Voids Contract Manager in Ipswich

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are looking for a Voids Contract Manager to join our Housing Repairs and Maintenance Team. Our Housing Directorate has been on an exciting journey of change in recent months, with a new operating model for Housing Repairs. This is your opportunity to help drive performance and shape the future of our Housing Repairs and Maintenance Team.

If you share our values and you are motivated to make a difference for our residents, clients, and communities, we would love to hear from you.

About the role

Reporting to the Head of Housing Repairs and Maintenance, you will be responsible for providing the delivery of a high-quality voids management service, ensuring our councils meet the top quartile national key performance indicators for voids performance. You will ensure all our void homes are maintained to a high standard and that our contractors deliver a consistent, high-quality service that drives great value for money.

The main purpose of this role is to provide leadership and direction within the voids service, which includes leading on the development and implementation of service strategies, managing contractor performance, and being responsible for all areas of performance and budgets within the service area.

You will:

• Lead and be responsible for delivering a high standard of complex void repairs across our property portfolio.
• Manage assigned contractors whilst maintaining effective budget management.
• Ensure works are carried out in accordance with the contract and legislation.
• Be responsible for making sure void contractors work to deliver our goals and targets.

You will work to develop strong and effective cross-functional working initiatives with both internal and external stakeholders and take the lead on developing service excellence within the management of voids.

About you

The ideal candidate will be educated to degree level or equivalent in Building Surveying or similar with a relevant professional qualification in surveying/maintenance or similar (e.g. CIOB or RICS) and a NEBOSH Certificate in Health and Safety. You must demonstrate continuous professional development.

In this key management role, we are looking for an individual with significant experience in contract management and driving operational excellence. You will need to demonstrate experience in effectively managing voids to a high standard of customer satisfaction, minimising void losses, and possess an up-to-date knowledge of housing legislation, regulation, policy and practice in relation to voids management.

You will have:

• Knowledge of current issues affecting local authority on empty properties and disrepair claims.
• Knowledge of construction and building maintenance.
• Knowledge of repairs and maintenance databases and management systems.
• Performance, contract and people management skills.
• Up-to-date knowledge of housing legislation, regulation, policy and practice in relation to responsive repairs.
• Experience in cost centre management and controlling budgets.
• Experience in project management and partnership working.
• The ability to effectively manage wide-ranging building works undertaken by different contractors and recognise the customer needs.
• The ability to collate and present data and monitor KPIs and other statistical records for senior managers.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail, as well as effective organisational skills.

A full valid driving licence is essential to carry out the duties of this role.

About us

At Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils, we are passionate about building communities that people want to live, work, visit and invest in. We serve around 200,000 residents across our two districts and are well known for our collaboration and partnership working across public, private and voluntary sectors.

We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work, with:

• 60 conservation areas
• Two National Landscapes
• Many picturesque market towns

It is no surprise we are ranked among the top 50 places to live in the UK.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous leave entitlement (26 days a year, rising to 31 days after 5 years).
• Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Wellbeing Support and Employee Assistance Programs.
• Private Health Care Options.
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (Business needs permitting).
• Great learning and development opportunities.

Our ways of working

We believe work is what we do, not just where we go. We work in a hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote-based working (Business need permitting). Our hybrid working arrangements support flexibility and collaboration, helping our teams to thrive.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, providing opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible services for our residents.

For more information

For an informal discussion, please contact Jane Branch, Head of Housing Repairs and Maintenance. Please read the Job Description and Person Specification before applying for this job opportunity.

If you believe you have what it takes to be a successful Voids Contract Manager, even if you don't meet all the requirements, please enquire. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your skills and experience.

Closing date: 5.00 pm, 11 March 2026.

How to apply

Please ensure your application form is fully completed, including employment and education history, and your supporting statement clearly addresses how you meet the criteria in the Person Specification.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.