James & Partners
Chartered Building Surveyor
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Salary: £65,000 – £70,000 + bonus
Total Package: Circa £75,000 – £85,000
Working Pattern: Hybrid – typically 2 days per week in Manchester
Qualification: MRICS essential
Location: Manchester
The Opportunity
I am representing a growing independent property and construction consultancy seeking to appoint an experienced MRICS Chartered Building Surveyor to strengthen its commercial Building Consultancy team in Manchester.
This is an opportunity for an established commercial Building Surveyor who wants greater autonomy, direct client exposure and a genuine route towards taking a senior position within a growing consultancy. The successful individual will inherit an established pipeline of work and deliver a varied range of professional Building Surveying instructions, including Technical Due Diligence, pre-acquisition surveys, dilapidations, schedules of condition, defect diagnosis and Contract Administration.
Importantly, this is not a residential or homebuyer surveying position. The work is predominantly across commercial property, including industrial, office and other commercial assets, alongside instructions for property managers, corporate occupiers and public-sector organisations.
For somebody with the right ambition, there is clear scope to take increasing ownership of client relationships and ultimately help develop and manage the Building Consultancy function as further surveyors are recruited.
The Business
My client is an independent property, surveying and construction group with an established presence in Manchester and operations across the UK.
The wider business combines Building Consultancy, Surveying & Engineering and Project/Construction Delivery, providing clients with an integrated service from initial technical advice and surveying through to project delivery.
The group works with an established client base across the private and public sectors, including major corporate occupiers, property managers, healthcare organisations, education providers and local authorities.
Significant investment has been made in business development and marketing, creating a healthy pipeline of inbound work and supporting an ambitious five-year growth strategy.
The environment is deliberately entrepreneurial and non-corporate. This should particularly appeal to somebody who wants greater influence and responsibility than may be available within a larger national consultancy.
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The Role
You will take responsibility for your own portfolio of commercial Building Surveying instructions, working directly with clients from initial enquiry through to completion.
Typical work will include:
- Technical Due Diligence and pre-acquisition surveys
- Commercial building surveys
- Dilapidations for landlords and tenants
- Schedules of Condition
- Defect diagnosis and building pathology
- Technical inspections and reporting
- Contract Administration
- Preparation of specifications and scopes of work
- Tendering and procurement
- Refurbishment, maintenance and improvement projects
- Project Management where appropriate
- Planned maintenance and feasibility advice
- Managing instructions from enquiry through to completion
- Preparing fee proposals and quotations
- Developing and maintaining client relationships
- Identifying opportunities for repeat and additional instructions
There will also be opportunities to undertake Party Wall work for candidates with relevant experience, although this is not essential.
The Candidate
MRICS qualification is essential.
You are likely to be an established Chartered Building Surveyor, Senior Building Surveyor, Associate or Associate Director currently working within a commercial Building Surveying consultancy.
You should have:
- MRICS Chartered status
- Strong commercial Building Surveying experience
- Experience delivering TDD / pre-acquisition surveys
- Good working knowledge of commercial dilapidations
- Experience preparing Schedules of Condition
- Strong defect diagnosis and building pathology knowledge
- Contract Administration experience
- Experience preparing scopes, specifications and tender documentation
- The ability to independently manage multiple professional instructions
- Strong client-facing and report-writing skills
- Commercial awareness and confidence discussing fees and preparing proposals
- The maturity to operate as a technically reliable “safe pair of hands”
- An interest in taking greater responsibility as the Building Consultancy team expands
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The business is flexible on title. The quality and breadth of the individual's Building Surveying experience is considerably more important than whether they are currently called Senior Surveyor, Associate or Associate Director.
Progression
This is not a vacancy where the successful individual will simply join as another fee-earning surveyor.
The business intends to continue investing in its Building Consultancy team, with further Chartered and graduate-level recruitment anticipated.
As the successful individual becomes established, there will be scope to take greater responsibility for:
- Key client relationships
- Technical quality and delivery
- Mentoring and developing other surveyors
- Work allocation and team management
- Recruitment and growth of the department
- Improving processes and structure
- Supporting the commercial performance of the Building Consultancy division
There is therefore a genuine pathway towards departmental leadership, without progression being dependent upon somebody above you leaving.
Package & Benefits
£65,000 – £75,000 basic salary (potentially higher depending on experience)
Approximately £10,000 bonus potential
Total package potentially around £75,000 – £85,000
Hybrid working
Typically 2 days per week in Manchester, with flexibility around surveys and site commitments
Established pipeline of commercial Building Surveying work
Direct exposure to senior leadership
Significant autonomy over clients and instructions
Planned investment in additional Building Surveying headcount
Genuine opportunity to help shape and ultimately lead a growing department
This would particularly suit an MRICS commercial Building Surveyor who enjoys remaining technically involved but wants greater autonomy, client ownership and a clearer route towards leadership within an ambitious independent consultancy.
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