About the job

Job summary

Defra Group Property is accountable for providing accommodation to the Defra Group, including the Department, its Executive Agencies (Animal & Plant Health Agency; Rural Payments Agency) and bodies such as the Environment Agency, Marine Management Organisation and Natural England.

The Corporate Property Team manage the commercial property which is used and occupied by Defra Group to accommodate its’ staff and deliver services to the public. This property ranges from small coastal offices for fisheries work to large complex laboratories undertaking internationally recognised research. Our primary function is to manage the interests of the Group as an owner and occupier of property, ensuring compliance and building relationships with our supplier partners, landlord’s and occupiers. Defra Group is both landlord and tenant, so works in a commercial environment and has common key priorities aligned to the Government Property Strategy. The team uses its professional skills combined with outsourced service partners to effect transactions and managing property and property occupations.

This role is an important technical and business support role within the Corporate Property Team. The Corporate Property Team is a small team which performs the role of an intelligent client combined with transactional activity, supplier management, property data management and property advisory services to the wider Department. The team is made up of 12 staff; 7 staff are professionally qualified Chartered Surveyors who work with 3 technician and support roles.

In this role you will act as the Team Leader of the support function and will work alongside the Estate Technical Officers to assist the professional staff in managing the property portfolio. The Corporate Property function is led by the Head of Corporate Property and it forms part of the Property Strategy Team. Corporate Property provides a range of commercial property services including acquisitions, disposals, Landlord & Tenant management, Landlords consent for works, rent reviews, break clauses, Town & Country Planning & general estate management.

Job description

The Higher Executive Officer will manage the 3 Estate Technical Officers who provide the support function within the Commercial Property Team. You will be expected to have a passion for Property, show leadership qualities and demonstrate practical experience in an administration, or property administration role.

The Commercial Property Team work with our outsourced Managing Agent to provide Property Management Services to DEFRA. You will be responsible for assisting our Managing Agent in the management of the estate, through data management and inputting; maintaining data on spreadsheets, as well as electronic Property Management Software (Horizon and ePIMS); creating and running management, lease data and arrears reports; assisting in accounting functions and management of electronic file storage (SharePoint).

You will enjoy the freedom to manage your allocated tasks with an emphasis on productivity and accountability. You will need to have the ability to work autonomously, and you will need to apply a pragmatic and resourceful approach as the Commercial Property Team operates from a number of different offices. You will need to be self-motivated and demonstrate the ability to resolve issues and manage different demands. There is opportunity in this role to apply your knowledge to create support systems and management tools which will enhance the support services provided to the technical team and you will also have the opportunity to learn more about property in a corporate environment.

Person specification

Responsibilities will include the following:

• To manage the Commercial Property mailbox and provide a vital first point of contact for customers, stakeholder queries and direct queries to senior management. You will develop, build and maintain a good working relationship and reputation as a reliable source of informed knowledge and experience in taking responsibility to resolve issues where appropriate to do so
• Ensuring that regular meetings, key stakeholder meetings and ad-hoc meetings are scheduled, meeting rooms and catering are booked and travel and accommodation arrangements are in place
• Delivering secretariat outputs for operational reporting, key meetings and other record keeping activities. You will take a lead in managing the online filing system (SharePoint) and help develop the file libraries and undertake active information management. You will also manage the document signing process
• Managing team projects including data and spread sheet management (inputting, data manipulating, analysis). You will work closely with the Estates Technical Officers with responsibility for property data and analysis. This will require you to demonstrate a good knowledge of spreadsheets and the ability to create reporting and analytical information/presentations. You will also be trained to access and take data from online property market evidence databases, including property searches and identifying property information for the surveying team
• You will have a key role in handling finance functions and financial reporting, including processing invoices, raising purchase orders and handling purchasing payment queries. You will support colleagues in the oversight of payment processing and provide first level oversight to financial reporting of payments to our suppliers
• You will be involved in organising the commissioning process through which the Corporate Property Team confirm work instructions to their External Suppliers. You will support staff in gathering data to allow for the comparison of fee quotes and manage the issuing and recording of commissioning forms to the chosen supplier
• You will have a good knowledge of service charge budgets and be involved in recording, with our External Managing Agent, service charge budgets which are falling due, and service charge reconciliations which are expected from our landlords of leasehold sites, to assist our Finance Teams in forecasting expenditure
• Handling a range of corporate tasks with discretion, tact and diplomacy and deal appropriately with sensitive information

Person Specification / Experience Required: 

• You will be able to demonstrate experience in Property Administration, with a background in either Commercial/Residential Property Management or Facilities Management
• You will be expected to have excellent organisational skills, resilience and be able to demonstrate a degree of flexibility, tact and diplomacy to help support challenging requests in a busy environment
• A good communicator, able to communicate effectively within their team, and with Surveyors and other stakeholders within DEFRA and externally
• Demonstrate leadership qualities and have experience, or a willingness to develop leadership skills in management of a small team
• Be experienced in the use of online reporting software, to produce tenancy reports, arrears schedules and payment schedules for the Surveying Team (training will be provided for our Property Management System; Horizon)
• You will be proficient in the use of Microsoft Excel with an ability to produce reports and create trackers and formulas to record property related data for analysis
• You will have experience in creating Purchase Orders and reviewing invoices for payment by DEFRA Group Property, for approval by the Senior Team
• Competent IT skills (Outlook, Word, Excel & SharePoint)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,136, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £8,676 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.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV (which includes job history and qualifications), personal statement and behaviour statements of up to 250 words.

Please tailor your personal statement to highlight your previous experience in Property Administration, including an example of effecting positive change in a leadership role (250 words max).

Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the application behaviour responses.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted on the personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sifting will take place 19 - 26 February 2023.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your experience, behaviours, technical skills and strengths. 

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place w/c 11 March 2023 but may be subject to change.

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Internal (core Defra) employees can apply for this role and choose to remain in their current location or to be based in one of the advertised locations.

All other applicants will be based in one of the advertised locations. Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers. This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice. 

Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

The successful candidate can choose to be based at Newcastle (Lancaster House, NE4 7YH), York (Kings Pool, YO1 7PX), Leeds (Lateral, LS11 9AT) or Manchester (Arndale House, M4 3AQ).

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Salary 

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

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 defrarecruitment.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 interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional

Accessibility

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

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

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. 

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. 

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.