Principal Building Control Surveyor

Job profile

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job reference

REQ

Date posted

11/11/2025

Application closing date

25/11/2025

Location

Salary

£51,356 - £52,413

Package

Contractual hours

37

Basis

Full time

Attachments

Job description

Location: Penrith

Contract Type: Permanent

About this opportunity

We have an excellent opportunity for an experienced and technically skilled Principal Building Control Surveyor to join Westmorland and Furness Council and play a key leadership role in ensuring the safety, quality, and compliance of developments across the area.

Our Building Control Service is responsible for ensuring that all construction within Westmorland and Furness complies with the Building Regulations and the Building Safety Act, supporting safe, sustainable, and high-quality development. The service also manages the Council's duties around dangerous structures, ensuring public safety and maintaining confidence in the built environment.

As a Principal Building Control Surveyor, you'll act as a senior technical lead within the service, taking responsibility for complex and high-risk projects and providing expert advice on compliance and safety standards. You'll lead on the technical assessment of plans, undertake detailed inspections, and manage the end-to-end building control process from consultation through to completion.

In addition to your technical role, you'll mentor a team of senior and building control surveyors, ensuring consistent quality, accuracy, and professional development across the service. You'll also contribute to continuous improvement, drive innovation, and promote the use of modern methods and sustainable practices in construction.

Key priorities include:

• Leading on the assessment and inspection of complex and high-risk developments.
• Ensuring full compliance with Building Regulations and associated legislation.
• Mentoring a team of senior and building control surveyors.
• Supporting enforcement and dangerous structures responses
• Promoting high technical standards, continuous improvement, and customer service excellence.
• Building strong relationships with developers, architects, contractors, and stakeholders.

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to take a leading technical role within a modern, forward-thinking Building Control service that plays a vital part in ensuring safe and sustainable development across Westmorland and Furness.

Who we are looking for…

We are seeking an experienced and qualified Building Control professional with advanced technical knowledge and strong leadership skills. You will bring sound judgement, expert regulatory understanding, and a collaborative approach to delivering an effective and trusted service.

You will hold full membership of a recognised professional body, such as RICS, CABE, or CIOB, and be accredited to Level 2F. You will also hold a degree or HNC/HND in Building Surveying, Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or a related discipline.

You will also bring:

• Extensive experience in building control, including managing large-scale or high-risk projects.
• Strong understanding of UK Building Regulations, construction practices, and safety standards.
• Proven ability to analyse complex compliance issues and develop effective solutions.
• Demonstrated experience of mentoring and leading others in a technical environment.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, able to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• A commitment to professional excellence, continuous improvement, and customer-focused service delivery.
• Competence in using building control management software and digital tools.

If you are passionate about maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and compliance and want to help shape the future of building control across Westmorland and Furness, we would love to hear from you.

What can we offer you

Working at Westmorland and Furness Council you will receive a variety of benefits, including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave allowance and other various perks and discounts schemes. For more information about life at Westmorland and Furness Council and what we can offer you, please visit our Careers site.Our benefits | Careers )

Would you like to find out more?

For further information about this role, such as responsibilities and essential criteria please view the below attachments:

• Post Specification
• Role Profile

If you have any queries about this role or would like an informal chat about this opportunity, then please contact Gareth Candlin (Assistant Director of Inclusive and Green Growth) via email on to arrange an informal conversation.

Application and Interview information

Closing date: 25 November 2025

We are currently operating both in-person and virtual interviews. Options will be discussed with candidates once they have been invited to the interview stage of the process for this specific position, and if you have any concerns or adjustments are needed, we are happy to discuss this with you.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Leader, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

We also offer guaranteed interviews to Armed Forces personnel and veterans and those in care or care experienced and under 24 years old (someone who has been looked after by a local authority at any point, for any length of time, e.g. foster care, residential care, or under the guardianship of a local authority) that meet the essential criteria for the role.

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