Estates Surveyor (Corporate & Housing)

Job Introduction

Joining the Milton Keynes City Council's Property Team as an Estates Surveyor is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a modern, vibrant city with a reputation for innovation.

Milton Keynes is a special and unique city with parks and lakes within a few minutes’ walk of people’s homes, and a distinctive grid road system and city centre. Our older towns, villages and residential areas each have their own character and sense of community.

As a member of our dynamic team, you'll be at the forefront of managing and developing our city's diverse property portfolio and delivering our refreshed Corporate Property Strategy.

You’ll be collaborating with passionate professionals, driving efficiencies in our estate and ensuring our portfolio is fit for purpose and tenure, as well contributing to the wellbeing of our communities.

You’ll manage the city council’s operational occupied estate, such as Libraries, Children’s Centres, and education properties through our corporate landlord model.

You’ll also provide advice on housing projects and manage, support and coach the Assistant Surveyor for Corporate and Housing.

Main Responsibility

• Identify strategic opportunities for property use that meet the requirements of the Corporate Property Strategy within the Corporate Estate (which includes education properties and some housing workstreams).
• Undertake casework primarily focused on general estates management, including landlord and tenant and client advice.
• Undertake property valuations, inspections and measurement of land and property.
• Undertake the acquisition and disposal of land and property, including residential properties. Setting and monitoring budgets, including service charges and debt management.
• Instructing landlord repairs and ensuring works are procured in line with the contract procedure rules.
• Keep property management records up to date to include the use of systems and data sets for reporting and estate planning.
• Work with and assist project managers and client departments as necessary and form part of multi-disciplinary teams through all stages of a project.​

The Ideal Candidate

• Degree in Surveying, Property Management or a related discipline with membership of the RICS or enrolled and working toward completion of APC.
• Significant post qualification experience preferably within local government with the ability to illustrate successful estate management managing a diverse property portfolio.
• Excellent organisational skills with attention to detail, able to prioritise and meet deadlines, and manage expectations with the ability to work without supervision and to accept responsibility for decisions taken.
• A good communicator with the ability to build excellent customer and team relationships, demonstrating a professional aptitude building confidence and trust.
• Understand the needs of the business and demonstrate ability to assimilate options and alternative courses of action for coherent decision making.
• Ensure that the professional standards of delivery set out by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors are adhered to and to take responsibility for managing, recording and maintaining your continuing professional development.
• For this role you are required to have a full UK driving licence and provide evidence of your vehicle insurance with business cover and use of a vehicle. If you are successful, you will be required to supply evidence of your licence prior to starting the role.

Package Description

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years.  In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.

• Excellent pension – everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.

• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.

• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.

• Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.

Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week.  Of course, managers designate which category roles are in based on the needs of the service and the circumstances.

About The Organisation

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference. 

We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.

If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.