Head of Asset Strategy & Delivery - Home Ownership

Job Title: Head of Asset Strategy & Delivery - Home Ownership

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £79,334.10 (£88,149 is achieved after 12 months successful performance in the role)

Working Hours: Full time 35 hours per week/ hybrid

Working Pattern: Monday to Friday

Location: Liverpool

If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the essential criteria on the job description.

The difference you will make as a Head of Asset Strategy & Delivery- Home Ownership

You will lead the Asset Strategy and Delivery function on behalf of Asset Services for Home Ownership, defining the strategic direction including contributing to the development of the Group’s Asset Management Strategy and annual review of the 30 -year business plan, ensuring business stream requirements are identified, met and continually reviewed. You will be responsible for a team to effectively deliver asset management services that are sustainable, represent best value and deliver promises made to customers, investment planning, asset data management, contract management and project management activity on behalf of the Group for a property portfolio of in excess of 55,000 properties. In addition, support options appraisals and performance management of repairs including the coordination of major repairs and / or incidents.

Why Riverside?

At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives.

We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.

Working with us, you’ll enjoy:

• Competitive pay & generous pension
• 28 days holidays plus bank holidays
• Flexible working options available
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside:

We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues.

This role also falls under our Ethnic Diversity guaranteed interview scheme. If you are Ethnically Diverse and demonstrate you meet the minimum criteria for the role you will be guaranteed an interview.

Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Role Profile

• Lead the Asset Strategy and Delivery function for a specific business stream, developing and implementing associated strategies, ensuring a clear vision, high level targets, business drivers, priorities, and associated risks are identified, implemented and continually reviewed.
• Collaborate with senior Asset colleagues and key stakeholders in developing Group strategies, including the Asset Management strategy and the 30 year business plan, identifying business stream specific requirements, ensuring alignment to operational plans and effective implementation and continual review.
• Support the Head of Rationalisation and Growth with the option appraisal process, ensuring the development and implementation of plans, acting as key stakeholder for the relevant business stream to ensure the effective acquisition and disposal of stock.
• Oversee the delivery of the stock rationalisation strategy for the relevant business stream, collaborating with key stakeholders including the Head of Rationalisation and Growth, ensuring effective stock evaluation and option appraisals, property disposals, open market property sales and stock transfer programmes are planned, implemented and evaluated effectively.
• Oversee Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts within the relevant business stream, ensuring effective contract management, budget management and the provision of technical support to local teams, to ensure the delivery of effective services on behalf of the Group.
• Undertake the role of Contract Manager for the Group’s wholly owned subsidiary to ensure the effective delivery of the programme of works required to deliver the Asset Management Strategy and 30 year business plan, ensuring services are monitored and reported on and a robust performance framework is developed and implemented, leading performance review meetings and dealing with underperformance as appropriate.
• Monitor and report on contracts, developing and implementing the appropriate performance framework for each contract, including service level agreements and key performance indicators, leading performance review meetings and dealing with under-performance including escalation of issues as appropriate.
• Ensure business stream input into the development of the performance framework, overseeing regional implementation including monitoring, reviewing and reporting on progress to key stakeholders on regional performance against the Asset Management Strategy and associated delivery plans.
• Manage the Asset Investment budget (currently in excess of £50m) ensuring effective financial planning and forecasting takes place to deliver the Asset Management Strategy and the 30 year plan, and robust controls are in place to monitor spend and produce financial reporting as required to range of senior stakeholders.
• Oversee the implementation of the framework for asset data integrity and quality including the effective collection and analysis of asset data, maintenance of the Group’s stock condition database and the production of reports.
• Ensure the effective planning, implementation and continual review of the contractual requirements of third-party maintenance, repairs and service charge contracts within your business stream in order to deliver the Asset Management Strategy and the Group’s overall strategic objectives.
• Oversee the development, implementation and review of the 5 year investment programme of works to underpin the Asset Management Strategy, including income maximising through the usage of available grants to support investment delivery.
• Ensure the effective planning, implementation and continual review of the contractual requirements of third- party maintenance, repairs and service charge contracts in order to deliver the Asset Management Strategy and the Group’s overall strategic objectives.
• Oversee the scoping, specifying, mobilisation and implementation of all new third-party contracts for the entire programme of works for the Group’s residential property portfolio, ensuring alignment to business and commercial requirements, ensuring escalation of contract and supplier management service level agreement issues and complaints including effective and timely resolution.
• Oversee the review of existing contracted services, driving innovation and seeking out efficiencies and cost reduction opportunities, including the identification, implementation and monitoring of service level agreements and improvement targets as appropriate.
• Oversee the planning and delivery of projects for energy solutions, repairs and aids and adaptations, ensuring effective project management of all works, robust post inspection surveys are carried out and quality and compliance standards and resident expectations are met.
• Ensure requests are considered for renewable energy solutions and aids and adaptations, ensuring key stakeholders are consulted and appropriate solutions are identified and implemented.
• Ensure robust funding applications are submitted for energy solutions and aids and adaptations ensuring financial support for the Group’s investment programmes and legal obligations are maximised and budgets impacted accordingly.

Person specification

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Proven track record of successfully developing and implementing an Asset Management Strategy for a large and diverse portfolio of mixed tenure properties.
• Experience of successfully managing a complex asset management function with responsibility for high value budgets preferably within social housing.
• In-depth knowledge of building regulations, energy management and energy legislation, disrepair legislation and aids and adaptations legislation.
• Strong understanding of the principles of data integrity and data quality.
• Knowledge and experience of implementing quality assessment frameworks and techniques.
• Proven track record of using Project Management methodologies.
• Experience of successful contract implementation and supplier management and an understanding of contract formation and types.
• Experience of successfully leading, managing and motivating teams at a senior level, including managing team performance.
• Experience working on large-scale projects within a complex multi-site organisation, either as Project Manager or Project Sponsor.

Desirable

• Degree qualification in a relevant subject, or equivalent.
• Member of a professional body e.g. Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), or equivalent.