Head of Property

Role Title: Head of Property Department : Property & Estates Hours : 40 hours per week Reports To: : Director of Operations Salary Level : £50 - £55k depending on skills and experience Main Work Location : Whiteley Homes Trust – Walton on Thames, Surrey Introduction – The Whiteley Homes Trust vision Every member of staff is here to sustain a thriving community, with outstanding accommodation and care for older people of limited means and to develop and share our success, so older people can live happy and fulfilling lives. Your job is to make Whiteley the best place to age in Britain. Role Overview The Whiteley Homes Trust “the Trust” is a charity that manages Whiteley Village in Surrey. The purpose of the charity is to provide homes for older people of limited means from all over the country. Founded over a hundred years ago in Walton on Thames, Surrey, the Village is located in 225 acres of beautiful grounds and is a very special place to live and work. Established in 1917 the village has many Grade 2 listed buildings and provides housing for nearly 400 older people of limited means. There are 265 Almshouses and 51 extra care apartments and the Village also has a church, social and leisure club, shop and café. We became a Registered Provider in 2024 and the Head of Property will lead on the Trust’s strategic and operational delivery of our property services. You will have a strong background in property and asset management and will lead a small team to deliver an efficient, professional and cost-effective service, leading to high levels of customer satisfaction and meeting regulatory and legal requirements. Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will be responsible for all aspects of property and asset management including day to day repairs and voids, major works, planned works and health and safety compliance. The position will be accountable for making business decisions that align to the Trust’s strategic goals, vision and objectives. The role will oversee the DLO and manage external contractor relationships for maintenance and service contracts. You will have line management responsibility for the Maintenance Supervisor, Property Administrators and Caretaker and a close working relationship with the Head of Housing, Head of Community Services and the Registered Manager of the Extra Care facility. Whiteley Homes Trust Core Values: Respect Integrity Ambition Involvement We encourage all our staff to play their part in demonstrating our core values in their day-to-day work with colleagues and customers. What will you be doing? Main Responsibilities Lead and develop the Property team to ensure they provide an excellent service for residents. Ensure the Trust’s property management systems and controls are effective and robust, and that the Trust is fully compliant with all Landlord obligations, relevant laws, regulations and quality standards of the Regulator of Social Housing and the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023. Work with the Health and Safety adviser to ensure full completion of risk assessments, surveys, inspections and audits to comply with statutory regulations. Day to day management of reactive repairs including the out of hours service. Overall responsibility for the DLO and external maintenance and servicing contractors. Develop an effective void strategy that ensures properties are let to a good standard while minimising void times and costs. Implement and manage the planned works programme based on the stock condition survey, lifecycle programmes and budgets. Carry out surveys and inspections to diagnose complex defects and provide specifications for works. Lead major works projects including appointing Employer’s Agents, managing the tender process, procurement and completion of works. Oversee the procurement of contractors in line with the Trust’s policies. Line Manage the Property team with responsibility for recruiting, training, motivating, performance management and absence management ensuring an efficient, professional, responsive and customer led service. Record KPIs and report to the Leadership Team monthly and implement processes to ensure targets are met. Review and update Property and Compliance policies where required. Develop and maintain good working relationships with residents, managers, colleagues and external stakeholders. Investigate and respond to all property related complaints within set timescales and proactively deal with issues prior to becoming a complaint. Develop the use of the specialist IT system (Pyramid) to deliver robust property management. Develop and manage the budgets for Property Services, ensuring efficient allocation of resources while maintaining a high standard of service delivery. Work with colleagues to set service charge budgets to maintain affordability while effectively providing services. General It is the duty of all employees to ensure that a safe working environment and safe working practices are maintained at all times. Undertake any other duties which may be reasonably deemed to come within the scope of the post, relating to the activities of the department. Full compliance with all the Trust’s Policies and Procedures. To complete mandatory and job-related training as required. You will be responsible for the confidentiality, integrity and availability of all data which you have access to in the course of your work. PERSON SPECIFICATION Required Experience & Knowledge Proven experience (5+ years) in property management at a Registered Provider Experience of meeting regulatory, statutory and legal requirements in property management Experience of delivering a robust repairs service with high levels of customer satisfaction Knowledge of CDM regulations Strong understanding of the needs of elderly residents and a commitment to enhancing their quality of life Excellent leadership, organisational and interpersonal skills Line management experience including the management of poor performance Ability to manage budgets and resources effectively Demonstratable track record of meeting targets and key performance indicators Strong conflict resolution and problem-solving abilities Ability to build strong relationships with residents and their families, colleagues and external stakeholders A passion for creating a positive and inclusive community environment Desirable Experience working with older people Experience of managing or working in an Almshouse, charity or volunteer-led organisation Experience leading a DLO Building Surveyor experience especially in relation to listed buildings Experience of liaising with Conservation Officers Personal skills/qualities Delivering on commitments within agreed/appropriate timeframes Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team and be a role model for the values of the Trust Able to work under pressure and manage conflicting priorities Good organisation skills, flexible and self-driven to achieve Excellent written and verbal communication and the ability to adapt to a range of audiences Strong interpersonal and team-building skills Commitment to training and development Flexible and innovative approach to working Decision-making and problem-solving skills. Strong general IT skills Honesty, reliability and trustworthiness. Qualifications GCSE Maths and English (Grade C / 5) or equivalent HNC in Building related subject or equivalent Desirable IOSH Managing Safely Other information The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its staff and older people. We expect all our staff to be aware of their responsibilities to protect staff and residents from abuse or harm. Successful applicants will be required to undertake a DBS check and to provide proof of their right to work in the UK. Note:

No role profile can cover every issue that may arise within the duties of the post at various times. The post holder will be expected to carry out any other duties from time to time that are broadly consistent with those in this document. Your flexibility and assistance in helping us achieve our vision is valued. January 2025 To apply for this position please upload a CV with a Cover letter. For further information about Whiteley Village please go to our website: https://thewhiteleyhomestrust.org.uk/get-involved/vacancies/

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