Head of Technical Services

HEAD OF TECHNICAL SERVICES

Why we need you

We need passion and commitment to enable our home builder members to deliver much needed high quality homes of all tenures. As a result of reorganisation and expansion, this is one of four great opportunities to join our Edinburgh team.

of all tenures. As a result of reorganisation and expansion, this is one of four great opportunities to join our Edinburgh team.

Understanding all technical aspects of delivering homes, and the many challenges that our members face in doing so, you’ll be able to use your honed technical, collaboration and communication skills to work closely with our members and external stakeholders including local and national Government, utility providers, infrastructure networks as well as the broader supply chain. You’ll want to make a positive impact on society. But most of all you want to love where you work - let’s face it, it makes life so much better.

And you are….

Perhaps an Architect or Architectural Technician hoping to broaden your experience from local authority or a house builder. Maybe you’ll be an engineer in utilities now keen to shift from a linear career path to influence and communicate change in the housing sector? Wherever you are now, you’ll enjoy all aspects of housing from a personal and professional capacity. You will be commercially astute with a desire and ability to interpret policies and directives between government and other regulators and the home building industry on issues impacting delivery such as the transition to net zero, building standards, utilities, infrastructure, modern methods of construction and off-site manufacturing, environmental impact and evolving regulatory and consenting regimes.

The successful applicant will be expected to lead our expanding work in this area, promoting membership needs and ensuring these requirements are reflected in government policy, so producing positive outcomes for the wider industry. The post holder will report to the Director of Policy and work closely with the Director of Planning and others in the senior management team but must be capable of working independently and leading this key workstream.

This soon to be vacant role, will have a positive start and insight from our departing friend and colleague can be viewed here. We’d love you to be able to clearly and positively articulate industry views whilst remaining cognisant of the wider economic, social and political environment within which our members operate.

Job Description:

The post holder will operate within the context of Homes for Scotland’s Strategy, values, operating procedures, as directed by the Senior Management Team and Board to carry out key duties such as:

· Manage all aspect of technical services workstream including (but not limited to) climate change, energy, building standards, verification, infrastructure, utilities and road bonds

· Assist the Director of Policy in providing a comprehensive policy service covering national, regional and local policy issues of relevance to the industry.

· Ensure the HFS Executive Team and members are kept advised in a timely manner of all forthcoming technical areas which may impact the industry’s operational environment.

· Monitor SG and other stakeholder consultations, with subsequent preparation of clear, timely, evidence-based responses robustly reflecting the industry’s position.

· Direct engagement with members and responding to ad hoc member queries in a timely manner over a broad and varied range of technical and broader operational topics.

· Manage the HFS Technical Forum

· Represent HFS and members at a range of senior level meetings / conferences etc.

· Assist in promoting the benefits of membership to potential members.

In return for your passion and collaboration

This full-time position will reward you with a competitive salary, generous pension contribution, private life cover, health cash plan, health insurance and cycle to work schemes also offered. The HFS team is currently working from home due to Covid-19 restrictions but it is anticipated that staff will be returning to our Edinburgh office on a flexible basis imminently.

It’s important to us that your home journey is part of your experience with us – we all have our story to tell. Our small and impactful team are pragmatic, open and fully supportive – in joining us you’ll be encouraged to bring all who you are to work.

About Homes for Scotland

Homes for Scotland represents the home building industry in Scotland. Our membership of 200 organisations includes private builders and RSLs as well as associate members drawn from the supporting sectors and professional services including engineers, architects, utility companies and infrastructure providers. Our primary purpose is to deliver more homes for Scotland.

Our values are:

· Collaboration

We work collaboratively

We are personable and friendly

· Integrity

We have integrity

We are honest and consistent

· Passion

We are passionate about our work

We are authoritative and confident

· Excellence

We strive for excellence

We are professional and committed

HFS looks to change, challenge and collaborate on behalf of members to ensure the housing needs and aspirations of all those living in Scotland are met.

· We work with government at all levels

· We engage constructively with other stakeholder groups

· We lead debate on the issues that affect housing delivery

· We question policy and guidance where necessary

· We seek and offer solutions to stimulate change.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate:

Essential

· Ability to work in line with our organisational values

· Degree/Diploma in a relevant technical discipline

· Senior level expertise in an appropriate technical environment

· Clear understanding of the changing technical policy environment and implications of this for the home building industry

· At least 7 years post–qualification experience

· Ability to form strong relationships with members and key stakeholders across a range of technical areas

· Confidence working with numbers, including data analysis and basic research methods

· Outstanding verbal and written communication skills including delivering technical issues in a succinct and non-technical manner

· IT skills, including MS Word, Excel, Teams and PowerPoint

· Driving Licence holder with access to a car for business travel

· Energy and enthusiasm

· Strong organisational and time management skills to manage often competing deadlines and workloads

· Self-motivation to fully manage own workload with support from the Director of Policy and the ability to work in small and focused team

Desirable

· Experience working in a role directly related to housing delivery

· Experience in both public and private sectors

· Professional accreditation from a relevant body

Salary and benefits

· This full time position includes a competitive salary dependent upon experience, with employer’s pension contributions, private life cover, health cash plan, health insurance and cycle to work schemes also offered. We operate a flexible working policy.

To Apply

· Please submit a covering letter and CV to lovework@homesforscotland.com

· Your covering letter should clearly demonstrate how you meet the person specification.

· Please indicate your current salary and notice period (where relevant)

· Please note that candidates invited for interview will be expected to prepare and deliver a short written report and presentation on a topic to be advised.

Collaboration Integrity Passion Excellence

https://homesforscotland.com/life-is-better-when-you-love-where-you-work-join-us/