Senior Estates Surveyor (D&LGR)

This role has a starting salary of -61,784 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week.

This is a fixed term contract/ secondment opportunity until 31/03/2027.

We have an exciting strategic and professional opportunity for two Senior Estates Surveyors to join our fantastic Estates Management team. You will be joining a team that values professional development and supports a commercial and agile approach to its diverse portfolio.

This role is open to hybrid working and as a team we split our time between working from home and collaborating together in the office.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days'' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years'' service and 31 days after 5 years'' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer''s leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About Us

Surrey County Council is on a mission to transform our operational estate to better serve our residents, ensuring that ''no one is left behind''. Our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our environment and communities is at the heart of everything we do.

We are a dynamic and dedicated organisation, fully invested in transformation and improvement. Our teams thrive in a fast-paced environment, collaborating to lead, advise, and deliver meaningful change.

About the Role

The Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (D&LGR) programme is one of the most significant transformation efforts in Surrey''s recent history. It aims to redesign how services are delivered, and assets are managed across Surrey County Council and its District and Borough partners. The Estates workstream plays a critical role in this, ensuring that property-related functions are legally sound, operationally aligned, and strategically positioned to support future service models.

Operating within our Estates Team, the Senior Estates Surveyor will work in a dynamic, programme-driven environment shaped by the D&LGR transformation. The role demands a blend of strategic thinking and operational expertise, with a strong emphasis on legal compliance, data integrity, and stakeholder assurance. The postholder will navigate a complex estate comprising offices, schools, care homes, fire stations, youth centres, libraries, land, and investment assets.

As part of this workstream, the Senior Estates Surveyor will lead on the discovery and validation of SCC''s property estate, supporting the programme''s Safe & Legal objectives and enabling confident progression into design and implementation phases. The role will involve reviewing legal interests, assessing compliance risk, and ensuring all estate data is robust and decision ready.

This is a senior-level opportunity to contribute to a high-profile change programme with lasting impact across Surrey''s public service landscape. If you''re successful, you''ll be joining our high-performing Estates Management team at the heart of one of Surrey''s most ambitious transformation programmes. You''ll work closely with senior leaders, programme managers, legal specialists, and property professionals across the council and partner organisations. We''ll share our knowledge, networks, and expertise with you, and we''ll be here to support you when challenges arise.

Your manager will trust you to work with autonomy and to make sound, strategic decisions. You''ll be encouraged to develop your professional skills and broaden your influence across the organisation, with access to excellent development opportunities and a wide range of professional networks.

Don''t be put off by what you think working in local government is like. We are commercially minded, forward-thinking, and focused on delivering public value. In this role, you''ll directly shape the future of a diverse property portfolio - from libraries to care homes - making sure our estate is safe, legal and fit for the next generation of services. The work you do will have a lasting impact for Surrey''s communities, and not every organisation can offer that.

Please see attached role profile for the full role responsibilities.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your CV and personal statement will need to evidence the following:

• Degree or equivalent level qualification.
• RICS Surveyor (General Practice Division) full qualification.
• Highly experienced in the workings of property markets and sound commercial acumen.
• Practical and extensive experience of a wide range of property and estate management issues.
• Extensive experience in dealing with complex property matters and delivering results.

As part of the application process, please upload your CV and answer the following questions:

• Describe how you would handle a critical compliance risk in a key property while keeping services operational. (200 words max)
• Explain how you would bring multiple public sector partners with conflicting priorities to agreement over a shared asset. (200 words max)
• Outline how you would check, improve and assure estate data so it''s ready for senior decision-making. (200 words max)

Our team currently operates from our Woodhatch office in Reigate, but staff will be expected to operate in a flexible way to meet the needs of our customers and work demands, using agile working methods that allow business to be conducted from multiple locations.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 10/09/2025 with interviews to follow.

Local Government Reorganisation

Surrey County Council is preparing for Local Government Reorganisation which will allow us to implement the Government led policy of devolution, which is all about giving more powers to local areas.

Currently, Surrey has a two-tier council system, with 11 district and borough councils and a county council, all responsible for different services. All these councils will be reorganised into a smaller number of new unitary councils which will come into effect in April 2027. At this point, this role will be transferred, with all existing terms and conditions intact into one of the new unitary councils.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents!

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.