Associate

at  SOCOTEC UK Limited

ASSOCIATE - LONDON

SOCOTEC Advisory is a provider of chartered quantity surveying and forensic expert witness services in the UK and globally. In support of ambitious growth plans, we have a range of great opportunities to join our team of diverse and ambitious professionals.
We are part of SOCOTEC UK, who are the lead provider of testing, inspection, certification and professional services with comprehensive solutions in Infrastructure, Environment, Building & Real Estate and Advisory sectors.
Our team work on a broad range of roles, including:
Compliance Traditional quantity surveying services fulfilling commercial duties and responsibilities pursuant to a contract.
Advisory - Advising parties who are in dispute, anticipating a potential dispute, or suffering issues on a live project to resolve or mitigate its problems or achieve the best possible outcome for the circumstances.
Expert Witness - Providing forensic investigation and quantity surveying analysis on behalf of parties involved in litigation, arbitration, adjudication and other dispute resolution forums, in support of an expert witness.
SOCOTEC Advisory is built and maintained around our ethos: we work hard every day to gain and utilise expertise for the good of the industry, our business, ourselves and our clients. Our employees prioritise a thirst for knowledge to enhance our careers collectively and create solutions for our clients’.

Essential requirements:

• Degree level education in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field; or equivalent experience in the sector.
• Comprehensive knowledge of construction cost management (for Quantum) and/or construction project management (for Delay).
• Experience in working in accordance with different suites of construction contracts (i.e. JCT, NEC, FIDIC), with input and exposure to assessing claims and dealing with project records.
• Experience in writing and contributing to expert reports.
• Experience with dispute resolution proceedings within the Construction Industry and understanding of the role of the expert witness within that context.
• Negotiation experience.
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint and comfortable with large sets of data.
• Knowledge and working experience of relevant specialist software such as Primavera P6, CostX, REVIT, AutoCAD, etc.
• Proactive, inquisitive, analytical thinker with focus on details.
• Capable of developing and discussing potential solutions to issues found in the context of its work and collaborating with its peers.
• Able to communicate clearly and fluently in English, both verbally and in writing. Able to draft sections of Expert Witness reports.
• Comfortable working independently and in a team, able to manage workstreams to strict deadlines, tackling different types of projects and issues, managing the work of others when required.
• Comfortable liaising with and presenting to clients.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Able to produce objective, self-explanatory, error-free analyses.
• Willing to travel internationally, if required.
• Willing to learn and progress, working towards having specialist knowledge of the types of analyses in the respective field (Quantum or Delay).
• Willing to attend and participate at market events to bolster SOCOTEC Advisory’s profile to clients and potential employees

Desirable requirements:

• Chartered in relevant institution.
• Experience across different types of construction and engineering projects and claims.
• A postgraduate degree or equivalent in construction law, dispute resolution, or a related field.
• Team management experience.
• Desire to assist with the management and training of junior members of the team.
• Undergone specific expert witness training.
• Proficiency in other languages

The main role of the Associate is to support the Forensic Expert Witness (FEW) and its team in the undertaking of analyses of the project data, reporting findings both internally and externally, devising and discussing solutions, producing analyses and explanatory narratives that will be incorporated into deliverables in the FEW workstream (i.e. expert reports, advisory notes, claims, counterclaims, and communications with our clients).
Deliverables are usually required in the context of formal dispute resolution proceedings such as litigation, arbitration, and adjudication, but also for advising decision-making on ongoing projects, settlement discussions, and mediations, in the UK and internationally.
The Associate assists the Expert in making sure projects are delivered within budget, on time, and to the highest standards of quality and compliance.

The Associate will be required, among other tasks, to:

• Conduct advanced critical review and analyses of construction project records.
• Produce analyses and communicate findings internally to project peers and externally for clients in clear and objective form, referencing records reviewed, assumptions taken and, if necessary, the decision-making process that led to the findings.
• Assist in the selection and timely implementation of the assessment methodology.
• Draft sections of reports, notes and external communications with minimal supervision.
• Review records produced during dispute resolution proceedings, such as witness statements and other expert reports, distilling relevant issues and liaising with senior peers.
• Liaise and work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders and devise potential solutions and strategies to meet the projects’ objectives and client deliverables.
• Instruct and manage analysts’ work and their progress.
• Assure the quality and reliability of its work and the work of colleagues through testing and peer-reviews.
• Ensure all activities comply with relevant regulations, standards, and best practices.
• Engage in internal and external client meetings.
• Participate in the development of proposals.
• Undertake training, CPD, and other activities to foster technical and managerial skills.
• Regularly attend marketing events, client events, seminars and lectures to build technical and managerial knowledge, relationships in the field, and promote SOCOTEC Advisory’s brand.
• As with all employees in SOCOTEC Advisory, the Associate will be required to regularly and accurately record and describe the time spent in its day-to-day activities using the required platform.

We are looking for a capable all-rounder who possesses a high degree of competence and considerable experience. This role requires the ability to navigate complex disputes and the data provided effectively, and to produce assessments utilising appropriate methodologies, whilst communicating these aspects clearly and comprehensively in written format to all stakeholders.

Essential requirements:

• Degree level education in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field; or equivalent experience in the sector.
• Comprehensive knowledge of construction cost management (for Quantum) and/or construction project management (for Delay).
• Experience in working in accordance with different suites of construction contracts (i.e. JCT, NEC, FIDIC), with input and exposure to assessing claims and dealing with project records.
• Experience in writing and contributing to expert reports.
• Experience with dispute resolution proceedings within the Construction Industry and understanding of the role of the expert witness within that context.
• Negotiation experience.
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint and comfortable with large sets of data.
• Knowledge and working experience of relevant specialist software such as Primavera P6, CostX, REVIT, AutoCAD, etc.
• Proactive, inquisitive, analytical thinker with focus on details.
• Capable of developing and discussing potential solutions to issues found in the context of its work and collaborating with its peers.
• Able to communicate clearly and fluently in English, both verbally and in writing. Able to draft sections of Expert Witness reports.
• Comfortable working independently and in a team, able to manage workstreams to strict deadlines, tackling different types of projects and issues, managing the work of others when required.
• Comfortable liaising with and presenting to clients.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Able to produce objective, self-explanatory, error-free analyses.
• Willing to travel internationally, if required.
• Willing to learn and progress, working towards having specialist knowledge of the types of analyses in the respective field (Quantum or Delay).
• Willing to attend and participate at market events to bolster SOCOTEC Advisory’s profile to clients and potential employees.

Desirable requirements:

• Chartered in relevant institution.
• Experience across different types of construction and engineering projects and claims.
• A postgraduate degree or equivalent in construction law, dispute resolution, or a related field.
• Team management experience.
• Desire to assist with the management and training of junior members of the team.
• Undergone specific expert witness training.
• Proficiency in other languages.