The Opportunity
Post title: Director of Commercial Services
Reports to: Chief Executive – Valuation Office Agency
The Commercial Director will be a full member of the VOA Board, so will have a role in the leadership of the Agency across all its functions, but his or her main responsibility will be for the work of providing valuation services and property advice to other public sector bodies, most of which we compete for.
In effect, you will be the managing director of a competitive business worth £15-20m a year, doing vitally important work across much of government.
This side of the work grew at a healthy rate in the early part of the decade, to its present level. The challenge is to continue to develop the business to ensure that fast-evolving client needs are fully reflected in the way services are delivered in the future. An Interim Director has reviewed the whole approach, and recommended a number of changes designed to improve customer focus further and to make better use of the considerable skills available. As a result, the Board has decided to restructure the business so that most senior staff will specialise in sectors, such as Transport and Infrastructure, and Health, rather than heading multi-purpose regional teams which covered both commercial and statutory work. In the new structure, two resource managers will ensure the optimum allocation of staff to work, using a matrix management approach.
The review identified significant opportunities for developing the business, both with existing clients and in new directions. In particular, there is increasing emphasis within the public sector on making better use of property and on Strategic Asset Management, where the VOA’s knowledge of the public sector and reputation for integrity are key strengths.
The challenge is nonetheless a big one. The market place is increasingly competitive, and success will depend on both winning new business and continuous improvement in cost-effectiveness. But there is a lot to build on. You will be leading a team of some 230 people, in a national network across England, Scotland, and Wales. Over 100 of these are chartered surveyors, with a lot of skill and experience in working with our existing clients. Beyond that, you will be able to draw on specialist skills from elsewhere in the Agency: we have national-level experts on every type of property there is, from airports to zoos, and also a unique network of local knowledge. In particular, there are specialist Building Surveyors and Mineral Valuers who are closely involved in this work. More generally, you will have the corporate support that comes from being part of a big organisation.
The Person
To succeed, you will need high calibre leadership skills and the ability to work in a commercial environment. You’ll need to be able to spot business opportunities, and then have the gravitas to present the organisation at very senior levels within government departments and agencies, NHS bodies, and local authorities. You’ll need to be comfortable selling and presenting an issue or a service. Within the organisation, you will also need to be visible and approachable to all, and a strong leader from the front, who can ensure high quality service delivery, to the necessary professional standards. So this will involve good planning and organisation, encouraging a more entrepreneurial approach, and motivating staff.
While a property background and qualification would be helpful, it is not essential. Most of the staff in this area are chartered surveyors, and the business depends on selling that professional expertise. But the key thing is to be able to convince us that you can quickly establish credibility with staff and customers as the leader of this professional service, whether you are a chartered surveyor or not.
This is a unique opportunity to bring business skills to bear in helping the public sector make better use of its property resources.
Professional Skills for Government:
As well as the qualities and skills above, the post holder will need to demonstrate to a high level the Professional Skills for Government (PSG). The PSG skills framework is at www.civilservice.gov.uk/skills. The four elements of the framework are Leadership, Professional expertise, broader experience and Core skills. The core skills are:
- People Management
- Financial Management
- Project and Programme Management
- Analysis and Use of Evidence
- Communications and Marketing
- Strategic thinking
Location
The post is London-based.
Information Pack
To download the information pack click - here
