Principal Surveyor – Commercial and Vcs – PO9

Job Description

Job Title : Principal Surveyor – Commercial and Vcs – PO9
Job Category : Housing
Location : Hackney Service Centre, Hackney Council
Hours Per Week : 36.00
Start Date : Immediate Start
Start Time : 09:00
End Time : 17:00
Salary: £32.02
PURPOSE OF THE JOB:
This is a high profile p rofessional post with a significant impact on the Council’s overall financial position, and in terms of broader corporate objectives. The post holder will:
Be responsible for managing a small team of surveyors and support staff.
Manager or work in project teams comprised of officers from different services as well as external consultants and contractors.
Have overall responsibility for managing the Council’s Commercial Property Portfolio (400 properties); on of the Council’s most important sources of revenue.
Develop and implement a Commercial Estate Management Strategy and supporting policies.
Prepare detailed financial reports in respect of current and forecasted income and expenditure.
Develop and implement programmes of w ork including rent reviews, lease renewals, and programmes of capital investment in the commercial portfolio.
Provide high level professional advice w hich is likely to have a significant impact on the Council’s ability to deliver k ey corporate programmes such as the Estate Regeneration programme and the office accommodation strategy.
Develop and acquisitions and investment strategy with the objective of enhancing the Commercial Property portfolio and increasing rental income.
Manage the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) property portfolio, exercising a high degree of political sensitivity, and working closely with a wide range of stakeholders ranging from Executive members, through to commercial tenants, a nd organisations from the VCS.
Be responsible for reviewing the current V CS lettings strategy and policies and for ensuring that all properties within the VCS portfolio are managed in line with this strategy and policy.
MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
1. Commercial Property Portfolio
Develop and implement a Commercial Property Strategy (and supporting policies and procedures) which will enable the Council to achieve its financial and broader corporate objectives. Keep this under review and ensure that it continues to meet the Council’s changing circumstances.
Develop programmes of rent r eviews and lease renewals and ensure that these are delivered by the Estates Surveyors and other staff.
Agree financial and other targets with the Director of Finance, Assistant Director of SPS and the Head of Commercial Estates, and ensure that these are achieved.
Keep comprehensive and up t o date performance information showing progress in delivering the programmes of work.
Ensure that void properties are let in a timely manner and in line with t he Commercial Property Strategy and Policies.
Manage the Income and Debt Officer to minimise rent arrears and to ensure that the appropriate adjustments are made to rent account and other records.
Agree programmes of capital w orks to the commercial property portfolio and ensure that these are delivered.
Work with the Head of Commercial Estates and officers from the Council’s finance division to agree annual income and expenditure budgets and ensure that these are achieved.
Ensure that the services has e xcellent financial and performance information which is used as a key element of the management of the portfolio.
Develop a commercial property and acquisitions a nd investment strategy for enhancing the commercial property p ortfolio (either by investment in the existing stock or through acquisition of new commercial properties).
Keep the performance of t he commercial portfolio under review and ensure that it continues to provide the best r eturn (both financial and in terms of meeting the Council’s broader priorities).

2. Voluntary and Community Sector Portfolio
Implement the Council’s VCS Lettings Policy and Business Plan
Carry out annual reviews of the VCS Lettings Policy to ensure that it continues to meet the needs and circumstances o f the Council and the VCS
Provide highly professional advise and recommendations to senior officers and to Cabinet Members in respect of particular VCS organisations and buildings.
Ensure that a VCS lease i s in place for every VCS o rganisation that occupiers a Council-owned VCS p roperty
Work closely (in cross-service teams and working groups) with officers from the Council’s Community Investment and P artnerships team and from other Council Services
Liaise with VCS organisations (both those that occupy Council properties and those seeking a property)
Provide options appraisals, valuations, feasibility s tudies, and business cases in respect of particular VCS properties.
Develop a programme of capital improvements to VCS properties and playing a strong “client” role in ensuring that capital projects are delivered (through the Council’s Technical Services and w here appropriate through consultants) on programme and on budget.
Work with the Head of Commercial Estates and officers from the finance division to set annual VCS income and expenditure budgets, and then ensuring these budgets are achieved.
Manage a team of surveyors and o ther officers to ensure that routine e state management work including rent reviews, lease renewals, and debt recovery, is managed efficiently and effectively.
Develop effective financial and performance i nformation and ensuring that this is a
key element of the management of the portfolio.