Head of Strategic Asset Management & Estates

Job Title: Head of Strategic Asset Management & Estates
Starting Salary: £81,803 progressing to £90,664 per annum – pay award pending
Hours: 37
Location: Based in Stevenage with hybrid working opportunities
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Resources

About the team

Hertfordshire is a thriving county with big ambition. Following the recent elections, our new administration is undertaking a major transformation programme to ensure our financial sustainability and protect essential services - creating a council that is fit for the future and that can continue to deliver our ambitions to be the County of opportunity.

A key contributor to this ambition is ensuring the effective use of our numerous and diverse assets, and we are currently seeking an individual with a strong professional and technical understanding of asset management, preferably with a qualification like RICS, to lead on achieving excellent outcomes for the County.

Sitting in the Property department, Estates is responsible for a diverse portfolio including 11,000 acres of rural estate, a variety of over 2,000 operational buildings and land. The role will be to support the delivery of Council services through the provision of the right assets in the right locations.

You’ll need to demonstrate a commercial approach to driving greater income and capital to support service delivery through a programme of income generation and asset disposal.

Like many councils around the country, we are redesigning ourselves under Local Government Reorganisation so there will be significant opportunities for you to play a key part in remodelling our estate now and into the future.

About the role

Bringing your forward-thinking leadership style to our strategic asset management function, you will make sure our property portfolio is aligned to the needs of local communities. Equally, you will ensure that it is working well for the Council. At the heart of your approach will be a commitment to seeing assets put to their best possible use.

Your remit will span everything from service delivery to capital receipts and other financial drivers. Working closely with other services and partners, you will develop high-level business cases for significant property changes.

Crucially, as lead officer for our estates function, you will see that the transactional side of the portfolio is kept in good order, with statutory requirements properly managed.

As a Chartered Surveyor (RICS) you will bring to the role substantial knowledge of contract management and property law. To be equal to the challenge, you must be a natural leader with a proven track record of managing estates and asset services, delivered by a large and diverse team.

Commercially astute and innovative, your experience spans contract, project and change management, along with development of service plans and quality assurance.

You will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies for managing the council's property portfolio, ensuring that they are used effectively, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

You will be responsible for managing and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the estates department, including managing staff, budgets.

You’ll provide expert advice and guidance to the council on property-related matters including advising on property acquisitions, disposals, and development projects.

Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and regulations including health and safety regulations, building regulations, and planning regulations.

You will provide monitoring and reporting on the performance of the estates department including reporting on key performance indicators such as occupancy rates, maintenance costs, and property values.

About you

Essential:

• Relevant qualifications, such as a degree in property management or a relevant professional qualification e.g. Chartered professional membership as a Chartered Surveyor (RICS)
• A strong understanding of property management principles such as asset management, property finance, contract management, rural estate.
• Strong leadership and management skills and the ability to manage staff and relevant employment related issues.
• The ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders, including council officials, residents, and contractors, utilising your knowledge, adapting your communication skills and take a proactive, tailored approach.
• Knowledge of key statutory compliance requirements
• Knowledge of leasehold legislation and managing client relationships.
• A track record in managing large and complex schemes, taking a hands-on role with the ability to lead, develop and inspire a team.
• A strong understanding of managing budgets

Desirable:

• Knowledge of contracts management and property law
• Experience in working with local authorities or other public sector organisation
• Experience of project and change management

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is within the Organisational Leadership, level 16 job profile. Please locate this via:

Job profiles - Organisational Leadership

To hear more about this opportunity please contact Sass.Pledger@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date: Week commencing 14th July 2025

Benefits of working for us

How to apply

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Additional information

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.