Estates Surveyor

Starting salary £36,389 per annum plus a generous benefits package

Full time, part time, flexible working

Permanent vacancies based in Peterborough, Worthing, Reading, Exeter

The role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Environment Agency as an estates surveyor. Estates offers professional support in the management of the Environment Agency’s Estate, advising on valuation, compensation, acquisition and disposal of the estate.

Acting as a role model and technical advisor for the assistant surveyors, you’ll primarily deliver a caseload linked to flood defence construction projects. Whilst much is delivered in house, some projects may also require you to act as intelligent client managing delivery through suppliers on our framework contracts.

You’ll need a flexible approach to delivering land and estate management including land entry, acquisition and compensation, leases and disposals.

While working in multi-functional teams your professional surveying knowledge and expertise will ensure we’re protected organisationally from financial and reputational risks associated with estates matters. 

You’ll be part of an ambitious £5.2billion nationwide programme to deliver projects to better protect 336,000 households from flood risk by 2027. Add to this our NetZero by 2030 target, you’ll be joining us at a challenging time requiring an innovative and adaptive approach. 

The variety of projects and diversity of customers and clients make for an interesting and varied role, one which is ultimately about making a long lasting difference.

About you

As a surveyor in a professional estates service, you will be MRICS qualified, (Assoc RICS, MRICS or FRICS) typically from a commercial or rural pathway. You will also be able to demonstrate knowledge/experience in one or more of the following areas:

• An understanding and application of planning, property and compensation legislation and compulsory purchase procedures.
• Provide advice on land and compensation matters to minimise project risk and compensation liabilities.  Negotiating access to land, securing appropriate interests and settling compensation claims.
• Manage a diverse land and property portfolio including property management, valuation and landlord and tenant issues to ensure sustainable land use.
• Knowledge of current legislation and best practice to enable you to provide specialist advice as part of integrated teams. 
• Confident communicator, able to engage professionally, efficiently and effectively with both internal and external customers through good networking skills.
• Exceptional negotiation and dispute resolution skills.

A full and valid driving licence is essential.

About us

We operate at the place where environmental change has its greatest impact on people’s lives. We reduce the risks to people and properties from flooding; make sure there is enough water for people and wildlife; protect and improve air, land and water quality and apply the environmental standards within which industry can operate. From regulating major industry to improving water quality, from reducing pollution incidents to the regulation of waste management activities, it’s our job to create a better place for people and wildlife.

Estates is a 125 strong service providing national coverage and offering great opportunities to share best practice and specialist knowledge by offering our professional support for Environment Agency land, property, compensation and valuation matters. We are core to the delivery of the Agency's £5.2 billion capital programme to better protect 336,000 homes, and we also manage the Environment Agency's landholdings, extending to over 26,000 hectares.

We are committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from candidates seeking flexible working patterns, including job share. Please highlight any information regarding preferred flexible working arrangements on your application.

The rewards      

As well as the opportunity to make a real difference to the environment, you can look forward to a competitive package with a range of benefits, these include:

• A generous career average pension scheme (19% contributions from us);
• Holiday allowance related to grade and length of service, rising from 27 days to 30 days per year, plus 8 statutory public and bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time employees);
• Generous enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave schemes;
• A range of flexible working options, including flexi-time. These depend on business needs, but our aim is to help you achieve a positive work-life balance.

You will be supported to develop yourself both personally and professionally. You will also hold dear your technical leadership responsibilities and see genuine value in supporting and developing others in the team and beyond through proactively sharing your technical advice and experience.

Additional info

The competencies we will assess are ‘Manages Self’, ‘Focus on Customers and partners’, ‘Effective communication’ and ‘Builds and sustains relationships’.  You can learn more about these competencies in our capability dictionary: https://tinyurl.com/ycu4cjrg

Regular travel including site visits to some remote locations will be required. You will be provided with a vehicle to carry out this work if required.

Applications to offices local to the main locations listed above will be considered.

For more information about this role, the Estates team and the Environment Agency you can download the candidate information pack. If you have any further enquiries about this role please email RecruitmentEstates@environment-agency.gov.uk

We expect to be holding interviews in August.

Diversity: it’s in our nature