Head of Fire & Building Safety

A successful university campus is about so much more than buildings. It’s about the environment, the atmosphere, the people – creating that sense of home that will help students feel safe, secure, and help them thrive. UPP operates sites across England and Wales including at Lancaster, Leeds, Hull, Nottingham, York, Loughborough, Reading, Oxford, London, Swansea, Plymouth and Exeter. The UPP portfolio has a diverse mix of stock comprising of over 600 blocks, from older blocks to those that we are building today, with 22 meeting the high-rise building requirements.

In this pivotal role, you will act as the subject matter expert and primary liaison with regulatory bodies, ensuring compliance and excellence across all fire and building safety standards across the portfolio. You will lead the implementation of UPP’s fire and building safety programme, driving best practice and delivering outstanding services measured against key performance benchmarks.

The Fire and Building Safety Team that you will head up delivers Fire Risk Assessments across the portfolio, the implementation and ongoing management of the Building Safety Case Reports for all higher risk buildings and multiple additional workstreams to ensure continued compliance with the applicable legislative and regulatory requirements whilst providing direction and assurance to the wider organisation and its partners.

You will operate nationally to design and deliver the fire and building safety strategic business plan through effective management of technical and critical compliance priorities, with routine activities. Preserving the value of our business by expanding and delivering on ambitious technical performance expectations, building strong relationships with external fire safety partnerships, services, including Primary Authority Partnership, Local Fire and Rescue Authorities and University Fire Officers.

Ensuring relevant remediation works undertaken by both internal and external resources are appropriately evaluated, meet the statutory and regulatory compliance standards and legal responsibilities of the business. Setting and assessing against key competence requirements for in-house resources whilst supporting colleagues, both technical and non-technical on fire and building safety related matters.

This role is based in our award‑winning London head office near Cannon Street and London Bridge stations and will require regular site visits nationally 2‑3 days a week. We are looking for you to already be working in a similar role and environment with a CIOB Level 6 Diploma in Building Safety Management, along with having:

• Demonstrable knowledge, understanding and experience of managing and implementing fire and building policies and standards
• Understanding of current fire and building safety legislation and associated impact in an asset and operational context
• Ability in building competency and flexibility in the team to meet competing business/customer demands and experience of managing and working with technical teams and acting when required to resolve unsatisfactory work
• Worked for a consultancy, higher education or an accommodation provider with a significant portfolio of high‑rise buildings/blocks
• Experience of applying relevant British Standards and liaising with Regulators and enforcing bodies
• Able to work from drawings and written specifications with knowledge of developer and supply chain designs to meet relevant standards such as BS 9999:2017, and the building regulations, identifying/reporting any deficiencies
• Experience of updating and maintaining detailed information systems ensuring that data is logged accurately and consistently
• A full clean driving licence

Alongside this you will be computer literate with a good understanding of modern office software with the ability to create concise reports on building safety issues and present these to senior colleagues, plus have a proactive approach to staying informed by engaging with technical literature. You will also be naturally inquisitive, have strong communication skills with ability to translate big ideas and visions into viable implementation and change programmes.

In return, we are offering a competitive salary with a great benefits package which includes a discretionary performance bonus, private healthcare, pension, life assurance, training, two paid volunteering or personal development days, cycle to work scheme and 29 days holiday plus bank holidays: as well as discounts from a variety of top retailers, restaurants gyms and more.

UPP welcomes all applications and recognises the value of having a diverse and inclusive culture, which reflects the communities we work with and has a positive impact on our people, our student residents, and our university partners. We understand all disabilities, impairments and conditions are unique, so please advise us of any adjustments which would support you through our recruitment process and help you to thrive at work. Our core values of Innovation, Sustainability, Community, Partnership and Respect, are fundamental to our culture and summarise what is important to our business and our people. We are a team with energy, pace and passion; if that sounds like you, apply today.