Interim Consultant - Housing Surveying Review

Interim Consultant - Housing Surveying Review, Market Research & Future Operating Model

Outside IR35 4-month contract initially £500-£600 per dayMainly remote with occasional site visits

We are seeking an experienced independent consultant to lead a comprehensive review of our Housing Surveying function. This assignment will shape the future operating model of the service, ensuring compliance, resilience, and forward-looking capability across surveying, project delivery, and regulatory requirements.

About the Assignment

You will undertake a full diagnostic assessment of the current service, benchmark against comparable local authorities, and provide a costed, evidence-based roadmap for service improvement. Your work will directly support strategic decision-making and future workforce planning.

Key Objectives

• Review the current operating environment, service performance, and organisational structure.
• Assess compliance, risk, and operational effectiveness.
• Conduct market and peer benchmarking across at least six comparable councils.
• Recommend future workforce, technology, process, and operating model requirements.
• Produce a costed implementation and improvement plan.

Scope of Work

1. Discovery & Diagnostics

• Analyse structures, workflows, documentation and 12-24 months of service data.
• Assess demand, productivity, capacity, and quality.
• Lead interviews/workshops with internal stakeholders and associated teams.

2. Compliance & Risk

• Review compliance against key regulations including the Building Safety Act, CDM 2015, fire safety, asbestos, gas, electrical, and legionella requirements.
• Assess competence, QA processes, and risk controls.
• Identify gaps and provide mitigation recommendations.

3. Operating Model & Capacity Planning

• Evaluate workforce capacity, caseloads, skills and future demand pressures.
• Consider in-house, outsourced and hybrid delivery options.
• Provide a structured options appraisal.

4. Process, Quality & Performance

• Map and redesign processes to remove inefficiencies.
• Recommend performance metrics and a full KPI framework.
• Strengthen quality assurance and control mechanisms.

5. Technology & Data

• Review current systems, mobile tools, data quality, and integrations.
• Recommend improvements and future technology requirements.
• Provide data standards, templates and governance guidance.

6. Commercial & Financial Analysis

• Analyse current and demand-driven costs, inefficiencies, and value opportunities.
• Recommend commercial and contracting models.

7. Market & Peer Benchmarking

• Benchmark 6-10 councils on structure, compliance, productivity, technology, and workforce models.
• Research emerging sector roles, regulatory changes, salary benchmarks and digital innovation.

8. Future Planning

• Develop a future workforce strategy (3-5 years, with 10-year horizon).
• Provide a skills framework aligned to emerging building safety, disrepair, damp & mould and HHSRS changes.
• Produce a costed, prioritised roadmap for transformation.

Consultant Requirements

• Proven expertise in organisational review, research, analysis and diagnostic assessments.
• Extensive knowledge of local authority housing, especially surveying, property safety, maintenance, and capital works.
• Professionally qualified surveyor with CIOB or RICS accreditation (essential).
• Strong judgement, problem-solving skills and experience leading challenging discussions with operational and senior stakeholders.