Housing Association Repairs Assistant Contract Manager (Contract)

Our client is an established not-for-profit organization that specialize in providing homes for local communities. Due to expansion, they are now actively seeking to hire an Assistant Repairs Contract Manager on a temporary basis (4 – 6 months) Your main responsibility will be supporting the Repairs Manager in day-to-day contract management and administration of both responsive repair and empty homes service delivery. This include coordinating resources and assisting in case management and reporting of progress on areas such as legal disrepair, insurance works and damp mould and condensation as well as tracking complaints issued to the pod. You will be working closely with tenants, contractors, and staff to achieve this. Responsibilities: * Assist the operational technical teams in the delivery of multiple planned and responsive repairs programs and minor scale construction related projects through effective contract management processes. * Work closely with contractors and suppliers to develop relationships plus develop and maintain a range of contract management processes particularly within an empty homes and responsive repairs setting. * Assist the Repairs Manager in producing monthly repair and empty homes cash flow forecasts and expenditure reports to ensure delivery against approved budgets. * Work closely with the Repairs Manager to regularly and accurately monitor and review repair and empty home performance. * Accurately assess operational performance and suggest practical and achievable strategies to overcome challenges encountered. * Deal with utility companies to ensure supplies are ready for new customers, ensuring meter changes etc are conducted in a timely manner on empty homes works. * Plan and organise various work to ensure effective and efficient outcomes * Be a point of contact and liaison for contractors and consultants. * Ensure commitment of the organisation’s vision, mission and values influence every aspect of the business. * Monitor customer complaints directed to the Property pod establishing trends and helping to implement lessons learnt. * Have a great approach to customer service putting our customers at the heart of what you do * Participating in an out of hours rota system (usually one week in every nine) to provide ad hoc evening and weekend telephone support for contractors and tenants when emergency situations arise. This may also require occasional on-site attendance of emergency works e.g., major fires, floods etc. acting as our representative onsite. * Leading on the day-to-day contract administration, internal resourcing arrangements and coordination of empty home delivery. * Reporting on performance across a range of works on a regular basis to senior managers and other interested stakeholders. * Proactively reporting on legal disrepair, insurance works and damp, mould, and condensation case progress. * Assisting in the day-to-day running of various contracts but with a keen focus on the repairs and empty homes contract and contractor management aspects. * Supporting and assisting in contract procurement following official procurement processes to ensure best value outcomes plus tale the lead on small scale procurements for minor works as required. * Assisting in the design and preparation of specifications for tender within the repairs and empty homes functions * Assisting in reconciling, settling valuations, and reviewing responsive repair and empty homes invoices. * Assisting in contractual disputes and extensions of time. * Providing general contract support as required across the Property pod. Previous Experience * Experience of working with responsive repair and empty homes refurbishment teams and assisted in the management of repair and empty homes contracts and other property related works preferably in the social housing sector. * Great planning, coordination, negotiating and dispute resolution, strong verbal and written communication skills. * Good understanding of best practice within social housing and experience of the basic principles of effective contract management in a repairs and empty homes environment. * IT literate, proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint Qualifications * You must possess a valid SMSTS (Site Management Safety Training Scheme) certification or equivalent. If you do not, you must be willing to work towards one after a successful probation period. * Be skilled at building effective and productive working relationships with staff, managers, partners, tenants, and leaseholders. Confident and an independent problem solver. * Have a high degree of personal drive, be flexible and open to change, a team player with good self-awareness and have a service improvement attitude. * Be able to translate ideas and examples of good practice into improved service delivery