Commercial Portfolio Manager (12-month fixed-term contract)

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About the role:

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Commercial Portfolio Manager (CPM) with a proven track record and demonstrable experience of all aspects of property management and often complicated mixed-use commercial assets to manage their own portfolio of tenancies and properties.

The Estate is divided into four strategic portfolios with one Portfolio Manager responsible for commercial property management for each portfolio.

HdWE's predominant 'in-house' model requires effective interaction with all departments including Asset Management, Facilities Management, Residential, Projects & Planning, Legal, Finance and Investment.

This role is a 12-month fixed-term contract position, to release one of our CPM's into a business-wide transformation project. The incumbent Portfolio Manager will act as a key contact point to the postholder during the contract period; providing induction support, introductions to key stakeholders and sites and acting as point of reference for ad-hoc queries alongside their project role. During this period, the CPM involved with the transformation project will provide support and advice on the tenants, property and portfolio. This will be done on at least a weekly basis.

Responsibilities:

• All aspects of property & tenancy management including chairing tenants' meetings and direct liaison.
• Deal with all formal tenants' legal and works applications (Licences to Assign, Sublet and Alter): interpret legal documents; respond to leasehold property enquires; obtain appropriate references; analyse financial accounts to assess covenant strength; liaise with solicitors; and manage to completion.
• Assist in the sale or acquisition of properties, including the CPSEs.
• Contribute to execute HdWE's strategic plan at property, portfolio or sector levels, working closely with the Asset Manager for the Portfolio.
• Manage and assist credit control for all arrears by liaising with HdWE Credit Control team, tenants and solicitors to ensure prompt recovery.
• Property inspections to identify repairs, maintenance & improvements. Instruct contractors or colleagues on technical matters but ultimately take responsibility.
• Work in collaboration with the FM team to deliver on wider portfolio strategic objectives around matters such as fire door compliance and the preparation of the 10-year PPM reports, both of which are being spearheaded by external third parties with considerable reliance on integration with our own systems and processes.
• Check and approve invoices aligned with budgeted service charge expenditure, with appropriate understanding and experience with expenditure coding.
• Instruct legal and finance teams to document transactions and update data records.
• Handle and resolve complaints.
• Agree planned maintenance works for directly managed properties with Building Surveying, Project Management, FM and Asset Management colleagues.
• Deal with all aspects of service charges pursuant to RICS Practice Standards for Service Charges in commercial property. Devise and set service charge budgets, calculate percentage contributions and caps and ensure correct recovery of costs including PPM works.
• Manage the reconciliation in line with the RICS Practice Standards.
• Ongoing Quarterly Variance Reporting to manage the costs running against the S/C budget and dealing with any issues discovered.
• Licensing and consent letters for medical practitioners.
• Assist in business rates appeals and applications in coordination with our service provider who specialises in this field.

Qualifications/Experience/Skills:

• RICS qualified General Practice Surveyor with minimum five years' post qualification experience.
• Good understanding of the RICS Professional Statement for Commercial Service Charge.
• Ability to negotiate lease terms, and undertake rental, leasehold and freehold valuations.
• Ideally, but not essential, rent reviews and lease renewals experience to include: analysing leases; providing market evidence and understanding property measurements and valuations; serving notices; and, negotiating terms with tenants and surveyors.
• Background knowledge of building construction and diagnosis of a range of property defects.
• Excellent understanding of ESG credentials.
• A commercial approach with excellent negotiation skills.

What we offer you:

• 25 days holiday per year, plus statutory holidays and 3 discretionary days to cover the Christmas office closure.
• Private medical insurance with Bupa.
• Defined contribution pension scheme with 12.5% employer contributions.
• Life assurance at 7x salary.
• Group income protection scheme.
• Interest free season ticket loan.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and wellbeing app "Help@hand".
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Onsite gym with 7 weekly classes and 2 Wattbikes.
• Regular staff socials and an annual company away day.
• Free fruit and breakfast cereals.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and shared parental leave policies (12-month qualifying period).
• Hybrid working arrangements -minimum of 155 days in the office per year with minimum of 2 days (not fixed) per week in the office.