Reporting to the Corporate Services Manager, the Estates Manager will lead a team of around 6 people to manage a portfolio of owned and rented properties including the British High Commission (BHC)office, the High Commissioner’s Residence and around 16 residential houses) ensuring that all diplomatic staff are housed in safe, secure accommodation in line with UK Government policy. The Estates Manager also leads on event management/setup and should work with BHC colleagues and contractors to deliver official events and functions in a timely and safe manner, as required.

The key areas will be keeping properties and all equipment in good condition and compliant with all regulations, customer satisfaction and communications, budget management, procurement compliance and stakeholder management.

Manage the Post Estate Strategy-20% 

• Forecasting future housing needs and recommending accommodation requirements. Ensure housing is provided on arrival to UK staff, prepared to a good standard and fully equipped, and in line with the local housing policy; disseminate the policy to staff before they arrive and respond
• Oversee effective implementation of the FCDO Estates Policy, hitting all key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Lead on inputs to the Post Management Housing Committee (PHC), ensuring that needs of families are balanced with fair standards for all, value for money and compliance with the needs of BHC Lusaka, health and safety and security standards. Make recommendations and negotiations on behalf of the PHC
• Oversight of the BHC technical works team, ensuring works are carried out efficiently and to a good standard in line with Service Level Agreements
• Ensure the schedule of planned preventative maintenance is on the Forward Maintenance Register (FMR), and a furniture rolling programme is in place for all properties
• Plan, manage and oversee estates projects, preventative and reactive maintenance using the forward maintenance register and global account managers accordingly;
• Ensure the BHC estate management record system (Pyramid) is kept up to date.
• Ensure residential properties and the office are health and safety compliant (including managing and implementing the recommendations of H&S or IAD audits).    
• Manage the estates stores: float and furniture, ensuring that all estates’ assets and resources are well managed, and stock/inventory controls are in place.
• Support on Health and Safety issues (including building standards, workstation assessments and fire wardens); ensure security company has up-to-date names of residents of properties and their contact numbers; ensure Residents have emergency numbers for security company and medical facilities, as well as key contractor personnel; organise regular testing of water supplies to residences and the office
• Ensure that accurate and updated inventories are maintained for all properties
• Report back on Estates activities regularly to the Post Housing Committee, Operations Board and Senior Leadership Team drawing on data, insights and analysis to drive continuous improvement
• Event management/setup: Work with BHC colleagues and contractors to deliver Official Events in a timely and safe manner, as required.

Estates stakeholder management- 30%

• Effectively manage Estates stakeholders, keep stakeholders constantly informed and proactively prompting and reviewing feedback from customers of the estates/maintenance service.
• Lead BHC relationships with property owners, including negotiation of rents, agreeing leases and ensuring maintenance work is carried out.
• Manage contract relationships with key suppliers, negotiating and ensuring quality and value for money with contractor companies and for materials purchases for Estates.

 Estates Budget management- 20%

• Forecast and oversee the Estates budget, including maintenance, machinery, rent, stationery etc
• Comply with FCDO procurement processes for all purchases
• Maintenance of Supplier authorisation forms and Distribution Sets for estates matters
• Advice on supplier selection, service level agreements and management.
• Approval of requisitions within approved limits (£40,000)

Line Management- 20% 

• Oversight of the BHC technical works team, ensuring works are carried out efficiently and to a good standard
• Ensure there is Communication and coordination of works across the teams
• Line management of the Technical Works Coordinator, Estates Officer and Estates Assistant.
• Set good goals, effectively performance manage and provide coaching to the Estates Team
• Deputise for the Corporate Services Manager during periods of absence

Health and Safety Management-10%

• Manage the implementation of the Health and Safety Policy at Post.
• Lead as the Health and Safety Officer, spread awareness across post on the health and safety campaign released quarterly by centre, and that all staff meet their commitments to their health and safety training
• Handle all health and safety requests and manage the Health and Safety return in the annual Management Assurance Plan (MAP) exercise and any audit requirements.
• Maintain a safe, compliant and supportive working environment for all staff and diplomatic families.
• Oversee health and safety activity, owning policy, guidance and monitoring standards.
• Lead on sustainability plans to meet global targets.
• Ensure compliance with lease obligations, requirements for property owner’s consent, UK Health and Safety regulations (as far as is reasonably practical) and if more stringent than those in the UK, local Health and Safety regulations.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure) 

• Five (5) staff
• Estates and Maintenance budget of circa  £690,000

   

• Have minimum of a bachelor’s degree in relevant field (example: Civil Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Business Management).
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working in relevant field e.g. property, equipment and facilities management.
• At least 3 years’ experience in line management.
• Experience in managing budgets
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and outlook
• Excellent communication skills able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Excellent customer care skills and the ability to respond to a range of customer needs.
• Flexible, decisive, and resilient under pressure, with a proven track record of delivering results regularly within tight deadlines