Senior Quantity Surveyor - Plymouth in Millbrook

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Quantity Surveyor to join our team within Vistry Cornwall South West, at our Wadebridge site in Plymouth. As our Senior Quantity Surveyor, you will work within our wider Commercial, Estimating and Buying team, responsible for supervising, managing and advising on the financial and contractual aspects of multiple construction projects. You will take responsibility for the execution of the Quantity Surveying function on allocated contracts, fulfilling the requirements of the Company in maximising quality of service and profitability.

You will provide a range of cost control and financial reporting duties across all aspects of construction work undertaken by the company. We value in-person collaboration and team culture, but we are also committed to supporting flexible working where possible. We encourage you to raise any specific requirements during the interview process so we can explore how this could be accommodated.

What's in it for you:

• Competitive basic salary and annual bonus
• Company car, car allowance or travel allowance
• Salary sacrifice car scheme available to all employees
• Up to 39 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• 2 Volunteering days per annum
• Private medical insurance, with employee paid cover
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Competitive pension scheme through salary sacrifice
• Life assurance at 4 x your annual salary
• Share save and share incentive schemes
• Christmas company shutdown
• Employee rewards portal with many more benefits

In return, what we would like from you:

• Behave in line with our company values: Integrity, Caring and Quality
• HNC / HND in Surveying or equivalent
• Proven experience as a PQS / SQS / Commercial lead working within a residential house builder (dependent on position level)
• A good understanding of building regulations and legal obligations
• A good knowledge of construction methods and materials
• Strong mathematical and IT ability
• Ability to assess and analyse information
• Good business sense
• Good understanding of budget management
• Negotiating and networking skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Able to work under pressure, and accept criticism of work
• Good team working skills
• Accurate with an eye for detail
• A methodical approach
• Willing to work extra to meet deadlines as and when the business needs require it

Desirable:

• Degree in Surveying or similar
• Working towards being a Member of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), or Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

More about the Senior Quantity Surveyor role:

• Lead, support and coach your direct reports and the wider team to support their growth and development
• Be active in the recruitment of new starters to the team and throughout the employee life cycle, including holding development reviews and succession planning exercises
• Work closely with other departments, including Land, Development and Construction, attending design meetings to advise on all areas that may have a cost implication
• Recognise and advise Site Managers on delays, extensions of time and loss and/or expense, ensuring relevant notices are issued
• Attend development meetings when appropriate, contract pre-start and subcontract package review meetings
• Upon receipt of Contract Documentation, check all contract drawings to identify errors, omissions, anomalies and areas where unnecessary cost may arise
• Receive initial tender information and assist in the preparation of the proposed tender lists and updating of subsequent procurement programmes
• Distribute design information packages and tender drawings, whilst preparing all tender documentation and letters including carrying out preliminary checks on subcontractors
• Prepare construction cost analysis, which includes analysis of quotations resulting from the tender enquiry, requesting additional and outstanding information as required
• Assess site staffing levels and build programmes with the Construction Director to ascertain preliminary costs, including collating all cost information and preparing the start on site budget
• Arrange and adjudicate budget settlement meetings, with the support of the wider Commercial team
• Prepare stage payment schedules to assist in the financing of the works
• Carry out pre-order meetings including all necessary Health & Safety requirements, finalising a tender sum and agreeing a stage payment schedule for payment purposes before preparing all contract documentation and placing the order
• Place subcontractor orders, including interviews and checking references on selected subcontractors, negotiating the contract sum within the budget
• Issue variation orders and development changes alongside providing cost advice on major variations prior to issue
• Provide a full range of pricing information for purchasers extras
• Check all costs posted to each contract, collate and reconcile all costs resulting from subcontract works, variation orders, site instructions, material orders and preliminary/running costs
• Agree final accounts with subcontractors, ensuring all works have been carried out within budget and analysing costs to assist on future estimates
• Take responsibility for the preparation of documents for the basis of external valuation with the clients agent
• Keep the RAMS schedule updated and issued to all relevant parties
• Preparation of financial reports including Internal Valuations/CVRs and subcontract liability reports in accordance with schedule of accounting period end dates and deadlines
• Compile and present CV2 tender summary sign-off in accordance with parameters determined in the Commercial Best Practice Manual
• Coordinate the activities of the Material Buyer and Company Estimator to achieve CV1 and CV2 sign-off
• Obtain authorisation to let all sub-contract orders valued over thresholds as noted in Commercial Best Practice Manual
• Attend and minute all sub-contract order adjudication meetings
• Compile reports on contract letting vs. estimate for each site periodically, as required
• Liaise with build department on sub-contractors performance and compliance with order conditions
• Ability to deal with complex consortium sites and attend relevant meetings
• Complete sub-contract orders to accord with site programmed build requirements in accordance with Group Policy and Group Rebate schemes
• To liaise with company management and provide all necessary forecast and site budget information to meet the business's reporting requirements
• Control and report post contract cost movements per development every month
• Update CV1 and CV2 site specific reports and provide details of all unscheduled and scheduled order revisions
• Review professional fee provisions and statutory service cost, and credits, with the technical department
• Ensure invoices/applications for payments are processed in accordance with Vistry Group Standard Terms and Conditions of Contract
• Maintain a half yearly site reserve list
• Issue Payment Withhold Notices, where a contractor application, or part thereof, is in dispute in accordance with Construction Act
• Immediately advise management of notification of impending claim or legal action arising from a disputed claim or payment from a Sub-Contractor/service provider
• Diligently use the Vistry Group construction system to manage site project administration, including orders, variations, valuations, etc.
• Assist in the regular review of materials on-site and material valuations
• Agree and process all sales variation requests, including works to show homes, stock plots and sales incentive works in accordance with group procedures
• Settle all variation invoices/applications for payment in accordance with Vistry Group Standard Terms and Conditions of Contract
• Ensure the collection of retention against all sub-contract orders in accordance with Group Policy
• Manage and certify retention releases on completion of the development
• Complete and agree sub-contract final accounts within 6 months of the last legal completion on-site and prior to the first release of retention to the individual sub-contractors
• Maintain final account schedule
• Complete formal site closedown procedure in accordance with Group Policy
• Assist the Commercial Director / Manager to ensure correct financial controls of sites is maintained at all times
• Inform the management team of any abnormal cost or circumstances which will have a significant effect on cost or have long term cost implications
• Ensure Quantity Surveyors are pro-active on sites within their daily control, advising and discussing any operation or method where cost savings could be achieved
• Mentor, manage and develop assistant/junior surveyors and ensure the efficient running of the surveying team
• Ensure you keep up to date with legislation changes and attend training and technical training as and when required by the Company
• Any other reasonable duties as directed by your line manager to support the wider teams

We build more than homes, we're making Vistry. Being a responsible developer and award-winning employer means we live each day through our ethos - doing the right thing. Our behaviours reflect this, as well as our values of integrity, caring and quality. Shaping all we do; they empower us to develop sustainable communities across affordable and private housing. We work in a partnership-led way, and you'll recognise our renowned brands Bovis Homes, Linden Homes and Countryside Homes. Together with Vistry Works, our manufacturing operation, and the functional support of Vistry Services, we're a proud UK Green Building Council member, UK top five housebuilder with a five-star House Builders Federation (HBF) customer satisfaction rating, and winner of many awards including Top Employer, Global Top Inspiring Workplaces, and Best for Talent Attraction and Outreach. Join us in making Vistry.