About the job

Job summary

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are the public sector’s property valuation experts and advisers. As one of the largest employers of surveyors in the country, our work is vital to the collection of over £60 billion of revenue which goes back into communities, touching every citizen and every business across England and Wales.

We champion the values of professionalism, integrity, respect, and innovation. We are committed to providing a collaborative and supportive working environment that encourages every colleague to contribute, grow and excel together. With opportunities to drive your own development and growth, we empower our colleagues to succeed by ensuring support at every step of their career journey.

Job description

Role Overview

District Valuer Services (DVS) provide professional property advice across the public sector, including private and third sector clients involved in delivering public services and functions of a public nature. Our clients include the Central, Regional, Local and Devolved Government, Health, Transport & Infrastructure, and the Environment.

We are looking for a Principal Valuation Surveying Lead within the Health Sector. This is a technical surveying and leadership role primarily involving project management of valuation work for national clients. 

You will provide valuation advice to NHS clients. This will include rental valuations of primary care premises in connection with the Doctors’ Rent and Rates Reimbursement Scheme, value for money advice in respect of primary care premises including 3rd Party Developments, asset valuations for financial reporting purposes, acquisition (purchase and lease) and disposal and rent reviews. Negotiations in this regard will be highly complex and will require sensitive negotiations.

This is an excellent opportunity to lead high profile work and specialist teams and work closely with the Sector Head for Health, Team Leaders and a team of Sector Leaders and Complex Caseworkers.  As Principal Valuation Surveying Lead for Health, you will be responsible for managing a large and diverse client base, whilst providing technical advice and support to the team.

Regular travel across the West Midlands Offices will be expected. 

Key Responsibilities

• Maintaining and applying an advanced level of valuation surveying knowledge to own casework activity and conduct reviews of high profile or complex valuations for peers and team members.
• Casework will typically fall within the following key areas:
  • Providing value for money advice to the NHS in connection with proposed new primary care schemes.
  • Leading on disputed cases under the Doctors’ Rent and Rates Reimbursement Scheme, sometimes involving preparation and submission of expert witness reports.
  • Providing of a range of estates advice to NHS clients, including valuations for acquisitions, disposals, landlord and tenant etc.
  • Providing IFRS compliant asset valuations to NHS Bodies for financial accounting purposes.
• Providing technical leadership, guidance, and support to caseworkers within DVS and across the sector to build capability and the delivery of timeliness targets, primarily on a regional and, as required, national basis.
• Ensuring an awareness of the wider political, economic, social, technical, environmental, and legislative agendas that impact DVS and Health Sector clients.
• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with DVS clients and ensuring customer satisfaction, understanding and challenging the needs of the client.
• Reporting to stakeholders up to and including Ministerial level where necessary. Pro-actively marketing our professional services to existing and potential clients, developing and maintaining client relationships.  Identifying and developing new products and services required by clients.
• Maintaining a good understanding of the links to other work areas and the external business environment.

Person specification

Our ideal candidate is someone with advanced technical surveying knowledge who can project manage asset exercises. You will have strong leadership skills with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.

Essential Criteria

• An advanced level of technical knowledge, including the application of relevant legislation, case law, and codes of practice and professional RICS standards.
• A strong understanding of the Health Sector and its key product areas, together with a good understanding of client requirements reflecting the current market circumstances.
• Strong leadership and communication skills - the ability to build trusted and credible relationships with clients, peers, and direct reports.
• Line management experience and a willingness to coach, support and encourage individuals to improve their performance and achieve their potential.
• The ability to identify risks and issues and propose solutions ahead of risks becoming issues.
• Full RICS or IRRV Surveying Qualification. (Qualified in the Valuation or real Estate pathways.)
• The candidate must be eligible to join the RICS Valuer Registration Scheme (VRS), criteria as determined by the RICS is as follows:https://www.rics.org/globalassets/rics-website/media/upholding-professionalstandards/regulation/rules-for-registration-of-schemes_2020.pd
• A full UK driving licence.
• Willingness to travel – Successful candidates will be expected to attend either our Stoke or Birmingham Office once a week. Candidates will decide which of these locations is most suitable. We are reasonable with our expectations and provide flexible working arrangements to support this need.

 Candidates please note that the internal job title for this role is 'G7 Sector Lead - Health'

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £54,631, Valuation Office Agency contributes £14,750 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 750 words), please outline your suitability for the role. Please pay particular attention to the Person Specification and Essential Criteria outlined in the advert when providing your answer.

Sift - 1 August 2024 -  Please note dates are provisional and may be subject to change.

• We will assess you on your CV, Personal Statement, Licences, Memberships and Qualifications.

Interviews - 19 August 2024 - 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 assess you on the Behaviours listed in the job description, Strengths , Technical questions & a Presentation. 

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.

Technical 

•  There will be 3 technical questions based around valuation and the Health Sector.

Presentation 

• You will also be required to conduct a 10-minute presentation, you will be asked to 'describe when you have led on a complex valuation, the technical input you provided and client liaison involved’

Application Hints and Tips

For more information on Success Profiles, tips on how to write a successful application and find out more about what’s involved in the application process please visit About the application process , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)

Further Information

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.  We can consider part-time working from 30 hour per week minimum. Please contact the Vacancy Holder to discuss. 

As part of the application process you will be asked to tell us which of the locations available you can work in. You will be able to specify up to 2 options. Please be aware that you can be posted to any location that you put in your preferences. If you would only like to be posted to one location, please confirm one location only.

Successful candidates must select one of the locations noted in this advert as their base office and will be expected to undertake regular travel to this location under the Agency’s hybrid working policy.

A full UK Driving Licence is essential to this 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.

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

The VOA is an office based organisation that supports flexible working. By default, everyone in the VOA is a hybrid worker with options to work in the office, at home or out and about, depending on the work they’re doing that day and where it’s best done.

VOA employees only:  If you are currently in receipt of DTA as a result of a VOA office closure/restructure and it is agreed for you to take up this role in your current location, you may continue to receive DTA for the remainder of the period you can claim for.  Please check with the Vacancy Holder on preferred locations for this role before you apply.

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.

If you would require a Certificate of Sponsorship from the VOA to undertake this role, please contact resourcingteam@voa.gov.uk before submitting your application.

Reasonable Adjustment

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate. 

If you need a reasonable adjustment or a change to be made so that you can make your application please click here for more information:

Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk) and contact voarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.

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.

Terms & Conditions

Voluntary terms apply.

Reserve Lists

If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 3-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.

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. 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.