Repairs and Voids Manager
Grade11 £57,171 - £63,633 per annum
The London Borough of Havering owns and manages over 11,000 homes with a significant development and regeneration programme which will deliver essential affordable homes across the borough.
We have introduced a new Housing Asset Management Strategy and have significant programmes of work to deliver including Building Safety, Decent Homes and Compliance works. We have committed to net Zero Carbon by 2040 and are developing strategies and programmes to deliver this essential goal.
Under a new housing senior management team we are looking to transform how we deliver housing services to our customers, putting them at the heart of everything we do.
To help us deliver an exceptional service we are looking for a Repairs and Voids manager who will lead the service and its transformation into a modern, best in sector, service. This will include the mobilisation of a new 10 year responsive repairs and void contract.
The role reports to the Assistant Director of Housing Property Services and be part of the Property Services management team.
About the Job
Our Repairs and Voids manager oversees the day to day operation of our repairs and voids service, providing a partnering approach to manage our main contractor delivering the service, leading and coordinating multi-disciplinary teams. In addition, you will manage a team of surveyors and support officers and lead on the delivery of our 24/7 out of hours emergency repairs service.
You will manage the revenue and capital budgets for the reactive and voids repairs - approximately £10m per annum – and manage works and staffing budgets.
You will establish and direct maintenance and void investment requirements for all managed stock, and properties managed as part of our private sector housing approach, including all pre- and post-contract management and procurement.
You will procure and manage all contracts/SLAs to deliver the service and implement the client role as appropriate.
Developing the long term strategic needs of the service, you will implement changes to improve service delivery, value for money, and resident satisfaction.
As well as consulting with residents, tenants and leaseholders, to ensure effective service delivery and development, you will lead on identifying resolutions on policies and activities impacting on Council tenants and leaseholders’ homes.
You will determine approaches for the effective management and resolution of disrepair and legal claims against the Council, and be responsible for preparing and presenting information at Court.
Effectively managing the void process within the maintenance team, you will deliver an efficient, cost effective service, minimising losses through rental income.
You will lead on determining and implementing approaches for the maintenance of Havering’s PSL stock, maintaining excellent relationships with landlords, and ensuring recovery of associated costs.
About You
You have significant experience of strategically and operationally leading a housing repairs and voids service, together with demonstrable experience of developing, implementing and reviewing strategies and policies to deliver continuous improvement.
Your experience in construction and refurbishment processes in a social housing sector will enable you to define and implement policies and processes tailored to LBH stock profiles to deliver an effective service.
You have excellent self-management skills and the ability to work on your own initiative, prioritising and dealing with complex workloads and fluctuating demands.
You have significant experience of successfully managing and controlling complex works and staffing budgets, as well as delivering cost effective, qualitative services within constrained resources
As a skilled team manager, you are very experienced in leading multidisciplinary teams, including repairs surveyors, voids teams, PSL teams and general repairs support teams. You are experienced in delivering performance management, coaching and training, and motivating and managing staff in a customer focused environment.
You have significant experience of procurement and managing large repairs and voids contracts, together with good, current knowledge of the necessary guidance notes, codes of practice, statutory and legislative requirements relevant to the role.
In addition to a good understanding of tenancy, leaseholder and property management in a social housing environment, you have demonstrable knowledge of the landlords’ compliance requirements for a large social housing organisation.
A confident, engaging communicator, you are able to handle contact positively with a range of people from a variety of backgrounds and respond clearly and comprehensively to customer complaints.
You have a good understanding and significant working knowledge of IT systems and proven ability to work with several building related software applications and databases.
You have a degree, or equivalent professional qualification, in a building maintenance related