Job purpose

To ensure that the council’s obligations under the Electrical Regulations and other associated health and safety regulations are adhered to and enforced.

To manage the servicing and inspection programmes for areas including, but not limited to, electrical safety, lifts and lifting equipment and door entry, ensuring the council remains compliant with its statutory and non-statutory obligations.

To manage the repair contracts for areas including but not limited to electrical safety, lifts and lifting equipment, door entry.

To act as the responsible person enforcing the council’s legal right to access for electrical safety under the housing act, representing the council at court in order to gain access.

Organisational position

Key tasks, duties, responsibilities and accountabilities of the post

Operational

• Manage the delivery of the servicing and repairs programmes for all areas of electrical safety. Acting as budget manager for the associated contracts with a value of approximately £1m
• Manage the audit contract for the electrical servicing contracts and ensure a robust audit is carried out of the service provided, implementing, and managing and subsequent improvement actions required.
• Identify and monitor potential risks within programmes and take appropriate preventative steps to reduce risks to the council, including preparing for and taking court action under the environmental protection act legislation, including attendance at court.
• Ensure compliance with all health and safety requirements for electrical safety. Keep up to date on legislation and best practice and implement changes to procedures as required.

Contract Administration

The role will be required to carry out the full range of contract administration duties in relation to works procured under JCT, TPC and other forms of contract. This work will include but not be limited to

• Programme Planning – To validate the programme and planning of the work elements within the service providers / contractor’s submissions, producing their own analysis showing actual progress against the planned programme and understanding the timing of each stage. Liaising with the service provider and other partners to ensure that the project is completed on time.
• Benchmark Setting – Setting benchmarks to monitor progress, to identify whether or not the project is on target to finish on time and within budget.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) – Setting and ensuring the KPI’s contained within the contract are being met and adhered to. Ensuring that control measures are in place to address deficiencies in compliance with the KPI’s. Request and implement certificate adjustments as required by the terms of the contract where KPI’s have an impact on the sums payable.
• Budget Management – Responsible for the budget currently in excess of £1 million per annum by financial planning and monitoring of the project. To avoid overspending by regular forecasting, keeping the partnering team and SBC managers informed of forecasts and any changes, establishing actual costs for both provisional, contingency and works using Prime Cost sums, unplanned construction work or resources which may be needed, and keeping sufficient sums set-aside for this. Certifying valuations and ensuring payments are made to the service provider / contractor in accordance with the contract terms.
• Communication – Arranging and chairing meetings and ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of the project’s progress. Keeping minutes, setting SMART targets, and reviewing progress against these targets. Managing the flow of external communications with the councils Communications and Marketing team. Managing and resolving complaints and addressing them through the council’s complaints process as required.
• Delegation and motivation – Ensuring that tasks are delegated effectively to consultants, managed and project support staff and ensure they remain motivated to complete the project/s to a high standard. This role will have line management responsibility for project staff and matrix management of the compliance co-ordinators.
• Technical knowledge – At times of uncertainty the post holder will be relied upon for his/her superior knowledge of the industry and specific problems. They will provide guidance to service providers, and instruction to the contractor under the relevant forms of contract.
• Value for Money (VFM) – The post holder will be required to work with service providers / contractors and quantity surveyors to construct and validate the basket rates for commonly used products and individual areas of work and where this is not possible for work divided into smaller areas, work with the service providers to construct schedules of rates. Demonstrate that during the life of the programme VFM is being achieved by ensuring market testing and other processes are being used to improve costs without impacting on quality and delivery.
• Time and Cost estimates – Produce time and cost estimates for work not specifically described within the contract when required and will be used in negotiations with the service provider / contractor.
• Quality – The post holder will be required to work closely with their contractors to ensure the quality of the materials and workmanship being delivered is in accordance with the clients’ wishes and as set out in the contract documents.
• Risk – The post holder will be required to keep a risk register and review / analyse this with the service provider / contractor ensuring the partnership has strategies in place to manage risks and other Issues.

Staff Management

• Provide leadership by setting objectives, coaching, and supporting development, measuring progress, motivating and addressing performance issues to ensure potential is maximised and an excellent service is provided.

Service Delivery

• Ensure services are delivered in a manner which is responsive to customer needs, putting in place mechanisms for gathering and acting upon customer feedback and insight.
• Actively support service transformation, ensuring digital opportunities and solutions are explored and implemented wherever possible.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement across the Council, ensuring effective performance monitoring and management arrangements are in place and providing timely intervention as necessary to sustain high standards of performance.
• Contribute to the achievement of financial security across the Council, including proactively identifying innovative/commercial opportunities that benefit the organisation, partners and/or customers.

Relationship Management

• Provide strong, effective leadership, including championing corporate activities and initiatives that cross service boundaries and implementing effective joined up approaches and solutions to meet the Council’s vision and values.
• Through personal example, provide employees with positive leadership, guidance, direction, and motivation that harness the strengths and talents of individuals and promotes achievement of our “one team” culture.
• Foster and maintain excellent working relationships with relevant partner organisations and pursue new ways to deliver services in collaboration with others which benefit the Council, partners, and customers.
• Represent the Council externally as appropriate, acting as an ambassador and developing relationships to ensure a positive view of the Council and to influence agendas to meet organisational needs.

The role’s key contacts and level of relationships with individuals, groups of people, agencies and external organisations

• Local Councillors
• MP’s
• Ombudsman
• Resident Groups
• Tenants and Leaseholders, and their representatives
• Solicitors.

Governance, Corporate and other responsibilities

• Undertake any additional responsibilities as directed by the line manager commensurate with the level and grading for the role.
• Adhere and ensure compliance to the Council’s policies, rules and procedures including, Health and Safety, Equality & Diversity, information management including Data Protection, HR, all other legislative responsibilities, governance, financial and procedural rules.
• Ensure compliance to the organisation’s Code of Conduct in the delivery and provision of services to staff and the community.
• Be prepared to undertake additional duties not included above that are appropriate to the job grade and qualifications, skill and experience as contained within the Person Specification, recognising that this Job Description will be kept under review and may be amended at the Council’s discretion to ensure organisational needs are met.

Safeguarding

Stevenage Borough Council (SBC) is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, volunteers, and recruitment candidates to share this commitment. SBC shall take all reasonable steps to employ staff who are safe to work with children, young people, and vulnerable adults. For posts identified with regular contact with these groups applicants will be required to undertake a Value Based Interview. The council supports the legislative requirements for employing and maintaining safer staff and the guidance specified by Hertfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We have a fantastic opportunity to lead our Building Services Team at Stevenage Borough Council. You will manage the Council responsibilities for all aspects of electrical Safety across our domestic properties and the council’s communal blocks. In this role you will also oversee the management of lift safety for our residential buildings including: servicing, repairs and upgrades.

We are in an excellent current position and are currently at 100% Compliance in these areas.

The Council is supported by good performing specialist contractors and your experience will be bought to bear on maintaining the current excellent performance.

You will also ensure the Council’s asset management and compliance systems (Keystone and Propeller) are up to date.

Stevenage Borough Council, own and manage around 8,000 homes, including over 500 flat blocks, all within the Borough. There are easy transport links and a flexible hybrid approach to the working week.

ABOUT YOU

The ideal candidate will have experience in managing both Electrical & Mechanical services in social housing, with a strong track record in contract management and the management and monitoring of Key Performance Indicators, to ensure performance remains at the current level.

We are looking for a candidate has the leadership skills to continue to improve the service and develop the team.