Principal Surveyor (Inspections) - Building Control

Job Title: Principal Surveyor (Inspections) - Building Control
Location: Islington, London
Salary/Rate: £400-£450 per day
Start Date: 02/12/24
Job Type: Contract

Company Introduction
We have an exciting opportunity now available with one of our leading public sector clients! They are currently looking for a skilled Building Control Principal Surveyor (Inspections) to join their team for an initial six-month contract.

Job Responsibilities/Objectives
You will be responsible for leading and managing a professional team within the Building Control service. Assisting the Building Control Manager in providing expert technical advice on building control matters. Supervising and co-ordinating the day to day activities of plan checking and site inspection team in relation to technical and legal compliance with the Building Acts and Building Regulations.

1. To support the provision of an excellent building control service to applicants and clients, landowners, residents, community groups, amenity groups and other interested parties.
2. To supervise and co-ordinate the day to day activities of a plan checking and site inspections team, ensuring technical and legal compliance with the Building Acts and Building Regulations in accordance with performance targets.
3. To carry an appropriate application case load, and to supervise or be directly responsible for the more complex building projects within the team.
4. To advise on building control matters including representing the Council at appeals, court cases and other public hearings arising from the works of the service.
5. To inform the Council's response on complex or sensitive cases.
6. Ensuring compliance with building regulations and related legislation and taking appropriate action to issue decisions on full plans applications and completion notices in accordance with performance targets.
7. Assisting and deputising for the Building Control Manager as appropriate in the provision of the Building Control service, including the formulation and implementation of policy, procedures and technical standards.
8. To liaise with the Principal Surveyor (Special Services) where necessary in order to ensure continuity of inspections on council, major, high partnership projects.
9. To coordinate a budget, including monitoring of income and expenditure, authorising payments, forward planning and review.
10. To work with the Building Control Manager to implement a cost recovery model for Building Control and meet income generation targets.
11. To deliver effective and efficient services on Partnership Schemes and developing and maintaining relationships with preferred clients, builders and architects.
12. To implement innovative, effective and efficient procedures for improving service delivery, including improvement of administrative procedures.
13. To deputise for the Building Control Manager on corporate working groups and external bodies as and when required in order to ensure the interests and reputation of the service are protected at all times.
14. To work with internal departments to ensure compliance with building regulations on council projects.
15. To manage team performance ensuring that the team achieves the key performance indicators and customer service standards as required by the Building Control Manager.
16. To support the team's quality management system as directed by the Deputy Head of Service.
17. To make delegated decisions in line with the Council's scheme of delegation.
18. To ensure that resources are managed effectively and efficiently and opportunities for improvement are implemented.
19. To comply with the Council's statutory obligations, financial regulations and Standing Orders.
20. Provide expert support and advice to staff across the range of functions, including Fire Safety, CDM and structural safety.
21. To oversee the validity of complaints of danger arising from defective structures, and instruct the Council's dangerous structures contractor (including outside normal working hours and at short notice). Advise and assist staff in undertaking this function.
22. To participate in the Council's dangerous structure rota.
23. Instruct the Council's legal services in respect of enforcement action, prepare evidence for Court or other hearings and appear as a witness, and coordinate the team's enforcement activities.
24. Undertake other duties commensurate with the grade of the post.
25. Communicate effectively both verbally and orally and be able to conduct meetings and give advice.
26. To contribute to the work of the service by taking on tasks as requested by the Building Control Manager.

Required Skills/Experience
The ideal candidate will have the following:

1. A BTEC qualification, Degree or equivalent in a building construction related subject. A/I
2. Significant appropriate post qualification experience in Building Control. A
3. Hold corporate membership of ABE, RICS (Building Control), Institution of Structural Engineers or equivalent. A/I
4. Ability and experience of managing a team including the monitoring of workloads, priorities and performance. A/I
5. Experience and knowledge of providing robust and defendable responses and decisions on legal and technical building control issues and other matters. A/I
6. Ability to undertake technically complex negotiations with service users and other interested parties to ensure compliance with the building act and related legislation, and the Council's policies and corporate aims are met. A/I
7. To have a good knowledge and experience of working practices and relevant legislation and the ability to utilise this to ensure compliance (including through enforcement action) with the Building Regulations and related legislation. A/I
8. Ability to implement and manage a risk assessed approach to building control activities. A/I
9. Ability to assess the structural safety of buildings and participate in the rota dealing with dangerous structures. A/I
10. Ability to produce and review accurate structural reports, site surveys and calculations. A/I
11. Knowledge of and ability to instruct in respect of enforcement action, prepare and A/I attend hearings and support team members in undertaking this role.
12. Knowledge, ability and experience of taking decisions under delegated authority on building control matters. A/I
13. Ability to provide expert advice to staff. A/I
14. Good written and oral communications skills including the communication of legal and technical requirements. A/I
15. Demonstrate excellent organisational skills together with experience of developing and maintaining performance management systems. A/I
16. Be proficient in the use of IT and its application to the service. A/I
17. Ability to climb ladders, scaffolding and other means of gaining access to building sites, working at heights. A/I
18. Ability to occasionally work outside normal working hours. A/I
19. Ability and experience of providing excellent customer service. A/I
20. Ability to adhere to the Councils Dignity for All Policy. A/I

Assessed by: A= Application I= Interview T= Test

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply now with your updated CV in Microsoft Word/PDF format.

Disclaimer
Not with standing any guidelines given to level of experience sought, we will consider candidates from outside this range if they can demonstrate the necessary competencies.