Disrepair Manager

PO9: Starting salary £69,258 pa rising in annual increments to £73,818 pa incl LW

1 x Permanent contract

About Us:

It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth’s communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan ‘Our Future, Our Lambeth. To deliver on these ambitions, we have embarked our transformational One Lambeth Programme ensuring we are ‘connected by purpose,’ in everything we do to deliver excellence. We are proud to have recently developed a refreshed set of One Lambeth Values and Behaviours that were develop for staff by staff; Equity, Ambition, Kindness, and Accountability. For more information, please have a look at our dedicated One Lambeth Values and Behaviours page.

About Lambeth Council Housing Services

We need an experienced and ambitious person to join us Housing Disrepair Manager in our Housing Services at Lambeth Council.

The services managed by housing have a direct and significant impact on the lives of all Lambeth residents and are key for the 33,000 council homes.

The quality of services managed has a high political profile and plays a vital role in the quality of life of residents and businesses and is crucial to regenerating the borough alongside new build and inward investments.

About the Role:

We need an experienced Housing Disrepair Manager to join our team in Brixton.

Our Housing Disrepair Manager reports to the Assistant Director of Repair and Maintenance and will have a key role in addressing the required improvement in managing Legal disrepair cases.

The post-holder will be expected to deputize for the Legal Disrepair Manager when required and may also have a role in mentoring and supporting apprentice surveyors in order to build the service for future years.

You will be responsible for the management of individual cases where works cost up to £200K. Responsible for ensuring that the best value is delivered from contractors, and that legal costs are kept to a minimum.

This high-profile role required a skilled stakeholder manager to ensure all are internal and external stakeholders are happy.

The role focuses on delivering cost-efficient repair services, fostering a proactive investment approach in housing stock, and maintaining high standards of living for residents.

Day to day

1. Manage a diverse and professional legal disrepair service, delivering consistent high-quality repair services within budget.
2. Develop and implement service improvement plans in collaboration with the other stakeholders in the Council to achieve operational excellence.
3. Ensure effective management and reporting of the disrepair budget, adhering to financial controls and procedures.
4. Deliver effective management and control of all related budgets, ensuring compliance with Lambeth Council’s procedures and financial regulations.
5. Lead on service improvement and intervention strategies, utilising professional expertise to minimise liability and enhance service delivery.
6. Develop and implement strategies to manage and reduce legal disrepair cases across the borough, ensuring effective service delivery that aligns with the Council's policies and quality standards.
7. Supervise and oversee the performance of the Housing Disrepair Team, including case officers and surveyors, to ensure high-quality repair and maintenance services, minimising the Council's legal exposure.
8. Ensure compliance with all statutory, legislative, and building health and safety requirements.
9. Manage the legal disrepair contracts effectively, overseeing a budget of approximately £10m, focusing on contractor performance, budgetary control, and policy decisions within the financial, legislative, and council frameworks.
10. Foster strong relationships with internal and external legal advisers, contractors, and other stakeholders to support the settlement of claims and enhance the delivery of repair services.
11. Lead the team in adopting innovative solutions and best practice approaches by collaborating with other London Boroughs and Social Housing Landlords to reduce disrepair claims and costs.
12. Utilise data insights and predictive modelling to identify service improvements and reduce the number of disrepair claims.
13. Actively participate in and support the delivery of the strategic action plan and demand reduction initiatives.
14. Performance manages the contract in line with agreed KPIs and Lambeth’s Contract Management Model, working collaboratively across departments to improve services and customer experience

To be considered for interview, your CV and supporting statement will clearly evidence:

• An experienced contract manager within a maintenance environment with knowledge and understanding of Housing Disrepair Protocol.
• Knowledge of housing finance & budgetary control
• Knowledge of issues around the delivery of maintenance contracts in an urban environment.
• Knowledge of landlord/tenant matters, leaseholder consultation requirements and contract dispute and resolution.
• Good written, oral, presentation and data analysis skills.
• Substantial experience of leading an operational team in a housing environment.
• Substantial experience of repairs & maintenance service delivery, sustainability and construction at a senior management level, substantial experience of administering building related Contracts at a senior level.
• Experience of managing and monitoring budgets.
• Substantial experience of supervising and developing staff
• Strong experience of budget management, risk management, monitoring and financial control
• A relevant housing qualification or demonstrable experience.

Special Conditions of Recruitment

• Physical mobility to climb ladders, access cellars, walk over uneven ground, work at heights, access restricted spaces (e.g., crawl spaces).
• Wear personal protective equipment and use other safety related equipment as required.
• Must hold a full UK driving licence.
• Work outside normal working hours when require

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please click the link below.

Job description and person specification

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Joanne Cumper at jcumper@lambeth.gov.uk

Recruitment Timelines:

Advert close date is now extended to Sunday 23rd June 2024

Shortlisting: Monday 24th June 2024

Interviews: Tuesday 2nd July 2024

Benefits:

We believe in rewarding our staff. When you join us, you'll gain access to a range of benefits, including:

• Participation in our 5 Staff Networks: Black, Asian, and Multi-Ethnic, LGBTQ+, Disability, Young Professionals, and Women's.
• Generous annual leave entitlement starting from 27 days, increasing to up to 35 days depending on length of service.
• Membership in the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Hybrid Working.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Occupational Sick Pay based on length of service.
• Discounts at local restaurants.
• Discount at our Active Lambeth Gyms.
• Learning and Development opportunities, including Apprenticeships.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Secure Bike Storage facilities at our Town Hall and Civic Centre.
• Trade Union Membership.

How to Apply:

If you're interest in this opportunity, click on the apply button and complete an online application.

In your supporting statement, please clearly demonstrate how you meet the shortlist criteria marked with “Essential' at shortlist stage. We operate an anonymised application process, so be sure to remove personal details when uploading your CV or personal statement.

At Lambeth, we are dedicated to providing quality services and equal opportunities for all. We are committed to safer recruitment and are proud to be a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer, and to guarantee interviews for all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. For a full list of our accreditations, please click here.

In addition, you will also be required to undertake a Cifas check. Further information about Cifas can be found here Cifas

We actively support applications from Lambeth Care Leavers.