We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.

What’s in it for you? Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Newcastle is an inclusive global University community where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

Newcastle University is committed to being a fully inclusive Global University which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from everybody, regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital status/civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, as well as being open to flexible working practices.

Salary: £32,348 to £34,308 with progression to £42,155 per annum

Closing Date: 17 February 2023

The Role

Based within the Estates & Facilities Team we have an exciting opportunity for a Project Surveyor / Project Engineer to join our Capital Team; an in-house service providing the implement and management of capital development to faculties and services within the University.

Working as part of a team of in house Project Managers, you will be responsible for overseeing the supervision of the University's major capital as well as occasional Long Term Maintenance and Improvement projects within the service. You will have a proven track record of supervising complex building projects (both new build and refurbishments) and stakeholders. The value of projects will be of a range of values up to multi-millions often running simultaneously.

You will have the experience and ability to manage conflicting priorities within a demanding workload and to influence programmes of works at high level based around sound knowledge of construction technology and management. Experience or an understanding of sustainable construction methods and technologies would also be beneficial as Newcastle University look to reach Net Zero Carbon by 2030.

You will hold or be working towards an appropriate professional qualification such as Institute of Clerk of Works or similar HNC/HND and/or trade background is pre-requisite as is current knowledge of building techniques, relevant European and British Standards and Codes of Practice, Building Regulations and extensive Health and Safety legislation. Construction Safety Certification Scheme (CSCS) – completion of CSCS qualification will be funded for the successful candidate if not held.

You should have up to date knowledge of statutory requirements, legislation & contract law relating to design and construction projects including procurement, Health & Safety and in particular the Construction Design and Management Regulations.

You must have good IT skills with an understanding of CAD / BIM, NBS and other computer design tools as well as Office applications and excellent written and verbal communication skills.

In return we offer a great range of benefits for our staff including; competitive salary, 30 days holiday per annum plus 8 bank holidays and 4 University discretionary closure days, membership to the University pension scheme, NCL Rewards and flexible working arrangements.

For informal enquiries, contact James Adshead, Capital Manager. Telephone 0191 208 8606, email: james.adshead@ncl.ac.uk

Key Accountabilities

• Represent the University as the first point of contact on project construction sites, carrying out regular site visits/inspections, identifying design or work discrepancies and recording/reporting progress against the contractor’s programme of works

• Work in conjunction with the Senior Project Manager / Project Managers and design teams to ensure that the design process conforms with University documentation, best practice and recognised standards and workmanship. In addition to identifying any potential future issues as a result of the design

• Liaise with E&F teams during the design phase to ensure that operational considerations and constraints are reflected in project designs

• Attend liaison and progress meetings with University departments, design team and building contractors to provide technical input, site knowledge and experience. Disseminating information to stakeholders to keep them up to date with the project and issue of works notifications

• Facilitate contractors access, out of hours working, restricted area access arrangements.  Negotiate with external agencies and University neighbours where works will affect them

• Prioritise personal daily workload in relation to overseeing various projects running concurrently at different stages and assist other members of Project Surveyors/Project Engineers team when the workload dictates.  Assume certain Senior Project Manager / Project Manager responsibilities, including budget control when requested.  Liaise with PEPS Team leader / Capital Manager to agree resource allocation for all projects

• Carry out the inspection of site workmanship, materials, and products to ensure the requirements of the design and quality are met. In addition to contributing to the development of practical cost-effective solutions to resolve any site-based issues

• Produce condition survey reports to ensure an accurate record of existing building conditions is on file prior to works commencing and sign off all making good at completion

• Inspect and record defects and produce reports prior to handover of works, including user raised issues and ensure contractor satisfactorily completes the work.  Carry out end of defect period inspections ensuring all user concerns have been addressed and remedial works complete by the contractor(s)

• Co-ordinate health and safety matters with Senior Project Manager / Project Manager, CDM / Soft Landings Manager and Contractor. Arrange site visits and inductions, review pre-construction information and construction phase plans including risk assessments / method statements for the tasks underway. Monitor and report on health and safety matters on a regular basis

• Ensure current Health and Safety Legislation and Estates & Facilities policies and procedures are observed and followed. Issue permits to work in line with Estates & Facilities requirements

• Produce technical and weekly progress reports to the design team to enable accurate records to be maintained in the event of a contractual claim

• Interface with estates operations and maintenance departments for system shutdowns/isolations and access during construction phases and ensure a smooth handover of new or refurbished buildings at project completion

• Working alongside the CDM / Soft Landings Manger witness and confirm testing and commissioning of installations in line with specification, University and legislation standards. Due to the nature of these tasks, work out of hours when required. Organise and ensure relevant persons are trained by the contractor and the soft landings process is followed through. This could be up to 3 years after handover

• Undertake other duties as and when required by the Capital Manager and their deputy / Project Engineer / Project Surveyor team leader

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Proven supervisory experience within the construction/engineering industry, supervising contractors, ensuring compliance with design brief and contractual obligations, preferably in the public sector
• Experience of management of construction projects individually or as part of a team
• Experience of working with multidisciplinary teams in the promotion of best practice to ensure compliance with policies and procedures
• Solid understanding and experience of construction methods and technologies
• Up to date knowledge of statutory requirements, legislation & contract law relating to building projects including Health & Safety
• Collaborative worker who builds on relationships with clients, colleagues, consultants, and contractors with excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills
• Good IT skills with working knowledge of software packages such as Microsoft Office including excel, word, outlook, project, teams etc. and be proficient in the reading of drawings.
• Can demonstrate an ability to think flexibly, have sound judgement, use initiative, be proactive and adopt an active approach to problem solving
• Comfortable working alongside senior colleagues to shape the project direction and programme including the negotiation skills and the ability to influence others
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities within a demanding workload
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Organisational skills
• Accurate recording of information and attention to detail
• Working knowledge of construction contracts and project management tools
• Ability to working on own initiative and as part of a team.

Qualifications

• A professional qualification such as Institute of Clerk of Works or similar HNC/HND and/or trade background is pre-requisite as is current knowledge of building techniques, relevant European and British Standards and Codes of Practice, Building Regulations and extensive Health and Safety legislation
• Construction Safety Certification Scheme (CSCS) – completion of CSCS qualification will be funded for the successful candidate if not held

The University holds a silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. The University is also a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 24993