Managing Director of Building Surveying
22 hours ago
Manchester
Managing Director / Head of Building Surveying Location: Manchester HQ (hybrid – 1 day per week in Manchester office minimum) Package: Circa 6 figure basic salary + performance bonus + long-term incentive scheme (equity potential) Overview An ambitious, multi-entity building and construction consultancy group is seeking a commercially astute and operationally strong Managing Director to lead and scale its Building Surveying and Engineering businesses. The group operates across three aligned but independently structured companies covering: • Traditional Building Consultancy (commercial & residential), • Surveying & Engineering (structural and commercial focus) There is already strong inbound enquiry flow and an established client base. The requirement is for a senior leader capable of building infrastructure, driving utilisation and profitability, improving governance and quality standards, and scaling the professional services arms of the business to the next level. This is a Board-level opportunity with genuine strategic influence and a pathway to equity. The Opportunity The Managing Director will assume full operational leadership of the Building Consultancy and Surveying & Engineering businesses, while providing strategic oversight and alignment support to the group’s contracting arm where required. Key revenue targets in the short term include: • Building Consultancy: grow from c. £100k per month to £120k+ per month, • Surveying & Engineering: grow from c. £40k per month to £50k+ per month Core Responsibilities 1. Strategic & Commercial Leadership • Translate the group’s 5-year growth vision into a structured, deliverable operational roadmap, • Lead quarterly strategic planning with the Executive Director and senior leadership team, • Implement scalable systems across billing, utilisation, performance metrics and reporting, • Improve margin control, consultant performance and cost discipline, • Develop and execute a proactive business development strategy alongside inbound marketing flow, • Represent the group at networking events, frameworks and tender interviews 2. Revenue & Business Development • Deliver £120k+ per month billing in the Building Consultancy arm, • Deliver £50k+ per month billing in the Surveying & Engineering arm, • Personally lead high-value client engagement and complex tender submissions, • Build long-term account management strategies for institutional and public-sector clients, • Identify and convert new frameworks, long-term contracts and multi-disciplinary opportunities 3. Operational Management & Infrastructure • Take ownership of day-to-day running of the professional services businesses, • Oversee project allocation across the group’s businesses to ensure correct service alignment, • Introduce structured operational workflows and reporting processes, • Oversee finance coordination, monthly performance reviews and forecasting, • Improve internal systems around resourcing, logistics and delivery coordination 4. Technical & Professional Oversight • Act as senior Chartered Surveyor and signatory where required, • Oversee complex instructions including:, • Dilapidations (landlord & tenant), • Technical due diligence & pre-acquisition surveys, • Building condition surveys & defect diagnosis, • Feasibility studies & project monitoring, • Structural appraisals and engineering-led investigations, • Provide oversight on high-rise compliance matters and structural considerations, • Mentor junior surveyors through APC and CPD frameworks 5. Client Account Leadership • Serve as senior relationship lead on key accounts (public sector, property managers, education, NHS and institutional clients), • Ensure retention, repeat work and upsell of complementary services, • Resolve escalated project issues, • Implement structured onboarding for new major contracts 6. Governance, Accreditations & Compliance • Lead RICS firm registration and compliance strategy for Surveying & Engineering, • Maintain audit readiness and QA frameworks, • Standardise reporting quality across both businesses, • Implement structured CPD pathways and QPR frameworks, • Drive professional culture and accountability Candidate Profile Essential • MRICS or FRICS Chartered Building Surveyor, • 10+ years’ post-qualification experience, • Proven leadership within a building consultancy, surveying practice or multi-disciplinary environment, • Demonstrable experience growing revenue and improving profitability, • Strong knowledge of commercial building surveying, dilapidations, defect diagnosis and project management, • Financial literacy and understanding of P&L ownership, • Experience managing teams and consultants, • Commercially confident and client-facing Highly Desirable • Experience scaling a business from SME to structured mid-sized consultancy, • Public sector tender and framework experience, • Structural engineering exposure or close collaboration with engineering teams, • Existing client relationships or fee-following capability, • Experience leading accreditation processes Remuneration & Incentives • Circa 6 figure + basic salary (flexible for exceptional candidates), • Car allowance, • Commission structure (% of net profit), • Potential for shares scheme for exceptional candidates