Job description
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Property
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About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
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Location
About the job
Job summary
The Government Property Agency is changing the way the Civil Service works and is at the forefront of Government's transformation agenda; reshaping the relationship civil servants have with their place of work. The Agency is central to the delivery of key Government policies including moving 22,000 Civil Service roles out of London by 2030 and tackling climate change by contributing to the Net Zero agenda. To do this we are delivering a major change programme across the UK and consolidating our portfolio in order to save £1.4 Bn over 10 years.
Beyond the bricks and mortar, the GPA is about providing great workplaces for our people. Through programmes like Hubs, Whitehall Campus and Smart Working you will be in the vanguard of creating model working environments and promoting flexible working practices.
This is an ambitious and exciting task, for which we need innovative people, with strong commercial acumen, who are passionate about visualising and implementing customer needs. Launched as an Executive Agency of the Cabinet Office in 2018, we’re a relatively new department and we are growing fast so we also need people who thrive in ambiguity, can adapt quickly to change and are comfortable stepping outside of their remit to drive outcomes.
Job description
The Assistant Workplace Manager is a pivotal position within the Workplace Service Delivery Team. Reporting to and supporting the Workplace Management. The post holder will be the face of Workplace Services to the customers, suppliers and GPA stakeholders across their designated sites within one of four GPA operational regions (North, Central, South and London).
The Assistant Workplace Manager is responsible for first line engagement with workplace service supplier’s contractor delivery, and customer/stakeholder relationships in the everyday BAU management of workplace services throughout your designated propertie(s). The role is the daily face to customers, and our supplier partners. The post holder will be responsible for resolving customer issues and complaints from client organisations or those arising from the helpdesk, escalating as necessary to workplace manager and wider GPA directorates to ensure timely action. The role may also oversee the delivery of low value resource projects and provide information to help define and deliver capital projects. Effectively manages the supplier partners to ensure service delivery standards and performance is in line with the expected standards, ultimately driving our great places to work agenda from the front.
Key Responsibilities:
Workplace Service Contract delivery.
- Responsible for understanding and delivering operational processes required to manage the delivery of services, payments and audit regime.
- Responsible for the effective management of all delegated spend within agreed internal governance procedures.
- Responsible for ensuring appropriate internal governance procedures are implemented in procuring and authorising spend to ensure appropriate value for money and contract delivery.
- Responsible for BAU day to day management of workplace suppliers service delivery and ensuring agreed delivery standards are met, alongside business requirements/H&S/value for money and procurement guidelines. Ensuring that remedial action is taken where this is not the case.
- Undertaking supplier audits including but not limited to performance audits, cleaning and work orders
- Undertaking site visits required to manage service as required, completing a full site audit of each premise under their responsibility once a year, resolving issues where possible.
- Resolving customer issues and complaints, escalating when appropriate to Workplace Manager
- Ensuring suppliers provide proposals for lifecycle replacement and planned maintenance work at a property level and retain oversight of any agreed actions .
- Managing rechargeable works i.e. work that is requested by the customer that is outside the fixed price element of the Workplace Services contract, reactive work, and new works, cost management and reporting to the WS Service Lead.
- Actively maintains trackers and information repositories to support auditable trains and reconciliation processes
- Liaising with the wider GPA stakeholders as required to seek advice / guidance.
- Monitoring of reactive and project spends and reporting against budget.
- Reviewing and updating, as required, contractual service details for each property via agreed variation/scheduling and commercial process; ensuring data accurately reflected on relevant systems.
- Utilise management information for audit, assurance and validation of service purposes and to direct physical checks and as leverage with suppliers to focus any improvement in processes, specifications or services.
- Supports the provision of information to enable responses to FOIs and PQs within the set timescales
- Responsible for incident management and reporting for sites within scope
- Implements change initiatives at sites within remit on time and to the expected quality standards, this includes managing suppliers to deliver these where required.
- Deputise for the Workplace Manager where required
- Any other reasonable and authorised request to support business needs
External Interfaces
- Managing external interfaces e.g. landlords services provided under a service charge in conjunction with GPA Asset Management, and internal interfaces, with Security, IT etc.
- Managing delivery of minor works and churn projects (lower value / less complex projects) and escalation of higher value / more complex projects to Workplace Services Projects. Ensuring all relevant stakeholders have been identified and liaising accordingly to ensure local customer requirements for works/small projects are fed into project definition.
- Providing local knowledge to GPA Asset management in their liaison with landlords / managing agents on service deficiencies and other matters.
- Identify opportunities to deliver portfolio strategic and individual property efficiency, sustainability and environmental savings.
- Provide support to Workplace Services Projects in obtaining landlords’ approval for projects delegated to the regional teams.
This is an excellent time to join GPA, and play a crucial role in contributing to a priority agenda.
Person specification
Essential
You will be:
- An experienced property and/or workplace service management professional with knowledge of asset management, maintenance, customer service and supplier management.
- Analytical mind-set with the ability to assimilate a wide range of data sources to inform decision making.
- Good interpersonal, communication and presentational and team working skills.
- Persuasive influencer who is able to confidently and articulately make an argument in support of a position.
- Must be willing and able to travel within the geography of the Region (and occasionally nationally) to deliver the duties and attend management meetings visiting sites not easily accessible by public transport
Desirable
- Innovative mind-set with the ability to see opportunities and how to exploit them to deliver best value.
- Experience of working in cross-functional teams and in a matrix management structure.
- A basic understanding of leading and/or supporting workplace-related services (hard and soft FM, operational security, ICT services, hospitality, community engagement) ideally with a basic level of commercial understanding in industry and the ability to get the best out of all stakeholders.
Qualifications
- An appropriate professional qualification or ability to demonstrate equivalent experience that would facilitate admission to a professional body (e.g. RICS, IET, IWFM, CIBSE etc.).
- Able to demonstrate personal development through continued professional development in property and FM related field.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Customer Perspective
- Commercial Acumen
- Property Market Knowledge
- Innovation
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- Generous annual leave
Things you need to know
Selection process details
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities and wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a sense of belonging in a workplace where everyone feels valued.
Sift
The sift is due to take place on the 15th June 2023
As part of the application process, you will be asked to include a CV and a 500 word personal statement. The personal statement should then align with the person specification.
Please use the Statement of Suitability as an opportunity to explain why you are the ideal candidate for this role.
Interview
Applicants successful at sift will be invited to interviews, which are due to take place on the 20th 21st and 22nd June 2023.
The interview will have a blend of behaviour, technical, and strength questions.
The behaviours assessed will include:
- Seeing the bigger picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at pace
Candidates will also be assessed against Technical Skills (GPA Core Skills) at interview.
- Customer Perspective
- Commercial Acumen
- Property Market Knowledge
- Innovation
Further Information
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 [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
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.
Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Any move to GPA name 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
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission:
Click here to visit Civil Service Commission "