Void Surveyor

The posting

Job Title:

Void Surveyor

To ensure an effective surveying service is provided for Housing Services in a number of key areas in accordance with specifications, procedures and legislation; which include but is not exclusive to the following:

• Delivery and monitoring of a Planned & Cyclical Maintenance programme for a geographical housing area.

• Provision of surveying services including the delivery of works and services programmes and projects to time, cost and quality.

• Undertake physical pre-inspections of council stock in tenanted and communal locations.

• Identification and accurate diagnosis of complex repairs for occupied and void properties, ensuring all works are completed in a timely and effective manner to prevent unnecessary financial loss to the council in disrepair claims.

• Work closely with Disrepair Case managers and undertake inspections and write specifications relating to new disrepair claims under Section 11.

• Provision of precise specification of repairs of a complex and technical nature to a professional standard for repairs relating to structural defects.

• Ensure appropriate and effective consultation with residents.

• Liaison with and efficient monitoring of repair contractors.

• Devising and recommending cost effective solutions to repair problems.

• Undertake quality checks and Post Inspections of completed works orders when selected.

• Apply Safeguarding principles when visiting residents homes, ensuring any concerns about vulnerable residents and children are reported via Housing Staff or Social Services.

Responsibilities

1. Ensure the delivery of a planned and cyclical maintenance programme for a geographical housing area.
2. Understand the principles of planned preventative maintenance and achieve forward annual planning of maintenance over the life of building components. To provide and agree subsequent appraisals and development plans.
3. Ensure accurate specifications are provided to enable effective repairs
4. Provide advice and assistance as necessary to staff about cost effective repairs and maintenance.
5. Resolve all problems of service delivery and issues of customer dissatisfaction, which are within the scope of personal responsibility. Where necessary escalate to senior members of staff and other sections. Provide accurate specifications to enable effective repairs
6. Provide technical expertise to Lambeth Council staff in the performance of the neighbourhood contract specification.
7. Resolve disputes with contractors, accept referral from other members of staff and provide technical advice and assistance to non-technical members of staff.
8. Accept referrals of complex or continuous variation requests and make appropriate decisions.
9. Provide verbal and written reports on contract performance and advise on the need for capitalisation of repairs and alternative repairs strategies.
10. Liaise with specialist surveyors, where appropriate and undertake inspections and detailed technical specification of void properties.
11. Inspect pre and/or post repair work of a technical nature, as required and interview tenants and leaseholders regarding repairs.
12. Carry out environmental and general estate inspections and specify works as required. Check all works specified with a surveying input prior to authorizing payment. Identify high cost voids and major works, ensure that work is ordered and completed. Follow-up and ensure completion of work.
13. Have a strong awareness of Safegaurding and attend any related training refresher courses where requested.
14. To lead, develop and co-ordinate a professional team for straightforward projects, including multi-contract projects, to ensure compliance with the agreed project design, technical, financial, legal and programme requirements.
15. Advise front line staff of repair items including variation orders as requested.
16. Participate in day-to-day cover of front line services as a member of the team.
17. Ensure that all Lambeth Council policies and procedures are complied with to provide an effective, efficient and successful operational management of the service area.
18. To ensure that statutory/legislative requirements are met, managed, and reviewed at appropriate frequencies.
19. To create a working environment where everyone feels safe, valued, and motivated in accordance with policies and procedures with particular reference to equality and diversity.
20. Maintain relevant Quality Assurance Systems as necessary, including drafting procedures.
21. Takes ownership and be responsible for own work.
22. To ensure own professional knowledge is up to date.
23. Act as an advocate to ensure the integration of environmental sustainability into all aspects of construction procurement, particularly regular review the schedule of rates or other methodologies to be agreed.
24. Work with partner organisations as appropriate to respond to new priorities and legislation with respect to construction best practice promoting affordable warmth, reduction in CO2 emissions, and sustainable procurement and other relevant areas of best practice.
25. To take responsibility, relevant to the post, for ensuring that Council statutes and government legislation is upheld. This includes the Data Protection Act, the Health and Safety at Work Act, Equalities and Diversity, Standing Orders and Financial regulations.
26. Take responsibility, appropriate to the post, for ensuring compliance with council policies and procedures aimed at promoting and safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable children and adults.
27. To take responsibility, appropriate to the post, for tackling racism and promoting good race, ethnic and community relations.
28. To work flexibly in undertaking the duties and responsibilities of this job, and participate as required in multi-disciplinary cross-department and crossorganisational groups and task teams.
29. To undertake any other duties that may be required. These may be varied from time to time to meet the needs of the service.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Key Knowledge

Knowledge of National Schedule of Rates Codes (SOR) and void management processes.

Relevant Experience

Experience of working in fast paced surveying or similar role within a repairs service, including managing variations and post inspections.

Experience of managing contractors relationships successfully

Qualification

Educated to BSC (Hons) level in building surveying or have equivalent demonstrable experience.

Core Values and Behaviours

Equity

• Listen to the views of others and ask for their opinions making sure that everyone in my team inputs into the things that matter.
• Ensure fairness and justice is at the heart of my decision making and support to my team and others.
• Take time to build trust, building the respect of our stakeholders and ensuring as a team we take accountability for doing what we agree to do.
• Develop others and ensure we work as one team for Lambeth, encouraging everyone to play their part
• Take positive action to ensure everyone in my team has opportunities to learn and grow at work
• Encourage everyone to be themselves at work and value who they are
• I am inclusive and actively celebrate diversity, recognising everyone in my team as individuals.

Kindness

• Treat each member of my team with respect and dignity just as I would want for myself.
• Encourage each member of my team to do their very best work and am available to them to provide support and guidance.
• Personalise my support to each team members and look out for them, lending a hand wherever I can
• Encourage everyone to try and learn from mistakes and use integrity to take action with my team to put things right together
• Work with empathy seeking to understand each and every member of team, their unique perspective and circumstances and ensure everyone is heard
• Take the time to communicate, being honest, open and genuine and taking the time to get to know team members as individuals.
• Show compassion and patience recognising that everyone in the team has unique experience and celebrating the great work they do for Lambeth.
• Look after the health and wellbeing of my team members and encourage open and regular discussions about the issues that impact on them, working together to find solutions.

Accountability

• I encourage and support my team to do the right thing even when its tough and we communicate our decisions in a timely way
• I ensure my team and employees take individual and collective accountability for performance and delivery, making sure that they have clear plans and performance objectives.
• I ensure my team plan ahead, getting the basics right and take swift action when problems arise
• I encourage my team to be risk aware and ensuring that our decisions and actions are informed and understood and communicated to others.
• I provide regular, timely and constructive feedback to my team members on their performance and behaviours and act quickly when performance is not on track.
• I share my learning, knowledge and skills with others thorough coaching and mentoring and encourage others to do the same.
• I ensure that my team and I put residents, communities, customers and their needs at the centre of everything we do.
• I encourage my team to learn and grow and ask questions to find the information they need to do their jobs

Ambition

• Am proud of our borough and my team and encourage everyone in the team to aim for the highest possible standards of excellence in everything we do.
• Encourage my team to be flexible and try new things when its appropriate to do so and tell me what could be improved.
• Promote a one team for Lambeth approach reaching out to our stakeholders to face our challenges together
• Encourage and support my team to be courageous for our residents and communities and stop at nothing to ensure they have the best possible outcomes
• I make time for the team to Innovate and look for creative ways to do things better, being curious about possibilities.
• Positively challenge and encourage the team to collaborate and look for solutions together across service and team boundaries.
• Make time for my team to grow and develop taking advantage of opportunities to learn from each other and others. We plan our learning and career growth.