DIO - Senior Surveyor
Ministry of Defence
Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 23rd September 2024
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Property
Surveying
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About the job
Job summary
Do you want to work for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and play a key role in keeping our country safe through caring for the Defence estate and those that depend on it? DIO manages the Defence estate, one of the UK’s largest and most diverse property portfolios, enabling the armed forces and Defence civilians to live, work, train and deploy. From net carbon-zero accommodation to runways for the F35 fighter jets, our outputs are unique in the UK and across the globe!
If you are a suitably qualified property professional who would be interested in working client-side with Military colleagues on one of the largest estates in the country and/or across an extensive overseas portfolio, and you are motivated by the prospect of working on a diverse range of exciting, interesting and often-challenging projects of National interest in support of the UK Defence Mission, then the DIO Estates Team is for you!
The Role
DIO Estates currently have vacancies for chartered surveyors to work within our Land Management Services and Accommodation Optimisation Team’s and we are seeking individuals with knowledge and experience in either of the below areas:
- Commercial Real Estate Management: including lease management for lettings and hirings.
- Land and Rural estate management: including management of a tenanted Estate with agricultural and commercial agreements.
- Strategy and Projects: providing residential accommodation strategy advice, based on balancing competing demands and dependencies across numerous MOD accommodation initiatives, especially with regards to the value for money provision of new Service Families Accommodation and Single Living Accommodation to meet the requirements of the Defence Estate Optimisation Programmes and other Military funded projects.
These are exciting opportunities to join our nationwide network of highly skilled Surveyors and we are looking for motivated suitability qualified property professionals to join and lead established teams, working closely with military and civilian colleges delivering exciting, varied estate activities, programmes, and subject matter professional advice.
The MOD Estate is wide and varied, on this unique Estate variety is certain and no 2 days will be the same! The breadth of work on offer is exceptional with opportunities to get involved in a wide range of projects across the UK to enable Defence capability.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job description
Main Responsibilities
All Senior Surveyor roles within Estates oversee and manage a wide range of programmes and services alongside the provision of subject matter expert advice and communications with all key stakeholders.
The work is extremely varied and wide ranging, but key activities for each of the roles will include:
Land Management Services – Commercial or Rural:
- Liaison with military Heads of Establishment to develop and be accountable for the delivery of professional advice to enable military outputs, working with both internal and external stakeholders, property developers, adjoining landowners, local authorities, utility companies and the general public.
- Lease management including landlord & tenant issues, rent reviews, lease renewals and associated negotiations for both lettings (MOD as Landlord) and hirings (MOD as tenant).
- Negotiation and management of other property agreements (leases, licences, wayleaves, and easements) for a wide range of uses.
- Acquisition and negotiation of new hirings to meet military requirements.
- Land and property estate management – carry out the due diligence to identify, mitigate and manage the legal, financial, and reputational risks on MOD land.
- Opportunity to get involved in a wide range of projects across the UK to enable Defence capability.
In addition for Rural, engagement with our agricultural occupiers to advise on agricultural matters and farming systems to assist MOD in delivering its operational requirements and to meet its sustainability/net zero targets.
Accommodation Optimisation – Strategy and Projects:
- Accommodation strategy, planning, funding, development, and delivery, reviewing and assessing progress against programmes and ensuring continued alignment with wider DIO/Military infrastructure programmes and strategic objectives.
- The role will deliver accommodation optimisation projects, outputs, and advice to all customers, including via DIO in-house staff and Industry Partners as required. This will include delivering strategy development, assessing options for the provision of new residential accommodation to meet the requirements of DIO/Defence Estate Optimisation Programmes and other Military funded projects, balancing competing demands and dependencies. You will complete business case development and approvals linked to investment and value for money appraisals, leading all aspects of local planning, design, and procurement workload.
- Support the Head and Assistant Head of Accommodation Optimisation Team on other team outputs and programmes as applicable that support the provision of better Accommodation to service personnel.
DIO Business Area – Estates
The Defence estate is one of the largest landholdings in the UK and covers an estimated 1.8% of the UK land mass (200,000+ ha). This is complemented by a significant UK Defence presence overseas.
Estates are the in-house real estate team within the DIO (part of the UK Ministry of Defence) supporting infrastructure needs across a high-profile Public Estate. We acquire, manage, safeguard, and dispose of Defence real estate. Our unique customer knowledge and insight of the Defence Estate enables our in-house team of property professionals to provide in-depth advice to our Military customers.
The Teams
Land Management Services (LMS) are an in-house consultancy team providing a full range of surveying and estate management services to the MOD. These include lettings, acquisition of leases, lease management, Landlord & Tenant (MOD both as Landlord - lettings & Tenant - hirings), rent reviews, lease renewals/expiries and general property related advice to protect MOD interests. LMS also undertake a wide range of stakeholder engagement with local authorities, other government departments and special interest groups as well as providing support and subject matter expert (SME) advice for parliamentary business.
The Accommodation Optimisation Team (AOT) is a sub-branch of the Estates Division, which is responsible for developing strategy for delivering new Service Family Accommodation and Single Living Accommodation in support of Defence Estate Optimisation and other Military funded programmes, projects and Departmental change initiatives, in accordance with the DIO Business Plan & to support Military Capability. The team works closely with DIO Regional Delivery Accommodation to optimise outputs and provide specialist property input to the management of existing stock. The majority of existing stock is held on long investment lease, under commercial terms and subject to a rolling programme of Beacon Unit Rent Reviews and dilapidation claims on transfers back, which the team manage. The Team also provides expertise in residential planning; market housing assessment; procurement and development funding; and delivery, working as part of the wider DIO Estates organisation. Delivery is via in-house service delivery teams of chartered surveyors and experienced technical support staff, with support from Industry Partners where appropriate.
Location
DIO Estates are based across the UK within the following regions: London, Southeast, Southwest, West Midlands, East of England, Yorkshire and Humber, Scotland, Wales.
Our UK DIO Offices are spread throughout the country, with our main locations based at Andover, London, Wyton, Lichfield, Catterick and Rosyth. Smaller DIO sites are also spread throughout the country. Alongside the advertised locations, other DIO locations may be offered.
All sites will be considered whilst ensuring the location of the successful candidate can still meet the business and travel requirements of the role.
We are offering a flexible base location(s) for this role, and we will endeavour to make one of our DIO Offices your duty station. The role will have regional responsibilities and therefore the office location would need to meet the travel requirements of the role. Work location will be agreed once the successful candidate has been selected. Please confirm your location on your application form.
The successful candidate will be expected to regularly attend their chosen office location and will involve weekly attendance to the office for face-to-face meetings and collaboration. The role will involve regular travel to sites within their region and occasionally UK wide for meetings and/or site inspections.
If travelling outside your base location for duty reasons, you will have access to flights, hire cars, rail tickets and overnight accommodation. You can also claim 45 pence per mile should you choose to use your own vehicle for business travel.
Travel may be required to carry out site visits where you may go on MOD Establishments, residential estates, building sites, agricultural land, training areas and firing ranges etc.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
Person specification
Essential Experience:
Relevant, suitable experience and knowledge at an appropriate level in either the Rural or General Estate Management of a wide and varied portfolio, including:
All posts
• Stakeholder engagement
• Landlord and Tenant – lease negotiations, rent reviews, lease management, tenant relations.
• Property Valuation – freehold and leasehold
• Estate utilisation and rationalisation
• Property Transactions – release of covenants, application of clawback, easements, and wayleaves
• Rent and debt management.
• Management of multi-disciplinary teams in geographically dispersed locations
In addition to the above
Rural post
• Agricultural tenancies
Strategy and Projects post
- Site evaluation for residential development
- Statutory planning system and application processes
- Analysing and making recommendations for large portfolios of residential property
- Business Case development, financial management and investment appraisals
- Management of external specialist consultants/technical advisors
Desirable Experience:
All posts
- Working in a Defence environment
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office
For Strategy and Projects post only
- Experience of MOD accommodation requirements
- Working across public and private sectors
- Understanding of the different funding and investment approaches
- Risk management skills
Desirable Membership – For Rural post only
- Full membership of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV)
Licences
Qualifications
Memberships
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Government Property Profession Career Framework: - 1: Property Professional Expertise – Practitioner Level
- Government Property Profession Career Framework: - 3: Stakeholder Engagement - Practitioner level
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- 25 days annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service.
- Successful candidates will become members of the Government Property Profession, with benefits including opportunities for Government and industry led CPD events; access to a diverse community of property professionals across government for sharing knowledge and ideas; and a comprehensive career framework and learning and development curriculum to support your career journey.
To learn more about our full range of benefits, view our Candidate Information Guide attached.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
The post does not offer relocation expenses.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.
MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Please ensure that at the application and interview stages of the campaign you review the Success Profiles Framework to assist you in the demonstration of your skills and experience.
Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly, and the successful candidate will be appointed on merit.
At application you will be assessed against the following:
Experience:
- CV including Job History, Full Qualification Details and Previous Skills & Experience: Please ensure that you explain all skills and experience that are relevant to the advertised roles as detailed within the Essential experience within the personal specification section of the advert.
At interview you will be assessed against the above PLUS the following:
Technical:
Government Property Profession Career Framework:
- 1: Property Professional Expertise – Practitioner Level
- 3: Stakeholder Engagement - Practitioner level
We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn't always possible, so we do hold candidates on an active reserve list for 12 months. It is also possible that we may offer similar lower graded role/s to reserve candidates or, if no reserves are appointed, candidates that meet the lower grade criteria in merit order.
Application sifting is scheduled to take place on week commencing: 23rd September 2024.
Interviews are currently taking place via Face to Face or remotely through a digital platform, this will be confirmed with the successful candidates who are invited to an interview and will be conducted week commencing: 30th September 2024.
A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews. We endeavour to stick to these dates, but these are subject to change around business needs.
To assist with your application please find attached below:
- DIO Candidate Information Guide
- GPP Career Framework
For help and support with your application check out our Civil Service Careers Homepage and the How to apply section.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.
The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Clare Bromilow
- Email : clare.bromilow299@mod.gov.uk
- Telephone : 07970170893
Recruitment team
- Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk
Further information
info@csc.gov.uk.
