Positive Employment is currently recruiting for an Estate Management Team Leader & Strategies Lead for our client a government organisation in Bedford.

The successful post holder will lead and manage the Estates Management Team in order to deliver a proactive, high quality and efficient estates management service for the organisation including:

Securing and maximising rental income from the organisation’s non-operational estate (currently @ £6m); and providing high quality valuation and estates management technical advice to support delivery of the organisation’s priorities and fulfilling its statutory and regulatory responsibilities.

This role is a temporary contract initially for 3 months with the possibility to extend. This role is hybrid working with 2 days minimum required in the office per week.

Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to:

• Lead and manage the Estates Management Team to ensure that it delivers a proactive and high quality and efficient estates management service in accordance with policies, strategies and procedures.
• Oversee, undertake and approve day to day management and letting of the organisation’s non-operational portfolio including agricultural, commercial, i-Brand and surplus operational properties (Rental income £4m per annum). Ensuring that all rent reviews and lease renewals are actioned together with licences and agreements in order to secure maximise income from the portfolio. In addition ensuring that void periods are kept to a minimum, rent levels are maximised and practice is within in regulatory frameworks.
• Oversee, undertake and approve a wide range of estates management activities Including valuations, dilapidations, repairs, licences, wayleaves, change of use, assignments, sub-lettings and rating advice. To maintain and enhance the council’s estates portfolio.
• Undertake, coordinate and approve the annual asset valuation of the organisation’s operational estate (capital value £500m) ensuring that the valuation complies with both IFRS and RICS standards, that terms of engagement are agreed, that the valuation is delivered within agreed timescales and that auditor enquiries are addressed accurately and expeditiously.
• Establish a programme of work for the Estates Management Team to ensure that work is appropriately prioritised and that there is effective management and reporting of performance across the team. In addition, ensuring that PDRs are kept up to date.
• Manage the service charge budgets (£350,000 per annum) to ensure that these are managed in line with Financial Regulations and the RICS Service Charge Code and that cost recovery is maximised. This includes budget setting, monitoring and reconciliation of all service charge expenditure within the portfolio.
• Manage the rural estates budgets (£350,000 per annum) to ensure that income is maximised and that these are managed in line with organisation Financial Regulations and the Former County Farms Disaggregation Agreement.
• Authorise the commissioning of design, maintenance and, repair and estate management services to ensure that the estate is maintained to the highest standard possible and that legal and statutory obligations are fulfilled.
• Manage information and data within the service using the organisation’s Information and Records Management System to ensure accuracy, provide key performance indicators and support the development and integration of information management systems.
• Contribute to and implement the outcome of reviews of the organisation’s portfolio with a view to maximising its efficiency of use and to bring forward opportunities for income generation, capital receipts and development by either the Council or Benedict Bedford Limited.

Personal Requirements:

• Full membership of the RICS (General Practice). Registered Valuer or eligible to register.
• Experience of working in a local authority or similar large, divers and procedurally complex organisation at a senior level.
• Extensive knowledge and understanding and recent experience of commercial property valuation, commercial estates management and property acquisitions and disposals gained in both the private and public sectors.
• Ability to undertake specialist area valuation and estate management work including compulsory purchase, rating and investment and development appraisals.
• High level of numerical competency for carrying out valuations, reviewing schedules of works and preparation and monitoring of service charge budgets.
• Experience in procuring, commissioning and monitoring external consultants preferably from a local government viewpoint.
• Experience of supervising the work of junior staff and an understanding of the role of a supervisor for the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence.
• Knowledge and awareness of personal responsibilities in the areas of risk management, health safety and welfare, both in terms of self and others. Knowledge of statutory regulations, professional codes of conduct and Government sponsored initiatives.

Working Hours: 36hrs / Monday - Friday

Pay: £400.00 per day

Please note this role is within the scope of IR35.