Compliance Manager (Interim) in London

Job Purpose: The Principal Compliance Officer will manage and assure the statutory compliance of building services for the local authority's managed estate. The role is key in ensuring that all buildings and facilities are compliant with relevant regulations, including health and safety, fire safety, gas safety and electrical safety. The post holder will provide technical advice on the statutory compliance of buildings, ensure robust governance and risk management arrangements are in place and act as Principal for building services compliance, including gas, electrical, fire, water hygiene, lifts and any other regulated services and systems as applicable. The post holder will assist in managing contracts, coordinating external service providers, and supervising a team of compliance officers and contractors. The officer will work closely with the Property Services team, other local authority teams, contractors, and external partners to maintain high standards of safety, compliance, risk management and financial accountability.

Key accountabilities:

• Act as Principal in the development, implementation, and review of compliance policies and procedures to meet health and safety standards, building regulations, and other statutory requirements.
• Ensure that regular audits and inspections of building services are carried out, and non-compliance issues are identified, reported, and rectified.
• Monitor and track compliance across various systems (e.g., gas, electrical, fire, lifts and any other regulated building services or statutory requirements) ensuring that all records are accurate, up to date, and in line with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Act as Responsible Person (as delegated) for relevant statutory areas (e.g., gas safety, electrical safety, water hygiene, fire systems, lifts, asbestos, legionella).
• Support the Compliance and Maintenance Manager in ensuring that the local authority's buildings and facilities comply with all statutory and regulatory requirements.

Contract Management:

• Assist in the management of contracts with external service providers, including contractors responsible for maintenance, inspections, and repairs.
• Monitor and review the performance of contractors to ensure the timely delivery of services in line with contract terms and compliance standards.
• Liaise with contractors and other external parties to resolve any compliance-related issues or concerns.
• Ensure that contracts are managed within budget, with appropriate monitoring of expenditure, and that Value for Money (VFM) is consistently achieved.

Line Management:

• Supervise and support a team of compliance officers, providing guidance, training and support in compliance matters.
• Delegate tasks and responsibilities to team members, ensuring workloads are managed effectively and deadlines are met.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, set development goals, and monitor progress to ensure continuous professional development and effective team performance.
• Promote a positive and proactive work environment, ensuring high levels of team morale and efficiency.

Reporting and Documentation:

• Act as Principal in the preparation of compliance reports for senior management, ensuring all relevant data and information is presented clearly and accurately.
• Manage, lead and support the Compliance officers in maintaining comprehensive records of compliance activities, inspections, and contractor performance, ensuring all documentation is up to date and stored securely.
• Help prepare and present reports for regulatory bodies, auditors, and internal or external stakeholders as required.
• Support the monitoring of the services financial process for contract SLA and KPI compliance.
• Provide exception reporting for non-compliance.
• Report to the corporate risk register where relevant risks are found.

Risk Management & Assurance Responsibilities:

• Manage building services compliance risk management ensuring that statutory, operational, financial, and reputational risks are proactively identified, assessed, and controlled.
• Develop, maintain, and oversee a comprehensive compliance risk framework covering all regulated building services, including (but not limited to) gas, electrical, fire safety, water hygiene, lifts, asbestos, and pressure systems.
• Ensure that risk assessments, compliance registers and asset-level risk data are accurate, current, and aligned with corporate risk management arrangements.
• Ensure that robust controls, assurance mechanisms, and contingency plans are in place to manage compliance failures, service disruptions, or enforcement action.
• Oversee the investigation of significant compliance incidents, near misses, and audit findings ensuring that root causes are identified, lessons learned, and corrective actions implemented.
• Monitor trends, emerging risks, and changes in legislation or best practice.
• Provide clear, evidence-based risk and assurance reporting to senior management, boards, and other stakeholders, including exception reporting where required.

Change and Improvement:

• To be part of the team in such a way that brings about positive change and improvement.
• Assist in the development and implementation of policy, systems, processes, performance criteria governance frameworks and procedures within area of responsibility to meet strategic / operational requirements, internal and external reporting requirements and ensure compliance with external legislation and regulations.

Financial Responsibilities:

• Support in oversight of compliance contracts.
• Assist and support budget management of Managed Estate.
• Ensure Value for money and financial procedures are adhered to.
• Manage compliance officers and support Building Services team during audits with readiness of documentation.

Health and Safety Responsibilities:

• As a manager of the London Borough of Barnet, you are required to:
• Abide by of Barnet's health and safety policy, associated arrangements for managing, and implement the manager's responsibilities set out therein.
• Complete mandatory health and safety training.
• Ensure risk assessments are in place for all tasks/activities where there are significant hazards, including stressors that could have an adverse effect on staff wellbeing. Identify and implement controls. Ensure staff are aware of the risk assessment findings and trained in the use of controls measures.
• Monitor health and safety compliance arrangements and take action where there are concerns.
• Include health and safety in regular management team meetings.
• Lead by example, monitor and enforce health and safety compliance of staff.

Promotion of Corporate Values:

• To ensure that customer care is maintained to the agreed standards according to the council's values. To ensure that a high level of confidentiality is maintained in all aspects of work.

Our values:

• Caring / Learning to Improve / Inclusive / Collaboration.

Flexibility:

• In order to deliver the service effectively, a degree of flexibility is needed and the post holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. Such duties, however, will fall within the scope of the post, at the appropriate grade.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Essential:

• Professional Membership/Qualification: Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent professional experience. Relevant compliance, technical or regulatory qualification (e.g. IOSH Managing Safely, NEBOSH General Certificate, or equivalent professional experience).
• Experience & Knowledge: To have a sound knowledge of building construction and building services and the statutory requirements. Such as, Health & Safety at Work etc. Act, Workplace Regulations, Construction (Design & Management) Regulations, Fire Safety Regulations, Control of Asbestos Regulations, Building Regulations, Disability Discrimination Act and Control of Legionella in the Workplace.
• Knowledge of and practical experience delivering repairs and maintenance for commercial and public premises. Proven experience of negotiating with premises occupiers and contractors to identify operational problems and issues.
• Competency to raise issues, taking ownership of problems and actively seek a solution. Background in property related environment. An awareness of the local government environment.
• Experience with finance systems such as Oracle (or similar) and Asset Management software such as Concerto (or equivalent).
• Minimum 5 years experience across compliance or maintenance, management, and repair of corporate, school and community assets within a Managed Estate.
• Strong ability to interpret statutory and regulatory requirements and apply them to Building Services operations. Skilled in analysing compliance data, identifying trends, gaps, and risks.
• Ability to conduct audits, inspections, and performance reviews with accuracy and consistency. Competent in assessing contractor performance and verifying evidence against compliance standards.
• Ability to understand and work with technical reports (e.g., fire, electrical, water hygiene). Able to coordinate statutory inspections, testing schedules, and contractor visits.
• Strong numerical skills with the ability to manage budget monitoring, cost tracking, and variance reporting. Skilled in writing clear compliance reports, dashboards, and audit documentation.