Strategic Property & Accommodation Lead

Strategic Property & Accommodation Lead
6-month contract Start date: May 2026
£400 per day
Outside IR35
Hybrid working

This role is for a professional who wants to shape the future, not just manage the present. As the Strategic Property & Accommodation Lead you will report into the Strategic Estate Manager and play a pivotal role in defining how the organisation uses its estate to support modern service delivery. You will operate at the centre of strategic decision making, influencing senior leaders and Members, and ensuring property and accommodation strategies align with corporate priorities, affordability and long term sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Driving strategic estate planning and portfolio optimisation to support future operating models.
• Setting the corporate approach to space utilisation and accommodation strategy.
• Acting as AMPS' key liaison with services and corporate functions.
• Providing strategic oversight of business cases, feasibility and early stage proposals.
• Managing risk, governance and assurance across estate and accommodation programmes.
• Delivering long term planning and portfolio optimisation to ensure the Council's estate supports future operating models, service delivery needs, and financial sustainability.
• Developing Strategic Estate Plans aligned with organisational strategies.
• Guiding corporate strategy on space utilisation and accommodation planning.
• Providing expert challenge and strategic advice to services on their estate and accommodation requirements, ensuring alignment with corporate priorities and affordability constraints.
• Overseeing all accommodation moves and maintaining oversight of property related risks, interdependencies and constraints across programmes and projects.
• Supporting modernisation of AMPS processes, data usage and reporting.
• Ensuring compliance with statutory duties, H&S and corporate governance, and preparing and submitting required reports and approval papers.
• Embedding sustainability and carbon reduction goals into estate and accommodation strategies, aligning with corporate climate commitments.
• Driving improvements in data quality and digital tools for evidence based estate planning, forecasting and performance reporting.
• Setting the Council's corporate landlord approach, defining asset ownership principles and governing service use of assets.
• Facilitating workshops and consultations to ensure requirements are understood and communicating complex information clearly to support decision making.
• Representing the council externally and supporting the political interface with Members.

Experience and Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering Corporate Asset Management Plans within local authority or complex estate environments.
• Senior stakeholder and partnership management experience.
• Experience leading strategic change, policy development and operating in high pressure, high profile settings.
• Strong analytical capability, political awareness and confidence influencing senior leaders and Members.
• Understanding of local government environments, governance processes and budget management.
• Experience developing feasibility studies, business cases or early stage proposals.
• Experience with multidisciplinary teams and navigating governance and assurance processes.

Education & Qualifications

• Leadership/management qualification.
• A degree or qualification in a relevant subject.
• Membership of a related professional organisation (e.g. RIBA, RICS, CIOB, IMP, CIBSE).

Behavioural Attributes

• Positive attitude to change and ability to identify and implement new ways of working.
• Performance management, leadership behaviours and delegation.
• Credible leader with resilience and adaptability.
• Strong relationship building and influencing skills.
• Ability to manage shifting priorities and work autonomously.
• Alignment with GCC values.

Knowledge, Skills and Understanding

• Strong knowledge of strategic estates and workplace strategy.
• Excellent analytical, planning and data interpretation skills.
• Strong communication and political awareness.
• Skilled in developing business cases, options appraisal and feasibility studies.
• Excellent written and communication skills.
• Ability to influence and support senior stakeholders.
• Understanding of local government environments and the Council's operating model and political environment.
• Budget management skills.

Our clients are passionate about creating and evolving a diverse workforce and do not discriminate. Recruiting decisions are based on your experience and skills, and any reasonable adjustments will be fully supported throughout the application and hiring process.