Estates Manager

Salary up to £55,595 pa

Flexible working, Hybrid

Are you passionate about managing commercial property assets and delivering outstanding services in a vibrant and diverse environment? Do you have experience of leading a team of professionals across different sectors and functions? If you answered yes to these questions, then you might be the perfect candidate for this position!

About the organisation and area
East Suffolk is an exciting place to work and live, with excellent transport links, combining beautiful countryside, rugged coastline, award-winning beaches and delightful market towns.

The East Suffolk Council team play a critical role in ensuring that managing the Council’s extensive property portfolio to deliver the Council’s objectives. The team are working on a diverse range of exciting and innovative projects, including bringing disused town centre sites back into life by reconfiguring them for long term and sustainable use. They are also delivering new seafront leisure schemes to support a growing tourism economy, and collaborating with Coastal Partnership teams as an enabler of vital flood defence works.

About the Role
East Suffolk Council own and manage around 3000 assets. The portfolio is varied and includes; Offices, Town Halls, Depots, Industrial Units, Leisure Centres, Public Conveniences, Cafes & Kiosks, Shelters, Beach Huts, Shops & Retail. East Suffolk Council’s property team comprises over 40 property professionals who are responsible for helping deliver over a third of the council’s income.

Resort related assets such as beach huts and caravan sites generate revenue for the Council in excess of £2m with significant potential to grow. We are looking for an Estates Manager to provide strategic leadership for this portfolio. You will also be responsible for managing a team including the Southwold Harbour/Caravan Site Manager, Yacht Station Manager, Resorts Manager and their respective teams.

As the Estates Manager you will oversee all estate management duties including landlord and tenant, red book valuations, new investment and development opportunities, acquisitions, and disposals. You’ll be working closely with the Asset and Investment Manager to deliver on a range of exciting and innovative projects and work programmes across the portfolio in a timely fashion and to budget.

About You
As the Estates Manager, you will need to have:

• A relevant degree or equivalent qualification in real estate or a related discipline
• A professional membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or equivalent
• Proven experience as an Asset or Estates Manager or similar role in the public or private sector
• Expert knowledge of Landlord & Tenant legislation and experience in negotiating rent reviews, lease/licence renewals, assignments and other third-party agreements
• Experience developing business cases for new property developments, including cash flow analysis and professional support and advice
• Experience in negotiating the settlement of terms for the acquisition and disposal of property, including easements, wayleaves and entry onto land under statutory notice and provide regular cost estimates and scheme progress reports as required
• Ability to provide professional advice and be the point of contact for all day to day property management requirements relating to the Resorts Portfolio
• Ability to oversee all rating and council tax referencing, valuation and negotiation, including representing ESC at any appeal tribunals and overseeing the payment and refund of rates and council tax demands
• Whilst not essential, holding registered valuer status would be highly beneficial, and an ability to undertake a variety of RICS ‘Red Book’ Valuations, annual portfolio, Right to Buy valuations and appraisals for disposal or development purposes
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills

As the Estates Manager, you will work in line with ESC’s values of being Proud, Dynamic, Truthful, Good Value, United and will contribute to the ESC vision of promoting a bright, green, open, free, and fair future for all East Suffolk.

What’s in it for you
This is a full-time, permanent position with a salary range of £51,515 - £55,595 per annum. You will also enjoy a range of benefits, including flexible working and entry to the excellent local government pension scheme where ESC contributes 25%. Work-life balance and wellbeing are high on the agenda. You’ll receive 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with length of service, as well as a flexi-time scheme. We support hybrid working between home and our two headquarters in Lowestoft and Melton.

Working in a local government property team gives you an unparalleled breadth of experience across a range of asset types and capital projects.

Interviews
Interviews are likely to be held on 13 May 2024 Interviews will be held in person at the ESC offices in Melton. If you are shortlisted, we will agree a suitable interview arrangement with you.

For more information or for a confidential conversation about this position, please contact John Martin at Hays, the retained consultant managing this vacancy, on 01223 464 677 or john.martin@hays.com.

The closing date for all applications is 24 April 2024 at 5pm .

We look forward to hearing from you!

What you need to do now
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