Job Description

/ Job Title / Property Negotiators
Department / Resources
Section / Property
Grade / PO1
Reports to / Project Manager
Staffing Responsibility / None
Organisation / Director of Resources>Head of Property>Residential Manager >Property Negotiators
Job Purpose:
1.  To contribute to the delivery of the Council’s Private Rented Sector Acquisition Programme, which is required to achieve a significant number of property acquisitions in Brent and other areas for temporary accommodation use.
2.  Responsible for finding suitable properties for sale on the open market or through registered providers, developers and other agencies.
3.  To negotiate price, commission market valuations and surveys, co-ordinate conveyancing and commission works.
4.  To work closely with the Project Manager to support effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders and help implement creative and responsive solutions to deliver the required outputs.
Principal Accountabilities and Responsibilities:
1.  To actively identify and pursue suitable properties on the open market for acquisition under the programme, including properties available for sale through estate agents, registered providers, developers or other agencies.
2.  To liaise with vendors or their agents in order to conduct viewings, measurements and photographs and compile comprehensive property details.
3.  To arrange market valuations, negotiate price and monitor purchases as they progress through to completion, including liaising with interested parties such as solicitors, surveyors and estate agents to ensure smooth and efficient acquisitions.
4.  To respond to vendor queries via telephone, email or face to face basis, recording all conversations on the Council’s systems and maintain regular contact with active vendors or their agents to progress negotiations and acquisitions.
5.  To identify common problems and defects against checklist, assess repair works and prepare cost estimates.
6.  To arrange surveys and refurbishment works and ensure works complete within agreed timescales and to the required standards and ensure necessary consents are obtained prior to letting.
7.  To maintain a full and detailed knowledge of the local property market and match Council’s requirements and criteria against available properties and carry out financial appraisals to aid decision making.
8.  To regularly update the project manager on the pipeline of opportunities within designated territory and ensure accuracy of information at all times.
9.  To support the project manager in compiling progress reports, budgets and cash flows for the programme manager and other stakeholders.
10.  Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and all employees are required to act in such a way that at all times safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults.
11.  Carry out duties with due regard to the council’s customer care, equal opportunities, information governance, data protection and health and safety policies and procedures.
12.  Undertake any other duties commensurate with the general level of responsibility of this post.
Job Context:
·  Involves the use of a wide range of interpersonal, negotiating and influencing skills.
·  High level of work related pressure to meet challenging targets.
·  Positive approach to tasks and a flexible approach to working hours, including weekend work as appropriate.
·  Must have valid full UK driving license and use of vehicle suitable for work purposes.
·  Suitability to the required location with options for home working.
·  To work within the health and safety policy of the Council in relation to lone working.
DBS Status / No check required
Politically Restricted / No
Person Specification
Job Knowledge, Skills & Experience:
Specify the qualifications, experience, skills and abilities required.
All criteria are essential
Knowledge and Qualifications:
·  A degree-level qualification or equivalent in investment, property acquisition and building surveying or sufficient and recent, relevant industry experience.
·  Either aspiring to secure RICS membership or a current member.
·  Awareness of the residential property market and understanding of trends and variations in local markets.
·  Evidence of relevant Continuing Professional Development.
Experience:
·  Preparing market insight reports, formulating acquisition strategies and establishing strategic relationships, such as with estate agents, registered providers, developers and public and private sector agencies.
·  Site identification, development appraisal and acquisition.
·  Preparation of project briefs, planning, alternative use and option appraisals.
·  Procuring and managing consultants and contractor project teams.
·  The ability to interpret and act upon reports prepared by specialist surveyors.
·  Overseeing building works from start to finish and handover.
Skills and Abilities:
·  Client care: ability to understanding internal client requirements and develop project briefs, volunteer ideas, and apply knowledge to advance the Council’s objectives and overall team capability.
·  Communication: an effective communicator through verbal, written and listening skills, and the ability to broker discussions and negotiations to overcome barriers to project delivery, aligning expectations and having regard for confidential information at all times.
·  Health and safety: understand health and safety aspects in respect of one’s own role and the requirements and responsibilities of the Council as landlord, be able to undertake risk assessments and aware of relevant health and safety legislation.
·  Accounting principles and procedures, including budget and financial management: ability to ensure the completeness of financial recording from both team and internal client service perspectives, understanding of budget monitoring and reporting, and able to determine financial outturn, based on committed revenues and costs. Be able to assess financial risks and opportunities which drive the financial plan output.
·  Business planning: ability to understand the commercial context and thinks beyond immediate tasks & areas of responsibility. Able to advise on and influence the legal and financial commercial terms & structures, run financial appraisals and sensitivities and conduct financial due diligence.
·  Conflict avoidance, management and dispute resolution: understand dispute resolution procedures from negotiation, mediation and adjudication and able to work to resolve conflicts and maintain good working relationships with internal client services and customers. Demonstrate a customer-focused approach with a personal commitment to service improvement, equality, diversity and inclusion.
·  Data management including IT literacy: effectively use MS Office, Proval, Oracle, and procurement portals for tendering and estate management systems, ensuring data is current and relevant and secure. Be able to research data from different sources, ensuring data accuracy, consistency and completeness.
·  Sustainability: understanding of effects, and investment risks, on property and land in relation to social, environmental and economic matters in the property market. Ability to identify common defects and problems within properties or the ability to assemble and accurately analyse and interpret relevant information, to increase revenues and reduce risks.
·  Team work: sharing good practise and experience with colleagues to deliver the best possible outcomes for internal client services, colleagues and customers, and work cooperatively to deliver mission critical goals, leveraging and contributing to knowledge capital. The ability to understand, and work with, the needs and motivations of others and works for the good of the team.
·  Project management: Be able to identify critical success factors and translate high level objectives into actionable and measurable components. Understand key project management concepts, tools and techniques, including procurement and contract and works management, and be able to support contract negotiation, set up, monitoring and compliance.
Version 3: 13th April 2016 / Page 1 of 4