Utilities Manager

at  The Arch Company

ABOUT US

The Arch Company is the UK’s largest small business landlord, serving thousands of business owners who make a unique and vital contribution to the UK economy. The company purchased Network Rail’s former commercial property estate in early 2019 and have a property portfolio of more than 5,000 railway arches, business estates, former station buildings and other properties.
The Arch Company is proud to be the landlord to a diverse, passionate group of small business owners, entrepreneurs and community organisations across England and Wales. The Arch Company shareholders are TT Group and Blackstone Property Partners.
We’re committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace, so if you’re interested in this job but don’t meet every aspect of the job description, we’d still encourage you to apply. You might be the ideal candidate for this role, or other positions.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Lead the development of an internal utilities team, establishing robust processes for managing utility suppliers and ensuring efficient service delivery.
• Oversee utility management, including meter installations, reconnections, tenancy changes, and billing accuracy.
• Manage relationships with energy suppliers, handling key account management, debt resolution, GDPR compliance, and historical data issues.
• Collaborate with Finance on payment resolutions and manage Meter Operator (MOP) agreements for both new and existing meters.
• Develop strategies for managing the portfolio’s metering landscape, including smart meter rollouts, and reducing reliance on estimated readings.
• Act as the point of escalation for complex utility issues, such as County Court Judgments and high-value invoices, ensuring timely resolutions.
• Propose solutions for power supply issues, such as adding, moving, or disconnecting utilities, and manage site-specific challenges.
• Create training modules and guidance for internal teams, enhancing procedural and technical support.
• Lead initiatives to improve utility management processes and software solutions for data collection.
• Manage the utilities budget, approximately £3 million annually, ensuring cost-effective operations.
• Support Arch Co’s ESG initiatives, focusing on environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.
• Collect and manage tenant data under green lease clauses, advising on best practices in utility management.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Extensive experience in utilities, property, or facilities management, with a deep understanding of utility processes.
• Strong project management capabilities and experience resolving complex utility issues.
• Strong interpersonal skills to manage supplier relationships and internal stakeholder communications.
• Experience in implementing new processes and software solutions for operational improvements.
• Familiarity with sustainability and environmental regulations related to utility management.
• Excellent data management and reporting skills, with proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and SQL platforms.
• Proven leadership and team management skills, with a track record of building and developing effective teams.

This is a new role created to focus on the provision of utilities across the Arch Co portfolio estate. The role will entail the management of an insourced service capability. This includes overseeing utility processes, project managing new initiatives, and driving improvements and efficiencies in utility management. The role also involves investigating historical data, rectifying issues, and planning for the long-term management of utilities. This is an exciting and unique opportunity to shape and refine Arch Co’s in-house utility management processes and systems using data and technology to drive service performance.