Senior Building Surveyor
1 day ago
Manchester
Chartered Building Surveyor / Associate / Associate DirectorLocation: Manchester Working pattern: Hybrid – typically 2 days per week in the Manchester office Salary: Circa £70,000 + bonus (c. £80,000 total package) Type: Permanent, Full-Time The OpportunityI’m working with a growing, independent property and construction consultancy that is looking to appoint an experienced Chartered Building Surveyor as part of the continued expansion of its Building Consultancy team.This is more than a straightforward delivery role. My client is looking for someone who can initially work alongside the existing Building Consultants, manage their own clients and instructions, and become an increasingly important part of the management of the Building Surveying function.The business is flexible on level and will consider candidates from Chartered Surveyor through to Associate / Associate Director, with the opportunity shaped around the experience and ambitions of the successful individual.There is a clear progression plan attached to the appointment. Over the next 12 months, the business intends to continue investing in the team, including the potential recruitment of an additional Chartered Surveyor and Graduate. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to take on responsibility for managing and developing these individuals as the department grows. The CompanyMy client is an established and growing property, surveying and construction group operating across the UK, with offices in Manchester, London and the Midlands.Across the wider group, the business employs approximately 15 people and operates through three complementary divisions covering Building Consultancy, Surveying & Engineering and Main Contracting / Project Delivery. The Building Consultancy business has been established for approximately six years and provides a broad range of professional surveying and project services. Its commercial work includes pre-acquisition advice, technical due diligence, dilapidations, schedules of condition, defect diagnosis, feasibility work, contract administration and project management.The wider group also provides structural engineering and specialist surveying services, alongside a contracting arm delivering construction, refurbishment and structural alteration projects. This structure allows the business to support clients from the initial survey and technical advice through to project management and delivery.The company works with a varied client base across both the public and private sectors, including major corporate occupiers, property managers, healthcare organisations, education providers and local authorities. Previous and existing clients include organisations such as the NHS, councils, Tesla and BMW. The business has invested significantly in its marketing and business development infrastructure, resulting in a strong volume of inbound enquiries and an established pipeline of work. There is now a wider growth strategy in place for the next five years, with Building Consultancy forming an important part of that expansion.Despite those ambitions, the company remains entrepreneurial and relatively non-corporate. This position should therefore appeal to someone who wants the opportunity to have a genuine influence over how a team develops rather than simply becoming another surveyor within a large national consultancy. The RoleThe successful candidate will join the Building Consultancy team and take responsibility for delivering a broad range of professional Building Surveying instructions, predominantly across commercial property.Projects and instructions will vary considerably in size and complexity, from standalone professional surveys through to contract administration and project management assignments.Typical responsibilities will include:Delivering pre-acquisition surveys and Technical Due Diligence.Undertaking general commercial building surveys.Preparing and negotiating dilapidations on behalf of landlords and tenants.Preparing schedules of condition for commercial properties and leases.Undertaking defect diagnosis, inspections and technical reporting.Providing Contract Administration services.Project managing refurbishment, maintenance and improvement works.Managing smaller projects directly, with larger schemes supported by the wider Project Management team.Potentially undertaking Party Wall work, depending on experience and interest.Managing instructions from initial client enquiry through to completion.Preparing scopes, fee proposals and quotations for new instructions.Building and maintaining relationships with existing clients.Identifying opportunities to expand relationships and generate repeat instructions.Working collaboratively with the wider Building Consultancy, Engineering and Project Management teams.Helping maintain a consistently high technical and professional standard across the department.The work is primarily commercial and includes properties such as warehouses and other commercial assets, alongside work for property management companies and institutional clients. Progression & ManagementA particularly attractive aspect of the opportunity is the scope for the position to develop beyond a traditional Building Surveyor role.Initially, the focus will be on client management, technical delivery and supporting the existing Building Consultancy team. As the individual becomes established within the business, they will have the opportunity to take on greater responsibility for the department.The company intends to expand the Building Surveying team further over the next 12 months, potentially adding another Chartered Surveyor and a Graduate.Depending on the level and capability of the successful candidate, this could therefore develop into responsibility for:Managing and mentoring junior and Chartered Surveyors.Allocating work and overseeing team workloads.Reviewing technical output and maintaining quality standards.Supporting the professional development of junior team members.Managing key client relationships.Assisting with recruitment as the department expands.Helping establish processes and structure as the business grows.Supporting the commercial performance of the Building Consultancy division.Playing a meaningful role in the longer-term development of the business.For somebody joining at Surveyor or Associate level, there is therefore a genuine route towards a more senior management position rather than progression being dependent on somebody above them leaving. The CandidateMy client is flexible on exact seniority. The priority is finding an ambitious, commercially minded Chartered Building Surveyor who is technically capable and comfortable dealing directly with clients.You are likely to be:MRICS qualified with relevant post-chartered experience.Currently operating at Chartered Surveyor, Senior Surveyor, Associate or Associate Director level.Experienced within commercial Building Surveying.Confident managing your own instructions with limited supervision.Experienced in areas such as pre-acquisition surveys, Technical Due Diligence, dilapidations, schedules of condition and defect diagnosis.Comfortable undertaking Contract Administration and managing smaller projects.Able to communicate confidently with clients and other professional stakeholders.Commercially aware and comfortable discussing fees, preparing quotations and winning instructions.Able to manage several projects and professional instructions simultaneously.Interested in developing client relationships rather than focusing solely on technical delivery.Ambitious and attracted by the opportunity to help grow and eventually manage a team. Party Wall experience would be beneficial but is not essential, and candidates interested in developing further experience in this area can be supported.While the business originally identified a requirement around Associate / Associate Director level, it is deliberately keeping the search broad. A strong Chartered Surveyor who demonstrates the maturity, client-facing ability and ambition to progress into management will also be seriously considered. Why Consider the Opportunity?This is an opportunity to join a growing consultancy at a stage where an individual can have a meaningful impact on both their own position and the future structure of the team.Rather than joining a large corporate consultancy with a rigid hierarchy, the successful candidate will work closely with the senior leadership team and have significant visibility across the wider business. The opportunity offers:Circa £70,000 basic salary, depending on experience.Bonus potential of approximately £10,000, creating a package around £80,000.Hybrid working.Typically 2–3 days per week in the Manchester office, with flexibility around site and survey commitments.A varied portfolio of predominantly commercial Building Surveying work.Strong existing client relationships and a healthy pipeline of inbound opportunities.The opportunity to manage clients and develop your own relationships.Exposure to Building Consultancy, Engineering, Project Management and Construction under the wider group.Planned investment in additional Building Surveying headcount.The opportunity to manage and mentor future hires.A genuine route into departmental leadership.The chance to join an ambitious business with significant growth plans over the next five years. This would particularly suit a Chartered Building Surveyor who enjoys the technical side of the profession but now wants greater autonomy, client ownership and a clear pathway towards managing and growing a Building Consultancy team.