Lead Building Surveyor

Fraser Edwards Recruitment is working in partnership with a social housing client in South East London to recruit a Lead Building Surveyor for a permanent role.

The role will play a key part in leading the Building Surveying team, overseeing planned works and professional services contracts, and supporting the development and delivery of long-term housing investment strategies. Working closely with colleagues across Housing, Sustainability and other departments, the successful candidate will help ensure that properties remain safe, well maintained, energy efficient and fit for the future. The ideal candidate will combine strong technical surveying expertise with proven leadership, contract management and stakeholder engagement skills, driving service improvements and delivering value for money across the housing portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and develop a team of 3–4 Building Surveyors, setting clear objectives, monitoring performance and supporting professional development.

• Oversee the planning, procurement and delivery of planned maintenance, major works and capital investment programmes across the housing portfolio.

• Manage property inspections, building defect diagnosis, technical assessments and the specification of appropriate remedial works.

• Contribute to the development and delivery of long-term asset management and housing investment strategies, ensuring investment decisions support organisational priorities.

• Support the development and maintenance of a five-year housing investment plan, considering property condition, lifecycle requirements, energy efficiency and decarbonisation objectives.

• Lead on the procurement and management of planned works and professional services contracts, ensuring compliance with relevant public sector procurement requirements.

• Oversee complex building defects, damp and mould issues, disrepair matters and remedial works, ensuring appropriate technical solutions and timely resolution.

• Ensure works are delivered to the required technical standards, specifications, budgets and timescales, in line with relevant legislation and health and safety requirements.

• Work collaboratively with Housing and Sustainability teams to support retrofit initiatives, energy efficiency improvements and wider decarbonisation objectives.

• Build effective working relationships with internal departments, external contractors, consultants and other stakeholders to support successful programme delivery.

About the Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be an experienced Building Surveying professional with strong technical knowledge, effective leadership skills and the ability to manage competing priorities within a social housing environment.

Essential and desirable experience includes:

• Proven experience as a Building Surveyor, Senior Building Surveyor or in a similar technical property management role.

• Previous experience managing, supervising or developing a team of surveyors.

• A degree-level qualification in Building Surveying or a relevant discipline or equivalent relevant experience.

• A professional qualification such as RICS or CIOB is desirable.

• Strong knowledge of building construction, defect diagnosis, repairs, planned maintenance and capital works.

• Experience managing contractors, consultants, professional services and planned works programmes.

• An understanding of strategic asset management, lifecycle investment planning and housing maintenance requirements.

• Knowledge of damp and mould, building defects, disrepair and appropriate remedial solutions.

• An understanding of public sector procurement, contract management, budgetary control and value-for-money principles.

• Awareness of energy efficiency, retrofit and decarbonisation within the social housing sector.

What’s on Offer?

• The opportunity to lead and develop a team of 3–4 Building Surveyors.

• A senior position within an established social housing organisation.

• Involvement in significant planned maintenance and capital investment programmes.

• The opportunity to influence strategic asset management and long-term housing investment decisions.

• Exposure to energy efficiency, retrofit and sustainability initiatives