Inspiring the extraordinary
Senior Heritage Surveyor Candidate Information Pack
Introduction
Thank you for your interest in the Senior Heritage Surveyor role at Durham University. As one of the UK’s leading and world top 100 universities, Durham is also one of the most distinctive universities. It is a residential collegiate university with a welcoming community of more than 20,000 students and over 4,300 members of staff. Our academics and students are at the heart of our world-leading research and teaching capabilities, shaping the future with their ground- breaking work. Set within the historically rich City of Durham in the North East of England, which is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is an undeniably beautiful place in which to base your work and home life. The University has an incredibly diverse estate in Durham City. It comprises over 320 buildings ranging in age from 1076 A.D. through to new, state of the art buildings. Durham Castle and the buildings around Palace Green are part of World Heritage Site, 3 properties are scheduled ancient monuments, 4 properties are listed Grade 1, 79 properties are listed Grade 2 and 60 properties are within the City's conservation area. Approximately 17% of the University's estate is over 150 years old, yet we have married this with the development of new cutting edge facilities such as our Mathematical Sciences and Computer Science building and our new Teaching and Learning Centre.
The Senior Heritage Surveyor will provide support and expertise relating to all aspects of building surveying and the application of conservation principles across the University’s vast heritage property portfolio. The role will act as the lead technical professional for the University providing specialist expertise relating to all aspects of building conservation, repair and maintenance, with responsibility for the development and delivery of a programme of conservation works to historic buildings across the University estate. If you enjoy a challenge and would like to play a key, influential and innovative role in creating inspiring environments to support our position as a world class organisation we would be delighted to hear from you. Best wishes,
Jane Robson Director, Estates Operations
Durham University
Durham is one of the world’s great universities and one of the most distinctive. Consistently ranked in the top six in the UK and in the top 100 across the world, we produce world-leading and world-changing research across all four of our faculties, our education is challenging, enabling, research-led and transformative and our wider student experience, delivered through our Colleges, Durham Students’ Union and Experience Durham, is among the best in the UK. Our goal is for Durham to be delivering world-leading and world-changing research across all academic departments and research institutes, an education that is challenging, difficult, enabling and transformative and a student experience to rival the best in the world. Our vision is to build on our existing success and move forward to secure our future, making significant changes where they are needed. We know that we have a strong offering but also that we can do more by further developing our partnership working. We are not complacent. Our University Strategy 2017-2027 sets ambitious targets for growth and development, to ensure that we remain at the cutting edge.
The Estate Strategy & Masterplan
The Estate Strategy and Masterplan In order to support our vision, and as part of our work on a long-term growth agenda, we have developed an Estates Strategy and Masterplan that is central to shaping how Durham University looks and feels in the future. It will ensure that we have an Academic and College estate that is fit for purpose and affordable for the foreseeable future. The Estate Masterplan identifies the potential capacity of the estate and presents possible development opportunities. It is a guide to how we could develop the estate over the long-term. It will protect Durham’s important heritage for generations to come; safeguard Durham’s position as a collegiate University at the heart of the national, regional and local economy; and create facilities to enhance the University’s reputation and support our vision to be world-leading in research, education and the wider student experience. The Masterplan seeks to build on and strengthen the relationship between City and University, by easing accommodation constraints, enhancing access and developing facilities for common use. We are committed to being closely engaged with local and regional stakeholders in the public, private and voluntary sectors, as well as local residents, thus fulfilling an important role within Durham, Stockton and the wider North East. Our goals We will: • Develop an academic estate that will allow the University to deliver world-class education, research and student experience; • Ensure the long-term availability of suitable residential accommodation; • Ensure the continuing renewal and maintenance of our estate; • Improve the environmental sustainability and ease of travel around our estate and city locations.
We are already doing well • “A purpose-built new home for John Snow College and a new college named South College, at Mount Oswald was completed in September 2020, with full College facilities and a total of 1,000 student beds”. • In September 2019, Durham University opened the doors to their brand new £40 million, 90,000sq ft Teaching and Learning development. • Our new £40 million home for our Mathematical Sciences and Computer Science departments was completed in September 2020 But there is So Much More to come By 2027, we will: • Deliver the next phase of our Estate Masterplan, including a new home for Durham University Business School and new developments for our Arts and Humanities Departments. • Future estate development will ensure our laboratory-based Science Departments have the facilities to match their international reputations. • Deliver repairs to existing buildings, both Collegiate and Academic, such that 75% of our buildings are of a very high standard • Establish and nurture future needs of Colleges.
The Estates and Facilities Directorate
The Estates and Facilities Directorate makes a positive and significant contribution to the University's shared vision by developing and maintaining the physical environment which contributes to the University's key aspiration of attracting high calibre staff and students to the University. We are a community of colleagues with a passion for excellence in everything we do; making a positive and significant contribution to the University, recognised by our stakeholders as delivering value for money services.
At the heart of our recruitment, we want to attract and secure the very best people to ensure the delivery of an estate that is both welcoming and safe for our students, staff and visitors. It is an exciting time to join the team, as the Directorate is currently refreshing its Estates Strategy and Masterplan; supporting the University’s overarching strategy.
Job Description
Job Title:
Senior Heritage Surveyor
• delivering a wide-range of customer-facing services, including contract management; estates and facilities relationships management; housekeeping and cleaning, business resilience, event management; reception helpdesk; university retail; business support; health and safety; and management information. The University is responsible for multiple buildings within the World Heritage Site, including Durham Castle. This is a living World Heritage Site, which is a place of residence and work for many members of the University community. The Senior Heritage Surveyor will provide support and expertise relating to all aspects of building surveying and the application of conservation principles across the University’s vast heritage property portfolio. The role will act as the lead technical professional for the University providing specialist expertise relating to all aspects of building conservation, repair and maintenance. With responsibility for the development and delivery of a programme of conservation works to historic buildings across the University estate. The role will require the post holder to form strong working relationships with in-house staff, as well as external agencies and contractors
Department:
Estates and Facilities Directorate Building Surveyors (Infrastructure) Head of Asset Maintenance
Responsible to: Resposible for:
Grade:
Grade 8
Salary range: Working arrangements:
£42,149-£50,296
Permanent Full-time, Nominal 35 hours, Hybrid Working Arrangements
The Directorate and role purpose The Estates and Facilities Directorate provides a number of essential services to Durham University and is responsible for managing, maintaining and developing the infrastructure and building fabric of the various campuses, including: • maintaining and regularly reviewing a maintenance programme which takes account of short, medium and long term needs of all buildings and University grounds • implementing the works identified and funded within the various maintenance programmes and operating a system for dealing with day-to day requirements, including the provision of an out-of-hours emergency service • providing a professional, technical service to the University for the design, construction and procurement of new buildings and adaptation works to existing buildings • identifying and recording the use of space and advising on ways of increasing space utilisation • property and asset management • acquisition and disposal of built environment related assets • procuring and managing utilities and services • providing postal, delivery and security arrangements and advice to the University; and
The Role
Core responsibilities: • Provide professional building surveying services in relation to heritage buildings, with managerial and leadership expertise. • Provide expert guidance, advice and problem- solving skills to stakeholders, on building surveying matters, specifically in relation to conservation of historic buildings. • Manage and develop service, infrastructure and people performance across one or more teams. • Provide feedback on team and individual performance and identify development needs, conducting regular staff ADR and performance reviews. • Recruit, induct, train and develop new team members. • Help to shape the skills and expertise of future team members and design work structures to meet operational and strategic goals. • Handle the vast majority of HR issues within • Liaise and engage with key stakeholders and internal and external contractors to influence opinion, delivery and reputation of services within a heritage setting • Contribute to the scoping and resource planning across a range of activities at operational and possibly strategic level. • Lead on the design, implementation and monitoring of policy and quality standards, procedures and systems to ensure effective working and continuous improvement. • Promote and develop a deep understanding of organisational policy and external developments. • Devolve responsibilities to team members, both internal and external stakeholders to ensure continuity of service provision and encourage skills development. a team, referring more complex issues to appropriate support services/senior management.
• Ensure all activities, processes and transactions are accounted for accurately and promptly to meet regulatory and professional service and policy standards. • Implement processes to manage the integrity and security of all commercially and professionally sensitive and personal data. • Lead internal & external business meetings, working groups and sub-committees at strategic & operational service level to influence governance, organisational policy and standards for the service. • Responsible for allocating and monitoring financial budgets and resources. • Analyse stakeholder feedback, implementing and reviewing service provision. building and infrastructure planned and reactive maintenance services across the University’s Heritage estate; ensuring that all operational activities are carried out in a structured, professional and customer-focussed manner, delivering value for money services. • Lead the management of conservation projects from inception to completion, providing cost estimates, where appropriate. • Manage compliance with statutory responsibilities and maintaining records, as required. Role responsibilities: • Ensure the delivery of high-quality estates • Manage and develop the University’s asset management information, including condition reporting and lifecycle replacement, to inform future strategic planning and budgeting. • Management of surveys, investment/ development appraisals, feasibility studies and property options, developing subsequent business cases for submission to University Committees. • Delegate authority and responsiblility to make decisions about the quality, level and nature of service and staffing, necessary to
The Role
meet operational and annual strategic business objectives. • Lead the design, development and implementation of service deliverables and influence organisational transformation. • Work with team members as well as internal and external stakeholders to build and maintain excellent working relationships. • Build and establish contacts and networks with key stakeholders, internal and external staff, suppliers, contractors and industry specialists. • Lead, manage and implement a range of projects, from inception to completion, across the organisation, liaising with other University teams, as necessary; monitoring and mapping performance against the original brief, and providing progress reports and mitigating actions to ensure key deliverables and targets are met. • Develop, implement and monitor service level agreements, key performance indicators and benchmark against other institutions and organisations, to enable continuous improvement of the Asset Maintenance team. • Manage and monitor overall security, health and safety assessments and procedures, ensuring compliance. • Any other reasonable duties. Specific role requirements: • The post-holder is required to manage, and if required participate in, the provision of an out-of- hours management on-call rota. • The post-holder may be required to work evenings and weekends, as business needs. • Attend all training and development, as required.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria • Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop excellent working relationships both internally and externally. • Proven IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office. • Educated to degree level (or equivalent), or a Professional Qualification relating to Building Conservation / Heritage, or equivalent experience. • Significant relevant experience working at a senior level in a building surveying or building maintenance role within a heritage setting. • Track record of management and development experience and/or an enhanced management qualification applied across a large service team or teams. • Regulatory, local and national professional knowledge and experience of building conservation, maintenance and repair. • Experience of providing specialist advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues. • Experience of the procurement and management of service-related contracts. • Experience of being able to network effectively and develop strong and productive working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders • Ability to solve problems and resolve issues, plan solutions and make pragmatic decisions. • Experience of delivering and developing specialist services for buildings, estates and services. • Experience of delivering projects involving multi-agency working within an educational, commercial or industrial environment. • Health and safety compliance knowledge. • Extensive knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines, specifically in relation to the management of heritage properties. • Experience of implementing policy and procedures and involvement with future changes for a service area. • Ability to contribute to planning at operational and strategic levels. • Experience of managing budgets. Desirable Criteria • Professional qualification in a relevant discipline with specialist knowledge and expertise used to influence service delivery and activities within the organisation. • Continuing professional development required to maintain professional recognition. • Experience of working in the higher education sector.
Benefits
When you work at Durham University, you can take advantage of a fantastic range of staff benefits including pension schemes with generous employer contributions, and salary sacrifice schemes which save you money, including childcare vouchers, nursery fees and cycle to work. Further information can be viewed below.
Childcare, facilities and attractions
We have an onsite nursery and you can enjoy access to our excellent libraries, sporting facilities, and visitor attractions such as the Botanic Garden and Oriental Museum. You are encouraged to become an active member of one of our Colleges with their varied range of social and cultural activities. All our staff enjoy up to five days volunteering time through our successful and thriving staff volunteering scheme.
Holidays, flexible working, leave and welfare
You will enjoy generous holiday entitlement, members of staff in Grades 7-10 receive a total of 42 days paid holidays each year. This is made up of 30 days holiday, eight statutory Bank holidays and four Customary days, usually taken at Christmas when the University offices are closed. We have lots of ways to help our staff maintain a healthy lifestyle and work-life balance including flexible and hybrid working arrangements, family- friendly leave, research leave and Occupational Health and Counselling services.
Charitable giving
You can choose to donate to a charity of your choice direct from your salary through payroll giving.
My Durham
Durham University offer a range of discounts and savings through their staff benefits portal, My Durham. My Durham is a central hub from which eligible staff can access a range of employment benefits, including corporate discounts, childcare vouchers and the Cycle to Work Scheme.
Relocation
The University is able to offer financial and logistical relocation support to candidates that are seeking to move to the area to take up a role with the University.
Further information and application process
For a confidential discussion to learn more about the role and opportunity please contact Durham University’s appointed recruitment partners Ben Duffill and David Craven of The Management Recruitment Group.
Applications should consist of a comprehensive CV and supporting cover letter. Applications should be sent to ben.duffill@mrgpeople.co.uk and david.craven@mrgpeople.co.uk Closing date: 25th September Interviews will take place early October.
Ben Duffill M: 07976 125 010 E: ben.duffill@mrgpeople.co.uk David Craven M: 07932 717 438 E: david.craven@mrgpeople.co.uk
Inspiring the extraordinary
We are an international recruiter of senior management professionals across real estate, facilities and development. Our success is built on our people, process and expertise. Our people have unrivalled experience, our process is rigorous and designed in-house, and we have meaningful sector expertise.
We are MRG and we are different by design.
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker