
• Use insight, data and sector knowledge to identify risks, priorities and improvements, and represent Riverside where this supports learning and better practice.
• Build effective relationships with managing agents, superior landlords and internal teams, with clear ownership and routes for escalation.
• Monitor service quality, compliance, value for money and customer outcomes, challenging poor performance, weak information and delay.
• Maintain reliable records of key arrangements, responsibilities, services, charges, risks, compliance evidence and actions.
• Provide clear assurance and reporting to senior leaders, escalating serious or repeated failures through the right contractual, legal or governance route.
• Work with Legal, Home Ownership, Building Safety, Property Services and other teams to resolve complex lease, contract and compliance matters.
• Support service charge work for externally managed schemes, ensuring information for budgets, actuals, consultations, reconciliations and enquiries is timely and usable.
• Challenge unclear costs, weak evidence and poor value, working with Finance and Service Charge teams to improve accuracy, transparency and customer confidence.
• Take ownership of complex complaints and escalations so customers receive clear updates and are not passed between organisations.
• Use complaints, queries, performance reviews and customer feedback to improve controls, communication and service delivery.
• Own the quality and completeness of managing agent data, management information and audit trails.
• Develop practical processes, templates, systems and reporting that help Riverside track issues, risks, actions and outcomes.
• Coordinate complex cases across teams and influence internal and external stakeholders to resolve issues, reduce risk and protect customers.
• Lead service improvement as the operating model develops, ensuring changes are clear, workable and focused on customer outcomes.
• Scheme visits and attendance at managing agent or sector forums may be required where they support assurance, customer outcomes or service improvement.

Person Specification

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of managing outsourced services, managing agents or other complex third-party arrangements.
• Strong knowledge of leasehold management, service charges, contracts, supplier performance and assurance.
• Experience of developing governance frameworks, controls, performance measures and clear management reporting.
• Strong commercial judgement, with the ability to scrutinise costs, evidence, service quality and contractual performance.
• Proven ability to lead improvement, use data well and influence senior stakeholders across a large organisation.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to work with autonomy, build effective teams and demonstrate Riverside values.

Desirable

• Knowledge of building safety, compliance assurance and income and expenditure accounts.
• Experience in housing, superior landlord arrangements, mixed-tenure developments or large-scale leasehold management.
• Experience of sector networks and systems such as Oracle Financials, Salesforce or similar.

About Us

Riverside is one of the UK's not-for-profit social housing and regeneration organisations, owning or managing around 75,000 homes from Irvine to Kent. We are a leading provider of supported housing services, particularly for those affected by homelessness, and our track record of transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods dates back over 90 years. We have plans to build over 15,000 affordable homes over the next decade.

Our Values and Behaviours

Creating an Inclusive Environment