Skip to content

Our vacancies

Search Posts  

Property Services Officer (Projects)

Please Note: The application deadline for this post has now passed.

Post Introduction

The National Church Institutions comprises a wide variety of teams, professions and functions that support the mission and ministries of the Church of England in its vision to be a church, centred on Jesus Christ, for the whole nation - a church that is simpler, humbler, bolder.

We Include. You Belong.
Our Belonging and Inclusion Strategy aims for everyone in the National Church Institutions (NCIs) to feel that they belong, and are valued for who they are and what they contribute. Together, our people contribute in different ways towards our common purpose, whichever NCI they work in and whatever their background.
Living out our values in all that we do, we:
  • Strive for Excellence
  • Show Compassion
  • Respect others
  • Collaborate
  • Act with Integrity
We believe our commitment to belonging and inclusion fuels our progress and drives us forward. The NCIs are a safe, inclusive workplace for people of all backgrounds and walks of life. We welcome applications from people of all faiths and of no faith. We want to encourage applications from a diverse group of people who share our values.  Even if you have never thought about working for us before, if you have the skills and experience we’re looking for then we would like to hear from you.

About the Department
The Church of England Pensions Board provide retirement housing and pensions, set by the Church of England, for those who have served or worked for the Church.
We understand that retirement poses significant housing challenges for our clergy and offer modest and affordable retirement housing to those who need our help, through the Boards Housing Services. To ensure a smooth and easy transition from active ministry to retirement, we provide a range of support to our customers.

Our Property Team manage repairs and major works to occupied rental and shared ownership properties located throughout England and Wales (around 1,300 homes in total), along with repairs, grounds maintenance and similar services to a small number of communal areas owned by the Board. 

What you'll be doing
We are looking for an experienced and customer focused Property Services Officer, with a clear understanding of property maintenance and management to join our friendly and professional housing team.

You will work with business partners and other professionals to deliver an effective property and asset management service that meets the needs of our residents. Working collaboratively with our maintenance partners you will resolve issues, manage priorities, and ensure that work is completed to a high standard on time and within budget.

To be successful, you will need excellent people skills, a positive and flexible approach, and the commitment to delivering an outstanding service to our customers at all times.

Main duties and responsibilities:

  1. As part of a team manage the £1,000,000 property services budget of major unplanned works and repairs to over 1200 properties within the rental portfolio.   You will work alongside the Property Services Officers and Complex Case and Voids Managers each of whom manage one of the four regions across England and Wales.
  2. You will support the property team by managing specific projects assigned to you by the Property Services Manager across all four regions including; - a) seeking quotations from potential contractors for works including; landscaping (fences, walls, hardstandings and similar), one-off projects such as a kitchen and bathroom renewal and roofline works, and b) managing day to day  property activities including insurance claims, planning applications, building control, seeking customer choices, party wall acts and Section 20 notices. To deliver these you will be working with other professionals and where necessary appointing external consultants to manage/advise on these matters on our behalf. 
  3. For our day-to-day repairs and some major works you will be working with our maintenance partner to deliver a first-class service whilst maintaining best practice and value. You will contribute to contract management of third party providers to build relationships, establish clear processes and guidance, develop clear decision-protocols.
  4.  For other major works you will work with our in-house Complex Case and Void Managers who are based regionally and who will visit properties, to determine what works are required. You will be required to update residents on major works and to complete case management referrals for internal approval and issue relevant documentation to the works contractors including orders and variations. 
  5. You will provide excellent customer support at all times, with empathy and understanding, ensuring wellbeing and enabling them to remain in their home.  You will manage expectations, communication, and engagement at all levels. In instances when works will involve significant disruption you will work with our Housing Officers to provide alternative accommodation if appropriate. 
  6. Undertake satisfaction surveys with residents for works undertaken by the Board (using phone/online forms via email as applicable) 
  7. Work with housing managers and officers to safeguard residents and their families, at all times during major works (ad-hoc or planned) ensuring Health & Safety is paramount
  8. Manage complaints in line with policy, responding actively to ensure customer satisfaction and fairness whilst maintaining clear records to enable reporting of KPI’s
  9. As agreed with the Property Services Manager schedule and arrange regular meetings with key contractors and consultants including ensuring agendas and discussion papers are circulated in advance of the meeting and that accurate notes and action plans are taken at the meeting. Circulate notes and action plans after meetings and follow up on action plans within agreed timescales. 
  10. Manage transitional change from unplanned major works to planned works programme whilst continuing with business as usual. Provide support and guidance as well as managing communications with customers and the contractor. 
  11. Be responsible for the day-to-day effective management of property activities ensuring consistent standards of service delivery and value for money, and procuring contractors in line with our procedures. 
  12. Maintain comprehensive tracking, records & databases of contractors and consultants ensuring periodic reviews relating to performance and competence are undertaken and recorded.  
  13.  Manage the processing of payments within required timescales, to include all departmental accounting functions in relation to works orders, programme and framework orders, credit notes and invoices. Working collaboratively alongside our Finance and Resources partners to ensure prompt payment. Where necessary amend Housing system data or complete appropriate accounting process to reflect data changes.
  14. Review requests from residents for consents to undertake their own works. Manage process from application to consent/rejection. When site visits/technical advice is required refer to the Complex Case and Void Manager for the region. 
  15. Assist in preparation for customer information including newsletters and information leaflets. Obtain customer feedback on services provided. 
  16. At all times to take responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of data and recorded information in QL and other systems.
  17. Upon completion of works ensure all relevant compliance information is provided in a timely manner to our Compliance Team. Update property folders with information such as warranties and scope of work details as applicable. Work with customers to ensure information on the housing management system is up to date and relevant, for example though providing forms for third party consents and updating records. As applicable provide updated data to external repairs contractors and similar. 
  18. To positively engage in training and development to ensure policy and procedures are maintained and developed, and to ensure consistent standards in service delivery.
  19. Provide a range of cross-departmental support functions that assist departmental efficiency and aid relationships with other sections of the department.

About You
The Church of England is for everyone and we want to reflect the diversity of the community the Church serves across the whole country. Therefore, while of course we welcome all applications from interested and suitably experienced people, we would particularly welcome applicants from UK Minoritised Ethnicities (UKME)/Global Majority Heritage (GMH) and other under-represented groups.

Essential
Knowledge/Experience
  • Substantial experience of working within a Housing and/or Property Services environment
  • Experience of Asset Management
  • Knowledge of building construction and preventative maintenance
  • Experience of delivering a customer focused service
  • Experience of providing support to residents/tenants
  • Genuine skills in engagement and communication including negotiation and persuasion.
  • IT Literate with previous experience of using Microsoft Office and SAP Real Estate, Plant Maintenance and Finance platforms
Skills & Abilities:
  • Good communication, negotiation and liaison skills
  • Attention to detail, ability to follow defined processes and procedures, good record keeping. 
  • Good IT skills (MS office products)
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision, whist being organised and self-disciplined.
  • Excellent people skills
  • Flexible and approachable
  • Confident and responsible, making decisions and being accountable
  • Ability to cope with competing deadlines, to prioritise and set targets, working in a structured manner
  • Self-motivated, have initiative and a record of achieving agreed objectives within time and resource constraints.
  • Adaptable and innovative
  • Ability to relate well to a variety of people and create, maintain, and enhance working relationships.
  • Willing to learn new concepts and open to change

Desirable
Knowledge/Experience:
  • Previous experience in a not for profit/charity environment.
What we offer 
Our benefits include:
  • A salary of £38,918 plus age-related pension contributions between 8-15% of salary. We will also match any pension contributions you make up to an additional 3% of salary.
  • 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days within 5 years) plus three additional days
  • Flexible working hours and location, with an expectation of just 1-2 days per week in our office in Westminster
  • Structured induction programme and access to a range of development opportunities including apprenticeships
  • Access to Occupational Health, and an Employee Assistance Programme 
  • Opportunity to the Civil Service Sports & Social Club, and get involved in a range of staff networks, groups and societies
We try to be as flexible as we can in your work pattern to support you with other commitments, and to give a good work-life balance.

The Closing date for applications is Tuesday 21 May 2024.


This website is using cookies to improve your browsing experience. If you navigate to another page without changing the settings below you consent to this. Read more about cookies.