Operations Manager (Survey Services)

at  Pennington Choices

As the Operations Manager (Survey Services), you will oversee Survey Services projects across the UK, working closely with our Head of Survey Services and collaborating with the Board of Directors. The Survey Services division encompasses Asset Management (Stock Condition Surveys) and Energy Services, including Energy Performance Certificates. Your primary responsibility is to ensure the operational and commercial performance of the Survey Services team aligns with our key business objectives and specific service targets.
In this role, you will provide effective leadership to Project Managers, surveyors, graduates, and sub-contracted Associates, ensuring all client work is delivered to the required quality standards and meets contractual obligations. You will work collaboratively with the Head of Survey Services and other leaders across the business to ensure an integrated approach to service delivery that supports our business goals.
Additionally, you will manage key national client accounts, using internal and external management information to drive performance improvements and ensure high productivity across all field-based activities. You will also act as Deputy to the Head of Survey Services in their absence, as needed.

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for someone who will be a great fit with the team and who has:
• BSc/MSC in Building Surveying or similar.
• A minimum of 5 years post degree experience providing surveying services to residential property owners and managers.
• Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Outlook, and Excel.
• Excellent people management and leadership skills.
• An energetic approach towards team working, collaboration and company growth.
• Focus towards the health and safety of colleagues, customers, and others.
• Accountability for high volume projects and services
• Ability to manage the commercial aspects of projects, including financial budgets and forecasts.
• Experience in developing and implementing quality management procedures.

ABOUT US

Pennington Choices is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and as such we recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job classifications without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristics protected by law.
Pennington Choices provides property surveying and consultancy services to organisations nationwide. We have a wealth of experience working with more than 800 public and private sector organisations across social housing, NHS, education, and rail since 2000.
At the heart of what makes Pennington Choices special is our people. We live by our values of being fun, resilient, brave and treating each other with respect. We also know there’s more to life than work, which is why we will encourage you to stay active, nurture your mental health, and create a fulfilling work/life balance.
Our head office is a converted barn in the picturesque Cheshire countryside, located just 3 minutes from M56 Jct10, and we have regional offices in Bromley, Kent and Sheffield. We are a close-knit organisation with people at our very core, and we strive for excellence in everything we do. As winners of Employer of the Year at both the Warrington Business Awards and the South London Business Awards, we’ve been recognised by Best Companies as a very good employer each year since 2018.
If successful, you will be joining us at a very exciting time. The business has already been through a period of substantial growth, concluding its current 5-year business plan in April 2024 which will achieve a turnover of £17.5m. A further 5-year plan through to 2029 is being developed with a projected growth to £40m.

• Operational Performance – you will ensure the achievement of all agreed operational performance targets in accordance with key business objectives, service plan objectives and contractual obligations with each client.
• Commercial Performance – you will ensure the achievement of all agreed financial performance targets (turnover, gross profit, and net profit) in accordance with key business objectives and service plan objectives. In addition, you will maximise the potential from every member of your team and client contract thus driving the performance on the ‘bottom line’. This will include driving improved commercial performance through proactive and ongoing analysis and management. Working closely with the Head of Survey Services you will obtain and analyse job costing and field based outputs in order to proactively improve job profitability and resource productivity.
• Customer Relationship Management – you will foster positive, productive, and long-lasting relationships with each of our clients. You will be the main operational point of client contact and as such have responsibility for both providing advice to clients on all aspects of Survey Services and for management of the relationship and contract that exists with each client. You will have responsibility for mobilising all new Survey Services contracts. You will instigate regular monthly contract meetings with larger clients and initiate project and/or quarterly meetings with other clients. In conjunction with the Senior Surveyors, you will investigate all client complaints to bring about a satisfactory resolution.
• Quality Control – you will support the Project Managers and their teams in ensuring we remain consistently and fully up to date with legislation, guidance and industry best practice and quality management arrangements. You will ensure attention to detail and high levels of quality in all Survey Services related work and embed this with all members of your team.
• Line Management –You will provide effective leadership and management through the line management structure and ensure line management activities are delivered to a consistently high standard. They include recruitment, inductions, briefings and staff engagement, people management, people development, process mapping and continuous improvement, management of resources, managing performance and managing compliance.
• Health & Safety – you will embed a strong health and safety culture within the field based team through appropriate induction and on-going training and briefings. You will also ensure all aspects of our health and safety framework are implemented and adhered to.
• Information Technology - you will periodically review our IT platforms to ensure they remain ‘fit for purpose’.
• Management Information – you will produce appropriate standardised monthly management information for the Senior Management Team (balanced scorecard) and for all clients (KPI reports) to ensure we meet all contractual targets. You will obtain client feedback on a regular basis and make interventions to improve client satisfaction and our net promoter score.
• Auditing – you will support the delivery of robust auditing processes and instil a zero defects culture with all staff. You will ensure the project teams have a robust approach to quality control and that learning is applied and embedded from audit results.
• Technical Specialist – in conjunction with the Head of Survey Services and other staff you will provide technical support to the delivery of surveying contracts, including project management, scoping, and surveying risk assessment.

• Stock Condition Surveys – you will ensure performance and data quality on all stock condition survey contracts, including Decent Homes data, HHSRS and general survey attributes and repairs. You will ensure that data validation is carried out regularly and effectively as well as managing on site auditing of active surveyors.

• Project Performance - You will be responsible for client facing and maintaining client relationships across all contracts alongside the relevant Project Managers. This includes the mobilisation of projects, managing surveyors and ensuring financial results.

• Energy Performance Certificates – you will ensure performance and data quality on all EPC contracts; including validation of surveys, management of DEAs in conjunction with all VOID EPC contracts as well as EPC Projects.
• Management of Staff – you will be responsible for the management of the staff with the stock condition and EPC teams. This will include line management duties and ensuring high levels of performance are maintained.