Senior Space Manager - Estates - 96545 - Grade 8

Position Details

University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Engineering and Physical Sciences

Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £41,526 to £49,553. With potential progression once in post to £55,750

Grade 8

Full time - Permanent

Closing date - 3rd December 2020

Interviews will take place on the 14th December 2020

Department Overview

People are at the heart of what we are and do at the University of Birmingham.

Within the Estates Office, we are looking to further strengthen our team across a range of roles and teams. We are looking to recruit people whose achievements and skills will contribute to our success and who share our values of collaboration, respect, inclusion, sustainability and professionalism. We welcome diversity and are committed to ensuring everyone is part of an enjoyable and rewarding culture in which they can do their best work.

As a team, we aim to deliver a world class university experience for the benefit of all students, staff, academics and visitors. We are proud of the role we play in the success of the University, the enjoyment that students, staff and academics get during their time here and ensuring that visitors leave us with the best possible impression of the University.

We operate up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all through the year in order to keep the University running efficiently and effectively, and in recent months have managed to sustain a safe and compliant campus during lockdown and an intensive period of campus re-opening

The University of Birmingham Estates Office is responsible for both the master planning and stewardship of our extensive estate. Our team is made up of over 180 dedicated members of staff, including 10 apprentices studying Mechanical or Electrical qualifications over a 4-year scheme; all striving to deliver a world class university experience for the benefit of all students, staff, academics and visitors. After our staff, our physical estate is the largest single enabler for our world-class teaching, research and providing a fantastic student experience.

Our estate is large and varied covering 672 acres, with over 200 buildings of different ages, complexities, physical condition and use, ranging from grade 1 and 2 listed properties to brand new state of the art learning and research spaces. It consists of two main campus sites (Edgbaston & Selly Oak) along with properties in Stratford upon Avon,  Ansty  (near Coventry), Coniston (in Cumbria), Ironbridge and Dubai. The total gross internal area of the estate is 538,000 m2. 74% of the non-residential estate is in building condition A and B and we typically spend circa £9M on energy and water each year.

We are committed to sustainability and have achieved a 20% reduction in CO2 four years ahead of target and we generate 75% of our own energy via on site combined heat and power plants. Furthermore, we continue to reduce our carbon footprint by 3,000 tonnes per year on average and maintain more than 9,200 trees.

Job Summary

To support the Director of Estates effectively deliver the Space Management Strategy, create collaborative learning and working environments, improve space utilisation across the estate and support the wider Estate objectives. The role holder will work at strategic and operational levels to plan and to advise on campus space requirements and innovative ways of working, providing specialised knowledge in these areas.

Main Duties

• To support the Director of Estates in developing a post Covid vision for space utilisation and a strategy for blended/bi modal working on campus.
• To analyse and advise upon market innovations and technology such as sensor technology, etc., that would support the University in managing space and space utilisation effectively.
• To develop and maintain a dynamic register of University space and, importantly, a register of vacant space that could be allocated/reallocated by the Director of Estates as part of a strategic space management plan.
• To have a comprehensive understanding of the University's aims and objectives, the Estates Office strategy and Colleges' and Professional Services' business plans.
• To partner proactively with colleagues in Colleges and Professional Services to understand current and future space needs and to provide advice, recommendations and innovative solutions to solve space issues and achieve future plans. Working with them to pro-actively identify cost-saving opportunities through effective space management and strategies.
• To work closely with colleagues in Estates, Colleges and Professional Services to develop detailed project scope and definitions in relation to delivery of agreed space changes. Maintain oversight of progress of projects, as required.
• To identify and implement effective processes and space management tools to enable data to be gathered on space utilisation across the University. Undertake data collection and analysis relating to space utilisation and develop University strategies for efficient space usage. Effectively communicate data to increase awareness of space usage and influence senior leaders to find efficiencies.
• To develop and recommend strategies, options and policies on estate planning and space management to the University including making recommendations for the optimal use of available workspace.
• Maintain expert knowledge and advise the University on new developments in space management including sector wide initiatives and make recommendations on how the University may incorporate these into strategies and plans.
• Develop spatial modelling scenarios that generate floor plans and programmes taking into account wider strategic plans and Colleges' and Professional Services' business plans.
• Support Colleges and Professional Services to balance headcount and other demands within the available spatial envelope.
• To assist with the development of space strategies for Colleges and Professional Services to meet their business needs that are aligned to wider University strategies and Estates Strategies.
• To work with the BIM and Digital Assets Team and MIS Team to ensure appropriate systems are updated with all space type, allocation and occupancy information.
• Adhere to University and Estates Office Policies & Procedures
• Any other reasonable duties as allocated by the Director of Estates.

The role holder will:

Pro-actively identify and exploit opportunities for improving their knowledge and expertise in space management.

Analyse complex information and identify patterns, gaps and conflicts in data impacting on the University's space management.

Demonstrate energy and enthusiasm in pursuit of their area of specialism and motivate others to do the same.

Demonstrate an understanding of how academia operates, how Estates and Space Management sit within this context and develop and shares this knowledge with others.

Display tact and diplomacy, the ability to challenge convention and use a wide range of communication and influencing skills and strategies to gain commitment to a change or course of action.

Constructively challenge assumptions and traditional views, identify issues, generate and implement new and adapt proven approaches to develop solutions to challenges to achieve change.

Promotes knowledge sharing across their own and related areas and/or specialisms, providing timely support, assistance and constructive challenge as appropriate.

Person Specification

Essential

• Relevant first degree and/or professional qualification or extensive experience in a large organisation.
• Significant experience in a similar Estates Planning. Management role within a large, complex organisation and expert knowledge in estate planning and space utilisation.
• Experience in gathering and analysing space management data and pro-actively recommending driving improvements in space utilisation in an organisation.
• Evidence of successfully identifying cost savings through efficient space utilisation.
• Proven project management skills.
• Accomplished user of Revit/AutoCAD.
• Excellent IT skills - particularly Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, databases, etc.

Desirable

• Space management experience within a University environment.
• Knowledge of BIM and experience with Common Data Environments (CDE).
• Membership of relevant professional body.
• PRINCE 2 or similar project management qualification.

Planning & organising

• Relevant estates and space planning project management experience.
• Able to constantly reappraise, reprioritise and balance a full and diverse workload.

Problem solving & initiative

• Able to think creatively and use initiative to find solutions to complex problems.
• Able to apply originality in modifying existing approaches to solve problems.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Management & teamwork

• Able to proactively work with internal colleagues and external business partners to achieve successful outcomes. Ability to adapt style in response to different needs.
• Experience of working proactively through others to design effective solutions and provide expert people advice to customers.
• Able to manage own time effectively.

Communicating & influencing

• Able to provide authoritative, specialist advice and solutions in space planning and space utilisation and able to communicate complex ideas coherently through a variety of media to large and occasionally challenging audiences and individuals.
• Able to persuade and influence in order to foster and maintain relationships. Has the ability and confidence to challenge appropriately.

Equalities & Diversity

• Awareness of The Equalities Act and related legislation.

Health & Safety

• Understanding and appreciation of relevant Health & Safety issues.

Estates Values

• Collaborative
• Respectful
• Inclusive
• Sustainable
• Professional

Informal enquiries can be made to Richard Draper - R.Draper@bham.ac.uk

We value diversity at The University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community

Valuing excellence; sustaining investment