Building Surveying Manager | Full Time | Sunderland | £59,419

Gentoo Group is looking for a Building Surveying Manager to join its Asset and Sustainability team.

This is a full-time, hybrid role based in Sunderland. The role is currently based at Doxford Park and will move to Eastgate Point, Hendon, later this year.

You will lead a multidisciplinary Surveying team. This includes Building Surveyors, an Assistant Building Surveyor, a Building Surveying Apprentice and a Mechanical and Electrical Contracts Lead.

You will oversee surveying, planning and design services across the property directorate. You will act as the client representative and make sure works are safe, compliant, high quality and good value for money.

You will also work with Health and Safety colleagues to support the golden thread of information under the Building Safety Act. Because apparently keeping accurate safety records is more useful than hoping buildings behave themselves. Shocking, but true.

Gentoo Group is a values-led charitable housing organisation. It provides homes for more than 60,000 people in Sunderland and invests in keeping homes safe and decent.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Surveying team: Manage and develop a multidisciplinary building surveying team.
• Provide technical leadership: Give clear direction on surveys, defect diagnosis and project work.
• Manage investigations: Oversee specialist surveys, mechanical and electrical checks, and remedial works.
• Control budgets: Manage team and project budgets.
• Track costs: Work with the Commercial Team on invoices, accruals and financial reports.
• Act as client representative: Lead projects and represent Gentoo under CDM 2015.
• Manage Principal Designers: Make sure pre-construction information is ready on time.
• Meet legal duties: Support compliance with planning, Building Regulations, health and safety law and the Building Safety Act.
• Prepare documents: Oversee specifications, drawings and schedules of work.
• Support procurement: Work with Asset Services and Procurement teams on tenders and contract awards.
• Manage providers: Monitor service providers against KPIs, milestones and agreed timescales.
• Review proposals: Check specifications, plans and working practices.
• Support building safety: Help maintain fire safety, structural integrity, fire stopping and compartmentation.
• Deliver FRA actions: Lead Fire Risk Assessment remedial works within agreed timescales.
• Record evidence: Make sure compliance evidence is clear and accurate.
• Maintain the golden thread: Work with building safety and asset data teams to keep key building information up to date.
• Support residents: Help provide clear customer communication and manage expectations.
• Respond to complaints: Work with teams to handle property-related complaints.
• Improve specifications: Support updates to Gentoo’s property investment standards.

About You

Gentoo Group is looking for an experienced Surveying leader with strong housing, compliance and project delivery skills.

You should have:

• Driving licence: A full UK driving licence.
• Relevant qualification: A recognised property-related qualification, at least HND level.
• CPD commitment: A clear commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Building safety knowledge: Strong knowledge of building safety and compliance.
• Legal knowledge: Knowledge of the Building Safety Act, CDM 2015, planning rules, building standards and leasehold legislation.
• Fire safety knowledge: Understanding of fire safety, fire stopping and compartmentation.
• Structural knowledge: Experience with structural remedial works and building safety risks.
• High-rise experience: Knowledge of mid-rise and high-rise buildings.
• Construction knowledge: Broad knowledge of building construction, refurbishment and repairs.
• Domestic housing experience: Experience across domestic housing, including older homes.
• Pathology skills: Experience in construction pathology and technical reports.
• Programme delivery: Experience delivering housing investment and compliance programmes.
• Pre-construction knowledge: Experience with pre-construction work and health and safety information.
• FRA experience: Experience working with fire risk assessments and remedial actions.
• Asbestos awareness: Experience linked to asbestos management.
• Contract lead experience: Experience acting as a client contract lead through to delivery.
• Planning experience: Experience preparing and managing planning and building control applications.
• Commercial skills: Experience managing budgets, variations, value for money and quality.
• Surveying tools: Confident use of damp meters, hygrometers, thermal imaging cameras and laser measurers.
• Team leadership: Experience leading and developing multidisciplinary teams.
• Communication skills: Ability to influence senior stakeholders and engage customers.
• Organisation skills: Ability to manage competing priorities, sites and budgets.
• IT skills: Good use of Microsoft Office, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams and asset systems.

It would also be useful to have:

• Degree: A degree in Building Surveying or a related subject.
• Professional membership: Membership of RICS, CIOB, CABE or a similar body.
• Building safety qualification: A relevant qualification such as FIRAS, NEBOSH or Building Control.
• HHSRS knowledge: Knowledge of Housing Health and Safety Rating System requirements.
• Passive fire knowledge: Understanding of passive fire protection systems.
• M&E knowledge: Experience with mechanical and electrical systems in mid-rise and high-rise buildings.
• Retrofit knowledge: Knowledge of PAS 2030 and PAS 2035.
• CAD skills: Experience using AutoCAD or similar software.
• Compliance systems: Experience using asset and compliance systems for reporting.

A Basic DBS check is required. Gentoo Group will arrange and fund this check.

What Gentoo Group Offers

Gentoo Group is a charitable housing organisation with a clear social purpose. It believes everyone should have a good quality home they can afford.

Benefits and working arrangements include:

• Salary: £59,419.
• Hybrid working: A mix of office and home working.
• Office base: Doxford Park, moving to Eastgate Point, Hendon.
• Working hours: 36 hours per week, Monday to Friday.
• Early Friday finish: Finish at 12:30 pm every Friday.
• Work-life balance: A standard working week designed to support personal time.
• Certified workplace: Gentoo is certified as a Great Place to Work.
• Development focus: A role with leadership, technical and career growth.
• Community impact: Help improve homes for people across Sunderland.
• Inclusive support: Adjustments are available for candidates with accessibility needs.

How to Apply

Apply through the Gentoo Group recruitment process.

The closing date is 30 May 2026.

Gentoo Group may close the vacancy early if it receives a high number of applications. Early applications are encouraged, because even job adverts now vanish like socks in a washing machine.

If you need support or adjustments during the process, let Gentoo Group know.

Application Tips

Use your CV to show strong Surveying leadership experience. Focus on building surveying, housing investment, fire safety, compliance, CDM 2015, Building Safety Act duties and project delivery. Give clear examples of teams you have led, budgets you have managed and works you have delivered. Mention any experience with fire risk actions, golden thread records, building control applications, asset systems and mid-rise or high-rise buildings.