Building Surveying Manager in Sunderland

We’re a values-driven, charitable organisation on a mission to make a real difference in Sunderland. Every day, we provide more than 60,000 people with a place they’re proud to call home. Our vision is clear: everyone deserves a good-quality home they can afford. We invest millions of pounds each year to keep our homes safe and decent, while also playing a part in tackling the UK housing crisis by building hundreds of modern, energy-efficient homes for rent right here in Sunderland.

If you share our passion for creating thriving communities and want to be part of something that truly matters, we’d love for you to join us and help achieve our vision.

Salary: £59,419.00

Location: Doxford Park, Sunderland – moving to Eastgate Point, Hendon, later this year.

We’re excited to offer a new opportunity for a Building Surveying Manager to join our Asset and Sustainability team at Gentoo. In this key leadership role, you’ll inspire and lead a multidisciplinary team of Building Surveyors, an Assistant Building Surveyor, a Building Surveying Apprentice and a Mechanical and Electrical Contracts Lead, playing a vital role in shaping the quality and safety of our homes.

You’ll oversee the delivery of surveying, planning and design services across our property directorate, acting as the client representative to ensure works are compliant, high-quality and deliver real value for money. Working closely with Health & Safety colleagues, you’ll help maintain the golden thread of information under the Building Safety Act, while partnering with Commercial and Procurement teams to ensure projects are delivered within budget and to a consistently high standard.

We recognise the importance of a positive work-life balance—our hybrid working model offers the flexibility of both office and home-based work. To support collaboration and innovation, you’ll be required to work from the office for part of the working week and be flexible to attend on-site meetings as needed.

We support a great work-life balance with our standard 36-hour working week, Monday to Friday. Plus, enjoy an early finish at 12:30 pm every Friday—giving you more time for the things that matter to you. We are also proud to be certified as a “Great Place to Work”.

A full UK driving licence and a basic DBS check (arranged and funded by Gentoo) are required for this position.

What you will be doing:

• Lead and develop the Building Surveying team, providing clear direction and technical leadership to deliver specialist surveys, defect diagnostics, mechanical and electrical investigations, remedial works and projects.
• Take ownership of individual and team budgets, working closely with the Commercial Team to ensure accurate invoicing, robust accruals and clear financial reporting.
• Act as Project Lead and Client Representative under CDM 2015, managing Principal Designers and ensuring all pre-construction information is prepared on time and statutory obligations are fully met, including planning, Building Regulations, health and safety legislation and the Building Safety Act.
• Ensure high-quality pre-contract documentation is produced, including specifications, drawings and schedules of work, enabling accurate costing and effective delivery.
• Manage procurement and Service Provider relationships, working in partnership with Asset Services and Procurement teams to develop tender documentation, support contract award and oversee compliant delivery on site against KPIs, milestones and agreed timescales.
• Review proposals, specifications and working practices to ensure buildings are safely maintained, with fire safety, structural integrity, fire stopping and compartmentation maintained to required standards.
• Lead the delivery of Fire Risk Assessment remedial actions within agreed timescales, ensuring appropriate evidence is recorded, and compliance requirements are met.
• Work collaboratively with building safety and asset data compliance teams to maintain the golden thread of information for buildings in scope of the Building Safety Act.
• Collaborate with Asset Management and wider Property teams to deliver a customer-focused service, supporting clear customer communications, managing expectations and responding to complaints.
• Support the ongoing development of Gentoo’s property investment specifications, working closely with building safety, asset compliance and repairs and maintenance teams.

What you will bring:

• A full UK driver’s licence.
• A recognised professional qualification in a property-related discipline (minimum HND), with a clear commitment to ongoing CPD.
• Strong working knowledge of building safety and compliance, including the Building Safety Act, fire safety, structural remedial works, CDM 2015 responsibilities, building standards, planning regulations and leasehold legislation, particularly within mid- and high-rise buildings.
• A broad technical understanding of building construction, refurbishment and repairs across domestic housing, including older properties, supported by experience in construction pathology and the interpretation of technical reports and complex data.
• Proven experience delivering housing investment and compliance programmes, including pre-construction activity, health and safety information, fire risk assessments, asbestos management, and acting as a client contract lead through to successful delivery.
• Experience in preparing and managing planning and building control applications within a regulated environment.
• Strong commercial awareness, with experience managing budgets, demonstrating value for money, controlling variations and assuring quality across live and completed works.
• Confident use of building surveying equipment, including damp meters, hygrometers, thermal imaging cameras and laser measurers, with the ability to interpret findings accurately.
• Proven experience leading and developing multidisciplinary teams, with a collaborative leadership style and the ability to motivate others in a complex organisation.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders, engage customers and build strong internal and external relationships.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, site activity and budgets in a fast-paced environment.
• Competent IT skills, including Microsoft Office, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams and asset management systems.

It would be great if you also have, however not essential:

• A degree in Building Surveying or a closely related discipline, supported by membership of a recognised professional body such as RICS, CIOB or CABE, and a relevant building safety qualification (for example, FIRAS, NEBOSH or Building Control).
• Strong working knowledge of building safety and compliance, including the Building Safety Act 2022, passive fire protection systems, Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) requirements and associated regulations.
• Experience across traditional and non-traditional building pathology, with an understanding of structural, fire and safety risks within domestic and higher-risk buildings.
• Proven experience of mechanical and electrical systems within mid- and high-rise buildings, alongside a good working knowledge of domestic retrofit standards, including PAS 2030 and PAS 2035.
• Experience using AutoCAD or similar computer-aided design software, with working knowledge of asset management and compliance systems to support effective data management and reporting.

Some of our great benefits include:

• 31 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with an option to purchase up to 5 additional days per year.
• Early finish on Fridays.
• Flexible and hybrid working.
• Free Health Cash Plan, with cashback for dental, optical, physio, wellbeing therapies and more, with some free child cover.
• Access to private healthcare through the Health Cash Plan.
• Competitive Aviva pension scheme - Gentoo will contribute up to 10% based on your personal contribution.
• Salary sacrifice electric vehicle scheme.
• Enhanced family-friendly leave.
• Car mileage allowance if you use your personal vehicle for business purposes.
• Life assurance cover to the value of 3 times your annual salary.