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What this job is about

We are a forward-looking, team of buildings professionals who are dedicated to caring for the Trust’s diverse portfolio of structures – from castles to cottages, museums to visitor centres, offices to toilet-blocks, sheds and stores – some new, many very old. Although we are viewed as a “central” department of the Trust, we’re dispersed across all parts of the Scottish mainland, supporting 4 Regions (Highlands & Islands, North-East, Edinburgh & East, South & West), our estate at Mar Lodge, and our Head Office in Edinburgh.

The Buildings Team is expanding, and our role is developing to support the Trust’s 10 year Strategy Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone. The Team is managed by the Head of Building Conservation, supported by two Lead Surveyors and the Head of Building Conservation Policy, collectively these individuals act as the Buildings Leadership Group. As a team we manage our own budgets in the region of £3mil this year and projects with a total value in excess of £5 million per annum. We need continually to improve the systems that support the delivery of our work and this role is pivotal in effecting that improvement.

This job supports the smooth running of the Buildings team, through the provision of efficient administrative support and by promoting optimised use of resources, systems and business processes.

Scope of Job

The Team’s lynchpin, providing reliable administrative support and building more efficient processes and systems, you will have deep experience of delivering administrative and business support in a similar, pressurised environment. You will assist national and regional project work applying effective collaboration across teams and departments, good communications skills and a systematic approach to meet objectives. You will require strong relationship management skills, tact and sensitivity to the impact of our activities on others across the Trust. You will be highly numerate, meticulous, conscientious and have high standards of IT literacy and administrative and organisational skill.

You will work closely with the Buildings Leadership Group, to investigate, analyse, and improve the way we do things. You will learn from and liaise with team members and other departments to instigate new systems, toolkits and processes for planning and overseeing work to our buildings and keeping accurate and accessible records of that work. You will develop presentation and reporting tools to ensure that we communicate our work to senior leaders in the Trust accurately and concisely. You will liaise with our Communications Team and partner organisations to ensure that we engage and inform stakeholders, members and the wider public in our work.

Everyday will be different but the constant will be the impact of your work in helping the Team and the Trust to care for its buildings in the most efficient and cost effective way, delivering excellence in building conservation and environmental and financial sustainability, whilst maximising opportunities for engagement.

Building Conservation Team structure:

The Building Conservation Team is positioned in the wider Conservation & Policy Team, which incorporates the Trust’s nature, collections and buildings conservation experts.

Key Responsibilities

The purposes of the role, within the scope above, are fulfilled by:

Data management
• Managing data flow and analysis across the Team’s project work with a particular focus on the management of Excel spreadsheets.
• Assisting with the analysis, preparation and presentation of data relating to Buildings Team activities to audiences including the Board of Trustees and Trust Executive Committee.

Financial and Business Management
• Providing financial administration to projects and planned maintenance and developing universal systems of budget, outcome and programme monitoring.
• Working with our Finance colleagues and Regional Business Managers to manage and monitor project and operational budgets including systems for early warning of under or overspend.
• Supporting the Head of Building Conservation in the management and monitoring of grant funding and capital and operational budgets, ensuring that accurate, up to date information is available and providing regular reports.
• Liaising with our Procurement, Finance and Insurance colleagues to administer the procurement of external services and the letting of contracts.
• Input into initiatives led by other departments, including information gathering eg for internal audit, wider research or governance purposes.

Concept Development & Key Initiatives
• With the Buildings Leadership Group, analyse our working practices and develop options for improving the efficiency of our business processes.
• Support and work with inter-departmental groups to embed new ways of working into our wider practice to improve the care of our buildings and our efficiency in delivering that care.

Administrative Support
• Direct business support to the Head of Building Conservation and Building Leadership Group, including diary, correspondence and meetings management and communications.
• Administration and record keeping for the Buildings Team including developing and managing the Team’s SharePoint site and all records and information pertaining to our work, arranging and minuting meetings and general administration support.
• Developing a system to manage and monitor travel and subsistence with a view to improving efficiency and reducing the Team’s environmental impact.
• Maintain team records including annual leave, expenses etc.
• Manage confidential contract and personnel information with appropriate controls.
• Supporting recruitment and inductions for new members of staff.
• Be a pivotal member of the Buildings Team, flexible and versatile using initiative and a solutions driven approach to getting things done.

Dimensions of the Role

Compliance & Controls Management
• Maintain Team Records and ensure that all People forms and information are kept up to date.
• Maintain rolling records of team compliance with mandatory training.
• Maintain a library of tender prices and monitor fluctuations.
• Maintain lists of regularly used contractors and consultants, including monitoring performance to develop future KPI’s and approved lists.

People Management
• No direct People Management role.
• Manages relationships within the various project programmes with a wide range of internal & external stakeholders.

Budget management
• No direct budget management role but direct input into the management of budgets held by the Head of Building Conservation.
• Maintain systems for management of purchase order preparation and invoice payment agreed with Finance.
• Liaise with Regional Business Managers and Finance to manage budgets across Building Team activities.

Health & Safety, Environment Matters
• Assist with producing risk assessments and maintain a register of current risk assessments, including lone working. Put in place frequent review of suitability and adequate scope.
• Maintain a record of team members’ training requirements and compliance, particularly in relation to health and safety.
• Promote a safe working environment in all aspects of our work and seek opportunities to contribute to the Trust’s negative carbon target.

Stakeholder Management
• Upholding high standards of relationship management and collaboration with internal stakeholders (senior management, trustees, technical experts, operational leaders and staff) and external partners, consultants and contractors.

Required Qualifications, Skills, Experience and Knowledge

Essential Qualifications
• Relevant degree or qualification (or equivalent technical knowledge) in administration, business or Information management.
• A full, clean driving license for driving in the UK .

Essential Experience
• Prior experience with operational executive support and reporting for a team managing complex, high value project work.
• Experience in applying initiative and organisational skills to get the job done.
• Experience of supporting the administration of contracts and project administration including budget, risk, programme management and procurement.
• Experience of analysis and presentation of complex data, with expertese in managing and analysing Excel spreadsheets.
• An understanding of basic financial accounting principles.
• Advanced computer skills, particularly Office 365 applications and familiarity with SharePoint.

Desirable Experience
• Experience of working in a similar role supporting construction activities, would be an advantage.

Behaviours & Skills
• Exemplifies the Trusts core values: Caring – Brave – Curious – Vibrant – Inclusive: https://www.nts.org.uk/our-work/our-manifesto-and-values
• Supports co-workers and actively works to support an inclusive and open working environment.
• Great communicator and listener able to frame reports for a variety of audiences.
• Smooths relationships when difficult circumstances prevail and develops a culture of trust within and outside the team.
• Maintains confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Logical and objective with good understanding of business environment.
• Highly numerate, accurate and efficient, able to work under pressure and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Actively seeks opportunities, practicing and encouraging a culture of excellence, raising standards, reducing errors and overcoming omissions.
• Brings a sense of urgency to situations, demonstrates an active approach, willing to get involved in order to increase the pace and achieve goals and objectives.
• Solutions orientated, a completer finisher, who gets the job done.
• Self-motivated, proactive and able to use initiative whilst seeking out opportunities to learn and develop new skills.
• Creates a positive, collaborative and innovative atmosphere and with strong interpersonal skills.

The Key Responsibilities, Scope of Job, and Required Qualifications, Skills, Experience & Knowledge reflect the requirements of the job at the time of issue. The Trust reserves the right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or his/her general abilities.

Application Deadline: Sunday 02/07/2023