Programme Consultant - Corporate Estate Transformation
2 days ago
London
Programme Consultant - Corporate Estate Transformation Newham Council | £750 per day | Hybrid WorkingContract / Fixed Term | Immediate Start | RICS Preferred Reporting to: Director of Property & EstatesProgramme Value: £8m savings targetContract Length: Initial 12 months (extendable)Location: Newham (hybrid working) The Focus The Council's corporate estate comprises approximately 70 buildings, but the overwhelming majority of cost - and therefore opportunity - sits within three priority assets: Principal Office Building • c. £7m annual running cost, • Approximately 60% vacant You will: • Stress-test assumptions and financial modelling, • Identify viable options and strip out unnecessary complexity, • Bring clarity to politically sensitive and high-value decisions, • Critically interrogate the external appraisal and form a clear, independent view on the preferred path for each priority asset, • Commission and direct additional specialist advice where required - acting as a commercially sharp and demanding client, • Translate complex options into clear, decision-ready recommendations for senior leadership and elected members You will: • Develop and drive a clear strategy covering consolidation, vacant space options and a credible route to materially reducing annual running costs, • Lead engagement with departments and service leads - challenging assumptions on space need and driving consolidation decisions, • Co-ordinate legal, planning, commercial and FM workstreams to progress the preferred option, • Take decisions through Cabinet and other governance processes, supported by high-quality papers and briefingsTown Halls - Parallel Workstream, • Define the future role of each town hall within the corporate estate, • Identify opportunities for cost reduction, income generation or more effective use, • Oversee any capital or change projects required to support agreed future usesWider Estate Oversight, • Maintain visibility of the wider portfolio without allowing it to distract from priority assets, • Progress straightforward, low-complexity savings such as lease exits, contract renegotiations and energy efficienciesDepartmental Engagement & Occupation Planning, • Lead structured engagement with service heads, HR, IT and operational teams, • Build a robust, evidence-based understanding of actual space requirements, • Ensure rationalisation decisions support service delivery, not undermine itGovernance, Reporting & Stakeholder Management, • Run programme governance, including risks, decisions, milestones and savings tracking, • Present regularly to Directors, senior leadership and elected members, • Manage organisational sensitivities with pragmatism, authority and political awarenessEssential Experience, • Proven delivery of complex corporate estate or major property transformation programmes, • Strong track record of challenging and directing external property advisors, • Senior-level experience within or alongside local government or the wider public sector, • Ability to engage across large organisations and bring stakeholders with you through change, • Strong commercial understanding of running costs, FM contracts, occupation strategy and asset options, • Excellent written and verbal communication, particularly for member-level decision-making, • Self-starter able to operate with autonomy, pace and resilienceDesirable, • RICS qualified (General Practice, Project Management or Building Surveying), • Programme management qualifications (MSP, Prince2 or similar) By applying for this role your details will be submitted to Adecco. Our Candidate Privacy Information Statement explaining how we will use your information is available on our website.