Technical Officer, Perth

Job Description

Technical Officer, Perth - PKC
£35, - £39, (Fixed Term until 31 March )
Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth PH1 5GD

Based within the Property (Housing) Capital Projects and New Build Team, an opportunity has arisen for a Technical Officer to support the Housing Service to deliver the Capital Improvements programme. The role will involve a wide range of activities such as survey, design and drawing work in relation to minor and major adaptations, procuring contracts and managing small projects. The role will also include assisting in meeting our Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) commitment. As the Technical Officer you will have a supporting and assisting role in the planning, implementation and management of various projects and delivery of their aims and objectives. The Technical Officer will work in a team, managed by a Project Manager and will provide support as required.

As a Technical Officer, you will report to the Project Manager – Capital Projects and New Build and will work closely with other team members in the wider Improvements and New Builds team and be guided and take direction, where required, from the Project Manager. You will work in collaboration with colleagues across the Housing Service as well as with other internal teams. A key part of the role will also be to work with other PKC departments as well as external agencies to ensure timescales for minor and major adaptations are met. Your role will also involve supporting other Project Managers, procuring, and running small contracts where required.

You will generally be required to work Monday to Friday from 8.45am to 5pm but due to the nature of the role and remit, there will be an expectation that you will be able to work flexibly, and this could include evenings and weekends especially for attending public meetings and carrying out surveys and consultation with community members.

For purposes of connection and collaboration with colleagues and with the community we serve, our full-time employees work on site for a minimum of 2 days per week with the arrangements for part time employees being agreed on a basis which will ensure that they benefit to an equivalent degree. Our FAQs on hybrid working can be found here Hybrid working FAQs. We are committed to being a more inclusive employer - to ensure we can consider any reasonable adjustments, please either contact the recruiting manager to discuss any individual circumstances, discuss at interview or, if you prefer, after any conditional offer is made.

Requirements

To help in the delivery of this new team, we are looking for a technically knowledgeable individual who is enthusiastic and has the ability to communicate on a number of different levels.

You must hold an HNC or equivalent in a property, surveying or construction industry discipline or equivalent, and must have a minimum of two year’s post-qualification experience in a construction field. Given the focus of the post, you should have an awareness and understanding of CDM Regulations and undertake training to carry out the role of Principal Designer on improvements projects.

We are looking for someone who has the ability to manage small scale construction or housing improvements projects, e.g., adaptations, extensions, refurbishments and renewals.

You must have a strong working knowledge of the current Building Regulations and be able to apply this when considering the technical requirements for a project, both in the preparation of Building Warrant and construction drawings and when managing a project onsite.

We are looking for someone who is computer literate, preferably with IT skills that enable the use and interrogation of databases effectively and the ability to design spreadsheets to report statistical information for financial and performance monitoring. As the post holder requires to prepare technical drawings the post holder must have experiences of translating survey drawings into detailed AutoCAD drawings suitable for Building Warrant applications.

You must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and be able to communicate key ideas, project overviews and updates which can be easily understood at all levels. You must be able to establish and maintain effective networks with internal and external contacts to ensure success of your projects.

You must also be able to engage, communicate and consult with tenants and other customers on improvement and modernisation projects and liaise with other Council services, utilities and external agencies. 

You must be adaptable to change and have a flexible approach to achieving the overall aim of a project. You also must be well organised, with the ability to manage projects and programmes effectively and produce accurate, high-quality work to tight timescales. You must also have the ability to conduct effective contractor technical and progress meetings. We are looking for a good team player who understands the need to work collaboratively with colleagues and external partners and recognises and values other people’s strengths. You must however be able to work on your own initiative with minimal supervision and be capable of prioritising your own and others workload in order to meet deadlines.

Importantly, you should have a non-judgemental attitude, be empathetic and sensitive to tenants and resident needs. 

You should be able to drive and hold a clean, current driving licence.

Responsibilities

To support and deliver on the role and remit of this post, the key areas of focus will be to:
• Support the Project Manager with technical assistance relating to the Council’s Housing Capital Investment Programme to meet the targets of SHQS
• Support with the technical development of projects 
• Conduct pre and post inspections, including carrying out dilapidation surveys in relation to small refurbishment and renewal projects
• Provide technical support in relation to small refurbishment and renewals projects such as extensions, major and minor adaptations and refurbishments of individual properties; this will include the preparation of project briefs, technical drawings, specifications, preparation of Planning and Building Warrant submissions, reports, site supervision, quality control, and consideration of the compliance with CDM Regulations.
• Manage allocated budgets in relation to specific projects, including verifying the accuracy of invoices submitted for work
• Work closely with the Project Manager to collate all necessary information for and be actively involved and support in the procurement of contracts, all in accordance with the Council’s requirements 
• Support effective project management of programmes on site by carrying out site visits to ensure that the works are conducted in accordance with contract conditions, reporting on any aspects as necessary and ensure the works are compliant with Health and Safety legislation and Construction and Design (CDM) Regulations
• Attend contractor technical and progress meetings and service team meetings.
• Engage, communicate and consult with tenants, owner-occupiers and other customers to assess the technical aspects of small refurbishment, improvement and energy efficiency projects
• Provide support to Project Officer in liaising with other services within Housing, including Occupational Health, and liaise with other Council services, utilities and external agencies such as Health and Social Services professionals and trade companies 
• Provide accurate technical support and information to Council tenants and residents, Repairs Centre staff and Locality Teams staff as required.
• Draft reports and documentation to meet all corporate and internal governance arrangements 
• Assist the Project Manager with performance management and quality assurance of project implementation and delivery.

The Individual