Building Surveyor - National Trust : Job Details

We’re looking for a Building Surveyor to join us in the National Trust’s South West region, on a permanent contract. This is an exciting opportunity to apply your professional skills and knowledge to some of the most important buildings and places in Cornwall.

You’ll be part of the National Trust’s internal Consultancy, which provides specialist support and skills to our properties and projects. You’ll be line manged by a Senior Building Surveyor and work in a mixed-discipline team alongside project managers and other conservation specialists, working together to conserve, enhance and share our places. 

Along with your CV please include a covering letter of no more than 500 words, describing how your skills and experience align with the role.

Our Cornish places are rich in culture, historically significant and all within exceptionally beautiful landscapes. Properties that you would be involved with include Trengwainton, Penrose, Godolphin, Trelissick, Trerice, Lanhydrock, along with numerous other smaller properties and many examples of industrial heritage. It is a truly an awe-inspiring place to work.

Your contractual base will be our Lanhydrock Hub (Cornwall PL30 4DE) but we support hybrid working, with a mix of home, office and on-site working. Expect to be out and about onsite at properties in Cornwall and possibly further afield two to three days per week. Due to the travel requirements of the role, you’ll need a driving licence and access to your own vehicle (expenses will be paid).

This role focuses on general day to day building consultancy and construction project work. You will bring your technical knowledge and experience to plan and deliver conservation, maintenance, repair and refurbishment activities across our properties in Cornwall. 

It’s a delivery role, carrying out both routine instructions and construction project work. You’ll arrange and oversee aspects of responsive and cyclical maintenance work and will be involved with a range of projects including compliance works, conservation backlog works, and infrastructure needs such as sewage solutions. Regularly you’ll be involved with this work from the client-side perspective, working with our external consultants and contractors. Managing each project through our internal finance and project management processes is a key part of the job.  

Your internal clients will be National Trust General Managers and Facilities Managers at local sites. You’ll be involved with other NT specialists from Curators to Planning Advisors, Archaeologist to Ecologists, along with statutory and local authority officers. You’ll be able to clearly communicate the essential elements of the work and collaborate on finding the best solutions.

You can view the full role profile for this role in the document attached. You don't need to have all of the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is just to provide a full picture of what’s possible in this role. 

We'd love to hear from you if you have:

•Relevant professional qualification eg Chartered Surveyor MRICS, MCIOB, ARB (Depending on strength of applicants, we would also look at those close to securing their qualification).

•Knowledge of traditionally constructed/historic buildings and their repair, or of heritage projects.

•Experience of inspecting and diagnosing building defects, and specifying repair and conservation works for a range of building types, including traditional and Listed buildings

•Experience in preparing, co-ordinating and managing planned maintenance schedules and assisting in delivering the works.

•Experience of project, consultant, and contractor management, including contract administration (using for example JCT standard contracts).

•Consulting skills and experience of building long-term collaborative relationships

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

•Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

•Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)

•Rental deposit loan scheme

•Season ticket loan

•EV car lease scheme 

•Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts

•Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.

•Flexible working whenever possible

•Employee assistance programme

•Free parking at most Trust places

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.