Job Description

Job info	Job info details
Job title	Senior Valuer
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Asset Management
Business unit	Estates
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Estates Manager
Accountable to (line manager)	Estates Manager
Salary grade	Grade K
JE ref	TDA21

1. Key purpose of job

To provide a professional estate management service of all accommodation, land and property issues on behalf of the Council and its clients.
To build and maintain the client base. To undertake external client work, including residential valuations and being seconded to other clients including other Local Authorities.
To maintain and where possible maximise value and income and minimise expenditure.
Deliver a full range of property valuation services in accordance with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Red Book.
To provide a professional estate management service in respect of Torbay Council’s commercial portfolio and proactively identify opportunities to increase all commercial property returns to the Council.
To lead in projects requiring property input across the Council and its clients.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

To proactively manage and maximise the return of the assets under the control of the Council and its clients, to include the Torbay Council Investment Portfolio.
Implement an Asset Management Investment Strategy as an annex to the Council’s Asset Management Plan. This will ensure ongoing performance monitoring and proactive risk assessment against a balanced portfolio delivering long term sustainable income from the Council’s Investment Portfolio.
To ensure property acquisitions and disposals which are often major in value and complex in nature, with multiple stakeholders are completed in a timely and successful manner.
Act as a key representative on behalf of the Council in all meetings and act as a point of contact with clients.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
Providing complete professional advice on all aspects of estate management including inter-alia, new lettings (both taking and granting leases / licences) lease and licence renewals and rent and licence fee reviews, acquisition of land and property, enforcement of lease obligations and covenants, wayleaves and easements, repair and maintenance obligations, release or relaxation of restrictive covenants, dealing with requests for assignment and surrender of leases, resolving encroachment issues, identifying unused and underused land and properties and reporting on alternative uses, disposal of surplus land and buildings, reviewing rating assessments and appealing against the same and insurance valuations etc.
Take responsibility for managing investment properties forming part of the Council’s Investment Portfolio. Provide input into the overall portfolio level reporting process (analysing portfolio structure, market specific risk and macroeconomic risk to inform future portfolio level strategy).
To capitalize on opportunities to enhance rental and capital values, demonstrating a range of skills to overcome complex and contentious matters (where appropriate instructing and coordinating specialist consultants and third party professionals).
Ensuring that commercial and residential valuations are carried out expeditiously and within the policies laid down by the Council and within the guidelines of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
Being the Estates lead for development scheme projects and dealing with compensation issues, as appropriate, including the acquisition of property using Compulsory Purchase Powers (where available).
To have a comprehensive knowledge of Landlord and Tenant law and to keep abreast of all current and proposed legislation.
To take care of their own safety and that of others, to ensure that products, plant, equipment, vehicles and buildings are not damaged and to comply with health & safety procedures and instructions.
To prepare estimates and reports for schemes including preparing valuations and carrying out negotiations in connection therewith.
To prepare annual reports, including the completion of individual asset valuations, capital and revenue estimates, property reviews and statistical and comparable property records, adopting a variety of valuation techniques.
Instructing consultants, contractors, verifying work and arranging payment of invoices.
In conjunction with others to prepare schedules of dilapidations or to contest any served on the Council.
Representation at relevant meetings as required and as deputy for the Estates Manager, Principal Surveyor and Strategic Head of Asset Management.
Benchmarking activities with other providers of Estate Management Services.
The appointment and supervision of external agents as third party supplementary service providers.
Undertaking any of the above functions on behalf of any other organisations where the Council has been appointed as agent.
To prepare / present bids to obtain instructions from prospective external clients to provide Estate Management Services.
Supervising the work and resources (human and financial) of the Estates Team to provide an efficient and effective service.
In undertaking all Key Duties qualified staff must work within the Code of Conduct and Regulations set down by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which provisions normally prevail over and above The Council and/or its clients’ directives or policy.
Ensuring that staff in the Asset Management service comply with Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, statutory obligations and other provisions.
To advise on the decision-making process on the exercise of the Council’s delegated powers in respect of all property matters at the Council.
To determine appropriate terms for complex property transactions based upon the available evidence and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction without reference to others.
To negotiate with confidence, orally and in writing, on issues such as rents, lease renewals, disposals and acquisitions of properties and sites on behalf of clients in order to strategically deliver a client’s asset management plan.
To decide upon and instruct contractors to provide specialist property advice and work on behalf of clients.
To prioritise work to ensure that deadlines are met and that urgent and pressing matters are given priority, to secure the best outcomes for the Council and its clients.
To make recommendations on the future use of assets and rationalising assets with consideration for service delivery and legal requirements, often with frequently competing priorities.
Making recommendations to the Estates Manager, Principal Surveyor and Strategic Head of Asset Management with regard to management of investment assets with reasoned advice / considered options / identification of potential issues and problems with a range of possible solutions.
Responsive decision making to maximise outcomes and income.
Being responsible and leading across a diverse range of work to include but not be limited to asset management, investment and property valuation.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

To prepare and manage budgets providing all necessary information as required.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

Regular Supervision/mentoring and motivating unqualified and less experienced members of the Estates Team including the provision of on the job training and the allocation and checking of work to ensure quality in line with RICS guidelines and help to deliver a competent and confident professional practice.
Regular Mentoring, supporting and training unqualified members of the team to attain RICS membership.
Supervision and holding to task external consultants.

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

Work in the office but there is a requirement arising from the nature of the work to carry out inspections of land and buildings and which can include meetings with tenants. The post holder can be called out of the office on short notice, requests for hybrid working will be considered.

7. Physical demands of the post

Standard office duties with site inspections. PPE will be provided.

8. Specific resources used by the post

IT equipment.
Continuous access to transport will be required as the job entails travelling to multiple locations around the South West as specified by the client, and the public transport timetabling is unlikely to meet this requirement.

9. Key contacts and relationships

External:

Members of the public, the Council & client, commercial landlords, external consultants, partner organisations (e.g., Torbay Care Trust), other Public Sector Bodies, Local Authority Asset / Estate Management. Departments.
Executive Leads and other Torbay Council Members; Torbay Council’s Service Managers and other Council Officers; Torbay Council’s committee meetings, Cabinet and Full Council.

Internal:

Chief Executive and Directors of the Council, Service Managers and other colleagues.

10. Other duties

To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children's Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
This post is office based at Tor Hill House but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Senior Valuer
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Asset Management
Business unit	Estates

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

Effective communication skills with the ability to comprehend and react appropriately to changing situations.
Effective organisational skills.
Effective negotiating skills.
Ability to meet deadlines and work with competing demands.
Ability to work unsupervised to a good quality.
Ability to work with external agencies, consultants, contractors and the public.
As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

Holder of European Computer Driving Licence (or equivalent computing qualification).

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

Demonstrate some experience of property matters.
Computer literate with an effective working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages including Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint.

Desirable knowledge

Some knowledge of Public Sector property.
Effective working knowledge of Map Info or equivalent mapping software.
Land Registry mapping requirements.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

Contributing successfully to effective team working and successful inter-disciplinary initiatives.

Desirable experience and achievements

GIS Mapping.
Experience of property matters in a Public Sector environment.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

Evidence of continuous professional development.
Degree and Membership of RICS. Alternatively Associate Membership of RICS.

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

Have a Degree or Diploma in a relevant specialised area, e.g., Estate Management.
Working towards full membership of the RICS.

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

Ability to travel efficiently around Torbay/South West in order to carry out duties.
Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.
Ability to accommodate on-call working.