About the job

Job summary

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are the public sector’s property valuation experts and advisers. We are one of the largest employers of surveyors in the country offering access to a whole host of learning and development opportunities to support your career development.

We’re looking for talented people who are eager to contribute to vital public services and assist us to deliver taxation and benefits support to the government and local authorities. Your skills and experience will enable us to provide an efficient, effective service right at the heart of the public interest.

At the heart of the agency, we are committed to providing our people with a work environment which is accommodating and accessible to all and which values diversity and inclusion in everything we do.  We encourage our people to bring their whole selves to work by providing a culture that values different perspectives to help tackle complex problems, promote innovation and deliver stronger decision making in a safe and supportive environment. We therefore welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds to join our organisation and enable us to be representative of the communities we serve.

Our people have the freedom to manage their own diaries and are empowered to deliver under their own autonomy. We trust our people and look forward to welcoming your skills into the VOA’s Surveying community.

 

Job description

Chartered Surveyor – Built Environment – Role Overview

The Built Environment (BEAMS) team at the Valuation Office Agency has exciting opportunities to join their team of highly enthusiastic and skilled Chartered Surveyors with a technical aptitude.

If you are a Chartered Surveyor who is not already qualified in the Building or Quantity Surveying Pathways, you will undertake a fully funded RICS qualification to enable you to develop the skills and knowledge required. The training offered will support you to deepen your technical knowledge and further your career.

For more information on the courses we’re referring to please follow this link: (rics.org).

Our team comprises of Chartered Surveyors in the Minerals & Waste Management, Quantity Surveying, and Building Surveying professions offering specialist surveying services across government. We are responsible for the delivery of surveying services on a range of properties and specialist building structures which range in complexity and size. You might find yourself working on historic buildings and unique and specialist structures such as light houses, government buildings, nuclear sites and many more.

We are proud that our team is made up of colleagues from diverse social and economic backgrounds.

Our primary services include but are not limited to:

1. Building Surveying - Pathology, cost schedules in relation to disrepair, dilapidations, condition surveys, insurance reinstatements, disrepair cost assessments and depreciated reinstatement advice.

2. Quantity Surveying - Preparation of Agency Cost Guides including specification, evidence-based costs and providing costs to inform contractors’-based valuations, development viability assessments and cost appraisals for other government bodies.

Chartered Surveyor – Built Environment – Key Responsibilities

• Providing specialist advice on the cost and repair of buildings, infrastructure, and associated attributes. Preparing schedules of costs and professional reports.
• Maintaining your knowledge through CPD (Continuous Professional Development) in areas of legislation, case law, codes of practice and professional standards relevant to your chosen area of expertise and the work undertaken within the Built Environment Team.
• Managing and mitigating risks and issues, ensuring timely escalation to senior colleagues.
• Managing and supporting the delivery of single jobs or projects to ensure time, cost, and quality deliverables are met.
• On occasions you may be called upon to act as an expert witness at Valuation Tribunal and other courts as required (Training and support in appearing as an expert witness will be provided).
• Provide mentoring, technical advice and training to support graduates and apprentices on their APC pathways and to support the development of others within the immediate team or wider agency as required.

Person specification

Essential Requirements

• MRICS/FRICS Chartered Building or Quantity Surveyor with a personal and professional dedication to your ongoing development.

                                                                               Or

• For Chartered Surveyors not holding MRICS in the Building or Quantity Surveying Pathway, you will be required to complete the RICS Certificate in Building Surveying or Quantity Surveying programme. On-the-job training will be provided to support your development.

• Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills and be able to deal with a wide range of customers and partners.
• Demonstrate strong analytical and judgement skills by interpreting a range of evidence to provide relevant advice and reach sound conclusions.
• Good report writing and presentational skills.
• Able to undertake site visits and occasional overnight stays. We are reasonable with our expectations and provide flexible working arrangements to support this need.
• A full valid driving licence.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,768, Valuation Office Agency contributes £12,087 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

If you can meet our person requirements above we are keen to hear from you.

To apply for this post, you must complete an online application with the following:

A CV setting out your Job History/Full Qualifications/Previous skills and experiences.  

A Personal Statement (maximum 500 words), please outline your suitability for the role. Please ensure you refer to the ‘Essential Criteria’ set out for the role and use the full wordcount to demonstrate your suitability

Sift - W/C 22nd January (Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change)

We will assess you on your CV, Personal Statement and Licences, Memberships & Qualifications. Please provide adequate detail of experience and technical abilities within your CV as this will form part of the interview process. 

Interviews - W/C 5th February Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change. These will be confirmed should you be invited to interview

Interviews are currently taking place using Microsoft Teams Video. We will provide more detail if you are shortlisted for interview. 

We will assess you on the Behaviours listed in the job description and strengths and technical.

At the interview, the panel can then probe further and ask applicants to provide further specific examples that show how they best demonstrate their skills.

Behaviours

The distinguishing Behaviours (the required skills, knowledge and behaviours) for this role are set out in the Civil Service Behaviours Framework 2018 (Success Profiles - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) and should be referred to when making this application.

You are required, under the Behaviours approach, to describe how you have dealt with a specific situation.

You must give evidence of your knowledge, skills and behaviours and how you have applied this, such as what you did or said and how you interacted with other people.

When you are giving your examples, do not spend too many words on description and background information. Avoid using general or unspecific statements. Instead say what the situation was, what you did what your thought process was and so on.

Technical

The technical part of the interview provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate your professional knowledge and experience as a Chartered Surveyor and how this relates to the role or has led to your application to pursue a career within our Built Environment team.

Further Information

This post is full time however those applicants who do or wish to work an alternative working pattern are welcome to apply. The preferred working pattern may or may not be available. You should discuss this with the vacancy holder.

Some sites are difficult to access via public transport and therefore a full UK Driving Licence is essential to the role. However, if you are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 and do not hold a full driving licence, we will consider your application. Please contact resourcingteam@voa.gov.uk with your details to discuss this further.

Pre-employment Checks

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service  on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via voarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Terms & Conditions

Voluntary terms apply.

Reserve Lists

If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 6-month reserve list as standard.

During that time, we may use the list to fill the same, or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, without further testing of merit. Any appointments from the Reserve list will be made in strict merit order.

Starting Work

The successful candidates will normally take up duty within one month from notification of successful completion of pre-employment checks.

Applying

All applications for these vacancies must be made online. There are limited exceptions to this. Paper applications will only be considered if you have a disability that will prevent you from applying online. If this is the case, please email voarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Once you have submitted your application it cannot be amended; only submit your application when you have completely finished and answered all the relevant questions. Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Concerns/Complaints

The Valuation Office Agency’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the Central Recruitment Team at the following address  resourcingteam@voa.gov.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint you have the right to complain to the Civil Service Commissioners.

 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.