Head of Strategy & Assets Candidate Information Pack
Introduction Thames Valley Police (TVP) is the largest non-metropolitan force in England and Wales and has a substantial portfolio spread across the three counties of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. The Force polices a wide variety of locations, including major towns and cities, such as Oxford, Reading and Milton Keynes, as well as extensive rural communities and a number of thriving market towns. The Force has a significant and diverse property portfolio which extends to 140,000 sqm across 94 sites with nearly 180 buildings. The estate is varied including police stations, residential accommodation, training facilities, industrial assets, and various specialist facilities. Thames Valley Police are seeking to appoint a Head of Strategy and Assets (HOS&A) to deliver a strategic and proactive approach to the asset management of the force’s multi-site property portfolio and to actively pursue innovative opportunities for efficiencies that will lead to sustainable reductions in TVP’s estate footprint. This is an excellent opportunity for an individual to develop their career in a client-side asset management leadership role responsible for medium and long-term estate strategy planning and coordination, progressing external collaboration opportunities, and delivering a rigorous hands-on approach to the force’s Corporate Landlord model for the management of its estate.
Contents
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Introduction About Us The Portfolio
Management of the Estate Current Estate Priority Work- Streams Job Description Working for Us Valuing Difference Key Dates and Application Process
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The Portfolio
Management of the Estate
The Thames Valley built estate extends to approx.140,000 sqm across 94 sites with nearly 180 individual buildings. The range of building types and ages within the portfolio is varied although the bulk of the current estate was constructed between the early 1960s and the mid 1990s. The estate incorporates traditional office space, storage/warehouse accommodation, training (classroom) facilities, residential accommodation, data centres, laboratory space, and specialist operational policing facilities such as secure custody centres and firearms training ranges. The majority of the estate, by floor area, is owned by TVP. The portfolio is changing, with an expanded disposal programme continuing with some more modern replacement facilities in hand and planned, and some significant building maintenance projects underway and planned.
Thames Valley Police has an in-house property function that is responsible for all aspects of the management of the estate including maintenance, asset management, project development and delivery, and facilities services (hard and soft fm), and the delivery of a sustainability programme The staff within the Property Services Department (PSD) include experienced professionals from a number of key disciplines such as Building Surveying, Construction Project Management, Facilities Management, Building Services Engineering, Town Planning, Quantity Surveying and General Practice Surveying. The PSD structure comprises the following teams: • Estate Strategy & Asset Management • Capital & Major Projects • Maintenance • Facilities • Environmental Sustainability
About Us Inspire positive change
Thames Valley Police is one of the 43 police forces in England and Wales and is the largest non-metropolitan force. It covers over 2,200 square miles and three counties: Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Thames Valley serves a diverse population of over 2.34m people which has grown by 10% over the past decade. The force is currently transitioning to operating across 5 major policing command areas (LCUs) and is responsible for policing 196 miles of the national motorway network. The force is committed to preventing and thoroughly investigating crime, supporting victims and bringing offenders to justice. This commitment cannot be achieved by any one person alone; it relies upon a team of over 8,000 staff, officers and volunteers, working alongside partner agencies and the public. Working together, the force aims to build stronger, more resilient communities, providing a modern police force which meets the needs of the public it serves.
PROPERTY SERVICES DEPARTMENT: TEAM STRUCTURE
Ben Snuggs Deputy Chief Constable
David Griffin Head of Property Services
Capital Projects
Environmental & Sustainability
Strategy & Assets
Maintenance
Facilities
Current Estate Priority Work- Streams
The force’s recently updated Asset Management Framework (2023 – 2028) provides the overarching strategic framework for determining departmental priorities and resource effort. The department is currently engaged in some significant projects, programmes and initiatives which collectively represent both challenges and opportunities. The business critical drivers for PSD are the continuing need to work progressively towards a leaner and more cost efficient estate, maintaining estate operability, whilst at the same time actively supporting and enabling the force to achieve its objectives for organisational change and enhanced operational performance [against the background of a very challenging national financial climate]. A PSD senior presence on business programme and project boards is standard practice, ensuring early engagement and identification of estate requirements
The priority work-streams that currently provide the focus of activity and resource allocation for the Head of Strategy & Assets and for other departmental teams include the following: • Force Review Project: Working with the HOE (Head of Estates) on identifying potential new revenue savings across all existing estate budgets and making proposals on further opportunities for estate rationalisation capable of generating additional (new) capital receipts together with reducing ongoing estate revenue costs. • Restructure of Local Policing & Operational Departments (expected completion May 2025): identifying and developing detailed accommodation/workplace plans across the entire force area to facilitate changes arising from the comprehensive restructuring of local geographical policing command units (LCUs) and major front-line operational support departments (e.g. CID, Intelligence, Criminal Justice). • Central Oxfordshire Estate Strategy (COES): Development of this integrated operational policing £100+m estate strategy and delivery programme for Central Oxfordshire including TVP’s two HQ sites in Oxford; the COES is TVP’s most ambitious and complex estate change programme and involves multiple interdependent estate projects over a 0-10 year horizon (strategy & specific projects development underway) • PFI Strategy: Working with the HOF (Head of Facilities) on the development of a deliverable estate strategy for TVP’s current PFI contract on a major operational policing hub which is due to end in 2030 • Neighbourhood Policing Estate (NHP): involvement in an in-depth review and challenge of the use/occupancy of TVP’s NHP estate to examine the scope for rationalisation, amalgamation of under-used accommodation/buildings or identification of new requirements, some aligned to strategic growth • Asset Management Framework (AMF): although approved in late 2023, and not due for a substantive review until 2028, there is an annual requirement to refresh key annexes around TVP’s rolling 10 year Strategic Estate Requirements Plan (SERP) and the individual site retention indicator schedule. • Developer Contributions: TVP, through the department’s Strategic Growth Planner role which is managed by the HOS&A, is one of few police forces to have successfully engaged the planning system to access developer funding for operational policing requirements and also to secure provision of some new NHP offices aligned to strategic housing growth. This is an important revenue stream for TVP alongside the income from telecom masts.
To view the Asset Management Framework please click here.
Job Description
Job Title:
Head of Strategy & Assets
This is the principal estates document that provides the strategic context and direction for medium term financial planning (MTFP) and day to day estate management activity. It sets out the overarching approach to asset management of the portfolio, site specific retention strategies that inform expenditure priorities and an implementation plan. The AMF reflects strategic, geographic and functional reviews, an overview of portfolio performance and fitness for purpose. An integral element of the AMF is development of the rolling disposal programme, ongoing review and management of its delivery. The AMF also highlights the risk around the significant planned housing and population growth over the next 10 years and what is required in mitigation. • Undertake specific acquisitions and disposals, typically where they are complex, sensitive or high profile. For significant projects these require development of detailed financial appraisals (Net Present Cost) by the post holder in liaison with Corporate Finance and PCC’s Chief Finance Office in order to demonstrate/evidence recommended best value outcomes. • Pro-active and ongoing engagement with a wide range of local partners around estates collaboration, e.g. local authorities, Fire Services, SCAS, NHS, MoJ/HMCTS. The government • One Public Estate initiative is an ongoing facet of estates collaboration activity across the force area to which the Force is committed. • Technical and strategic support to the Strategy and Assets team, other Property Service teams (e.g. supporting Capital schemes or Maintenance by providing inputs around future strategy or occupancy), Force LCUs or departments (e.g. restructuring), specific Force programmes and project boards (e.g. Force Review, CCTV, CSI), CCMT and PCC. This also includes Governance reporting and presentation (e.g. to the Strategic Estates Group, CCMT, PCC), site/area specific estate briefings (typically to operational Commanders, Chief Officers, PCC,) and assisting Corporate Communications with internal and external communications (e.g.
around disposals). • Management of the Force asset register - a public statutory document - requiring provision of a formal annual asset revaluation for “Annual Accounts” purposes by an external consultant of both the owned estate and more recently the leased estate (IFRS 16). Manage the provision by a consultant of annual updated fire insurance valuations to ensure the force has sufficient insurance cover. • Management of the leasehold operational estate including periodic rent reviews and lease renewals, obtaining landlords consents and authorising payments of rent, rates and service charges with an annual budget typically around £5m to ensure the force occupies our leased estate in accordance with contractual liabilities. • Manage the annual budget development process for relevant estate budgets (e.g. rent, rates, service charge and fees) and participation in ongoing Property Services savings reviews with Corporate Finance and others. Management of the principal strategic estate database (Excel based space and strategy dataset) to ensure accuracy and required outputs, including information for annual NPEG Benchmarking submissions and review of NPEG output reports, CIPFA and HMICFRS benchmarking submissions (if required). • Lead, manage and develop the Strategy & Assets team, ensuring DIMENSIONS: The post holder is the Force’s senior technical lead on strategic and day to day estate management of the Force portfolio, developing key strategic documents providing strategic context and direction for future use, occupation of the estate and investment requirements. From a day to day perspective, the post holder will be the technical lead on estate management issues for the owned and leased estate, ensuring that the portfolio operates smoothly and in compliance with relevant legal liabilities, and that key outputs and outcomes are delivered by the team.
Job Family:
Business Support Senior Manager
Role Profile Title:
Reports To: Band level:
Head of Property Services
5M – Subject to Review Staff Responsibilities: Strategic Growth Planner, Estates Surveyor OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE Responsible for developing and periodically reviewing the Asset Management Framework (and key components of it such as the Asset Management Plan, property retention strategy and rolling property disposal/replacement programme), as the Department’s principal strategic framework for planning and decision making underpinning the Force’s estate change programme. Acting as the Force/Department lead for significant organisational change initiatives to assess spatial implications, and on Corporate Landlord responsibilities including directly managing space use and allocation across the force, pro- actively engaging key partners to develop relationships and identifying/developing collaborative estate opportunities. Taking direct personal responsibility for specific complex/ strategic transactional casework, involving the development and review of business cases for major estate change, and for ensuring the provision of mandatory annual asset valuation reporting. KEY ACCOUNTABILITY AREAS: • The Head of Strategy & Assets has the lead role in delivering the department’s Corporate Landlord (CL) responsibilities for TVP’s estate which include a number of key functions. Managing space allocation and utilisation, under the CL model to ensure corporate requirements and standards are understood, challenged or assessed, and delivered. This is a significant enabler to achieving the ongoing reduction in the size and cost of the estate by making space use as efficient and effective as possible. At a hands-on level, the role necessitates consideration of regular and often numerous requests for changing space allocation or for new requirements (e.g. significant organisation wide change such as the new Local Command Units (LCUs), or more modest incremental growth), developing site specific staff relocation strategies required for planned disposal sites, and assessing larger sites to ensure space data is up to date and for space utilisation improvement opportunities. • Development of the Asset Management Framework (AMF).
• Asset Management Framework (AMF) – responsible for developing and periodically updating this principal strategic document that incorporates significant detail and draws on several datasets This is fully refreshed every 5 years, with interim annual updates of 2 key annexes – the site retention indicator and implementation plan. It requires compliance with extant best practice formatting and content, and inputs from strategic databases collating and analysing a significant amount of performance and other data, such as space utilisation, fitness for purpose and costs. • Property reviews – these may be part of the AMF process initiated by the post holder but can also be triggered by organisation requirements – whether a formal review process (e.g. savings reviews) or by significant change around specific programmes (e.g. LCU operating model). They can be geographic covering all or some LCUs and departments, function specific (e.g. HQ) or project specific (e.g. specific stations/sites). They can typically involve engagement at SMT and Chief Officer level as well as at a tactical level. • Corporate Landlord role – Having taken some years to establish a central approach and authority to managing space, and its use and allocation, it is necessary for the post holder to maintain a “hands on” approach and a detailed knowledge of the portfolio to ensure space allocation aligns with departmental plans and wider organisational requirements, both established and emerging. This consequently requires almost daily activity to space plan, review/challenge and deliver approved requirements. There is significant input into planned projects (e.g. large maintenance projects) within the department, assessing opportunities to deliver space improvements and ensure that the estate rationalisation programme can be delivered with teams relocated where necessary. The portfolio has around 8,000 spaces across around 94 overt and 21 covert/discrete sites amounting to c.147,000 sqm. • Disposal programme – This is the principal activity to ensure the department can deliver
significant capital receipts (gross £30m+) and revenue savings (net £400,000pa+) by 2033 towards the Force’s Productivity Strategy. Since its inception in 2010 within the AMP, the programme has grown, with over 124 operational properties disposed of since 2010 and currently 8 properties currently programmed for disposal or with disposals in hand over the 5 years to March 2029. This programme, which includes the much reduced residential estate, is a live document as it needs to flex as circumstances change. The AMF identifies a further 5 as yet un-programmed disposals and 29 potential disposals. The programme informs the Medium Term Financial Plan and is the basis for periodic media briefings. It contains a significant amount of data that needs constant updating such as running costs and replacement costs. The role holder has primary responsibility for ensuring the programme is current, approved, accurate and is delivered. • Specific disposals and acquisitions – the post holder, while managing 2 others in the team who undertake specific casework, will be expected to deal with, or heavily input into, specific cases whether of a strategic/ complex/high profile nature or where the role holder’s specific knowledge, experience or decision making is required. The post holder will be required to provide/review the strategic context for all business cases and requests for approval for disposal or acquisition. • Estate Collaboration - The post holder is the primary lead for engaging internal stakeholders (e.g. Programme and Project leads) around accommodation requirements, and external partners around estates collaboration, which are typically public sector organisations locally and other forces, and can be challenging. This requires a pro-active effort to ensure all key partners are engaged, respective estate plans understood and any opportunities for “quick wins” or worthwhile strategic collaborative projects and other initiatives (e.g. training, sustainability or procurement) identified. The national One Public Estate programme requires some input from the post holder to
ensure TVP is well represented, and makes a positive contribution to what the OPE groups, CCMT and PCC wish to achieve, ensuring the force/PCC’s interests are protected. Accommodating integrated service delivery initiatives (e.g. MASH, joint partnership roles) will involve consideration of a range of issues beyond just provision of space (e.g. security, vetting, Information Assurance) and engagement with a wider team of internal and external stakeholders. • Annual asset valuations – A fundamental and statutory component of the TVP/PCC “Annual Accounts”. This is an annual requirement to ensure provision of a revaluation of those properties on the Force’s asset register (owned or leased), together with refreshed fire insurance valuations to ensure we maintain our Insurance cover. There is a requirement to highlight where there have been material changes – e.g. through refurbishment, new build or purchasing a leased building. The owned operational estate had a March 2023 value of approximately £250m and £8.5m for the residential estate. The mandatory valuation of leases (IFRS 16) was introduced effective 1st April 2024 requiring separate reporting. The Asset Register is owned by the PCC and is a public document. • Management of the leased estate – there are c 60 leased properties remaining with a total rent and service charge cost of c.£850,000 pa. A number of leases require rent reviews or leases renewed if being retained, some of which are premises with a high or medium business continuity rating. Most of these events are undertaken by our external consultant, but require “expert client” inputs. C.£5.10m of rent, rates and service charge invoices require checking and authorising, this activity delegated by the post holder to the Estates Surveyor role, along with managing the income generation from our telecoms sites of c.£420,000pa in 2024, but overseen by the post holder. • Technical support – the post holder will be expected to provide expert technical support and inputs to team members and other Property Services teams, but also to Force departments and LCUs as required (e.g. Contact Management, Force Review, Training,
Custody, Forensics, Joint Operation Unit), Chief Officers and the Office of the PCC. The role is seen as the primary link into Property Services for such inputs, to involve other teams (e.g. Capital Schemes) as required. The role liaises with Property Services teams on numerous projects (typically maintenance projects, replacement projects or options appraisals) to ensure opportunities for space improvement or addressing change are identified and delivered where needed. The role is the lead for addressing media or external/partner queries around AMF related issues (e.g. collaboration or disposals) raised through Corporate Communications, PCC or the Chief Constable. • Budget development – the post holder is responsible for a number of annual budgets, indicatively: • Rent and service charge c.£850,000 payable to landlords • Rates c.£4.25m • Professional fees c.£200,000 • Reserve funded activity (AMOP and organisational change requirements) – variable annually but currently spending around £225,000 (March 2024) • Income (e.g. telecoms, and 3rd party estates income c£500,000, s106/ CIL c£100-£150,000 pa) £600,000 - £650,000 pa The post holder will regularly liaise with Corporate Finance concerning the financial implications of changes in the disposal programme (e.g. disposals slipping to subsequent years, new additions, disposals being brought forward, or a change in receipt estimate/offers or revenue saving) • Overseeing team activity – the role holder ensures that key outputs required of the team are delivered when required, such as , landlord and tenant management, disposal programme delivery, budget development and management, identification of future population and housing growth requirements and associated income generation from the planning system, telecoms income management, statutory valuation and fire insurance valuation internal inputs, specific updates to strategic documents and supporting other teams.
Characteristics of the Role
Working For Us • Salary: circa £80,000 - £85,000 • Local Government Pension Scheme • Annual Leave: 30 Days • Flexible working • Discounted gym membership • Cycle to work scheme Valuing Difference
Essential: • Professional qualification: Educated to degree level with membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS). • Extensive post qualification working experience involvement in strategic estate management with an emphasis on producing strategic documents, reviewing and enhancing the performance of occupational property portfolios, and identifying, managing and delivering a rationalisation programme and development opportunities capitalising upon and enhancing asset value. • Extensive post qualification working experience involvement in estate management, including Landlord and Tenant matters, agency, valuations and building management including management of rent, rates and service charge budgets. • Ability to network and interact on credible terms with people at all levels within the organisation and externally, and to adopt a forceful but diplomatic approach and to display a high level of resilience. • Ability to challenge and improve existing processes and procedures, and to develop new ones where necessary to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the team and department.
• Proficient in the use of IT systems including MS Word, Excel, Project and proprietary development appraisal applications, and strong report writing and presentational skills and attention to detail. • Proven experience in line managing and developing staff. • Experience of instructing and managing external consultants in the provision of specialist professional advice and service delivery. • Must have capability to travel to different locations inside and outside the Force boundaries. Due to the requirement to work flexibly, unsocial hours and personal safety for lone working; public transport may not be available or suitable at these times. For this reason a full UK driving licence is considered essential. Desirable: • Up to date working knowledge of the current statutory planning legislation and changes in the spatial planning process and an understanding of space utilisation/ workspace planning. • Experience of working in both the private and public sectors.
TVP recognises, values and celebrates difference. Every individual at TVP matters. Everyone has an important role to play and makes a difference. Collectively we work together to achieve our commitment of making all communities within the Thames Valley safer and more secure. Different people bring different perspectives which help us develop better understanding and learning, leading to new ideas and solutions to the challenging social issues that we face on a daily basis. We aspire and are working hard towards having a police force that truly reflects the communities we serve. Our region is increasingly diverse and it is important our workforce reflects this, ensuring our officers, staff and volunteers are approachable and relatable to our communities.
Key Dates & Application Process To arrange a confidential conversation to discuss the opportunity in more depth, please contact our retained advisors Stephanie Howe and Charley McCarthy of The Management Recruitment Group:
Stephanie Howe Stephanie.Howe@mrgglobal.com Charley McCarthy Charley.McCarthy@mrgglobal.com
Applications should consist of a comprehensive CV and a covering letter (of no more than 2 pages). Applications should be sent to both Stephanie and Charley. Interviews with TVP are anticipated to be held w/c 5th August 2024. All direct and third-party applications will be forwarded to MRG.
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