• Job Description

  Req#: 4032

  Position Details

  Estates Department

  Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

  Full time starting salary is £25,117 per annum, with progression to £31,396 per annum after 12 months in post.

  Apprentice Grade 6

  Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to December 2029, commencing September 2024.

  Closing date: 11th February 2024

  Apprenticeship Standard: Chartered Surveyor

  Training Provider: Birmingham City University

  Our offer to you

  People are at the heart of what we are and do.

  The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

  We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

  We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

  Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

  The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

  Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

  Background

  The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research. We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge. Professional Services put students at the heart of all they do and enable an exceptional educational experience. They provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally. They ensure the University’s resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence. Our Birmingham Professional programme operates across the University, supporting colleagues to network and collaborate, offering opportunities to learn and develop, contributing to the delivery of the University’s objectives, and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work.

  Apprenticeship summary

  The purpose of the position is to prepare the apprentice to deliver new-build, alteration, refurbishment and maintenance projects to meet the University goals for net zero carbon and assisting in the delivery of such projects under the direction of a senior project manager. They will learn to effectively interpret client requirements and deliver facilities within the constraints of the University’s financial and property strategies. The role encompasses the investigation, design, documentation, procurement, project management, administration and control of schemes delegated to them for execution. The role will provide opportunities for the post holder to develop their skills in internal stakeholder engagement, and management of external consultants and contractors whilst also gaining an appreciation of how estates development activities deliver on institutional strategic goals.

  Main duties the apprentice will learn

  The apprentice will learn to and ultimately manage smaller projects in their entirety or manage elements of larger projects or assist in the management of one or more larger projects through the provision of well-developed and timely project management support. You will be expected to work proactively, and use your initiative and planning skills to set your own priorities to ensure progress is maintained as expected, identify any issue and propose solutions. The post holder will develop the following skills in particular;

  Construction Project Management and Delivery

  1. With reference to the Senior Project Manager, be responsible for smaller projects and support the Senior Project Manager on high-value schemes in the effective and efficient management and delivery construction projects and programmes of projects. This may include some or all of the following:

  • developing project plans, identifying (as appropriate) key performance indicators and milestones
  • reviewing and auditing progress on projects to identify and act on improvements to effectiveness, efficiency and delivery
  • reporting on progress including the development of reporting mechanisms, writing reports (eg on project budgetary management), and presenting to appropriate meetings such as Project Board or to other key stakeholders
  • providing executive support to Project Boards, work streams and working groups as required; setting agendas, collating and distributing papers and minutes and ensuring follow up action is taken
  • assessing and escalating as you deem appropriate issues and risks, including monitoring risk registers
  • Stakeholder management, ensuring effective liaison with project partners, funders, Project Boards as appropriate.
  • Managing project resources efficiently and effectively, including budgets, and ensure project documentation is maintained.

  1. To effectively support and lead on elements of the procurement process from inception through design, construction, fit-out, commissioning and occupation to the rectification of defects, the settlement of accounts and delivery of an agreed soft-landings process.
  2. To ensure that construction projects are delivered in line with the University’s aspirations with regards to whole life sustainable construction, whole life Net Zero Carbon, and smart buildings/campus set at an institutional level through liaison with the applicable stakeholders.
  3. To support the Senior Project Manager, to lead, motivate and manage internal and external project teams to ensure realistic delivery expectations are effectively met.
  4. To liaise and collaborate with Professional Services departments, Colleges and schools, the Guild of Students, framework partners, external bodies and community groups where required.
  5. To effectively monitor and control quality in design and construction to meet University requirements.
  6. To manage client relations and engender a sense of ownership in users.
  7. To ensure that all projects are delivered in line with the University’s BIM and information requirements. Developing skills in order to have an overarching understanding of BIM & REVIT
  8. To develop communications plans, presentations, and promoting the projects and outcomes of projects/workstreams.
  9. To manage Health and Safety issues to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and good practice.
  10. To ensure the discharge of the duties of the Client, and (optionally) Designer, and/or Principal Designer as necessary under the CDM Regulations.
  11. To procure the necessary statutory and University approvals and consents
  12. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of project management methodologies.
  13. Determine priorities for own work, ensuring you maximise quality, efficiency and continuity.
  14. Carry out evaluation and review of projects.
  15. Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
  16. Attends and participates in all required apprenticeship and related activities
  17. Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
  18. Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

  Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

  • Level 2 maths certificate – grade 4/GCSE grade C or above
  • Level 2 English certificate – grade 4/GCSE grade C or above
  • 112 UCAS tariff points from A/AS level and/or Pearson BTEC level 3 qualifications or equivalent
  • Able to build long-term relationships.
  • Evidence of literacy and numeracy, with the ability to write clearly, and to analyse information and data.
  • Highly proficient IT skills, including the wider MS Office suite of programmes including excel and PowerPoint.
  • An awareness of CAD/Autodesk design and construction software (including Revit and the BIM360/Build suite) and Common Data Environment (CDE), would be an advantage.
  • Excellent analytical skills used to produce reports, identify issues and resolve them decisively.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills. The postholder must inspire confidence and command authority with a range of stakeholders and provide excellent customer service at all times.
  • A degree of professionalism, tact, and diplomacy, and the ability to exercise discretion regarding the handling and management of sensitive information/issues.
  • A high degree of initiative, personal judgement, resourcefulness, flexibility, and a self-motivating approach.
  • Ability to work effectively in a large, complex organisation, and to develop a good understanding of how the University and higher education institutions work.
  • Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

  Informal enquiries to apprenticeships@contacts.bham.ac.uk

  View our staff values and behaviours here

  We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website .

• About the company

  The University of Birmingham is a public research university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

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