Job Description

On behalf of The Government Property Agency, we are looking for a Deputy Director (Property Portfolio Management) Inside IR35 for a 9 month contract based Hybrid working (1/2 days per week in Birmingham or Leeds office and remaining WFH)



The Government Property Agency is an Executive Agency of the cabinet office. It is changing the way the Civil Service works and is at the forefront of Government's transformation agenda; reshaping the relationship civil servants have with their place of work. The Agency is central to the delivery of key Government policies including moving 22,000 Civil Service roles out of London by 2030 and tackling climate change by contributing to the Net Zero agenda. To do this we are delivering a major change programme across the UK and consolidating our portfolio in order to save 1.4 Bn over 10 years.



Beyond the bricks and mortar, the GPA is about providing great workplaces for our people.



This is an ambitious and exciting task, for which we need innovative people, with strong commercial acumen, who are passionate about visualising and implementing customer needs.

Description:

A national role within the GPA Property team to oversee and lead key aspects of our service delivery which will enhance client satisfaction and drive a commercial approach to the GPA's delivery of property management and corporate real estate services.



Working closely with the Property Director and the two regional Deputy Directors to shape and lead the delivery of property services, the post holder will be responsible for the management of GPA's Strategic Property Partnership contract ensuring the delivery of all services to the required standards and delivering KPIs as well as leading on creating a "one team" ethos to improve satisfaction across GPA's clients and to drive an increasingly commercial approach.



This role will also be pivotal in driving forward the organisation's Portfolio plans to ensure there is a clear road map for delivery in all GPA locations. They will be key in building and maintaining strong relationships with relevant private and public players across the property sector and will lead on the use of data to generate insights and inform planning for a smaller, better, greener portfolio. Provide visible, inclusive leadership to multidisciplinary teams, fostering a high-performance



The main duties and responsibilities of the Deputy Director (Property Portfolio Management) would be:

Portfolio Management: Lead the strategic oversight of the national property portfolio, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives, optimising use of assets, and supporting workplace transformation and space optimisation. Manage the end-to-end programme of projects and initiatives to deliver planned outcomes, including commercial development, refurbishment, and redevelopment schemes. Oversee robust portfolio governance, demand management, and prioritisation processes to maximise value and mitigate risk. Investment Strategy: Inform long-term investment strategies that balance commercial opportunities, public value, and statutory obligations. Lead the preparation of compelling business cases and investment proposals, ensuring rigorous financial and risk analysis. Ensure investment strategies reflect the organisation's obligations as occupier and employer, including compliance with the Equality Act and Civil Service requirements. SR Planning and Delivery: Oversee preparation for Spending Reviews on behalf of the Property team, working with finance colleagues to secure funding and demonstrate the affordability and benefits of business cases. Monitor and report on delivery against SR commitments, proactively managing variances and escalating risks where required. Asset and Property Management: Provide strategic leadership for the management of freehold and leasehold assets across the portfolio, ensuring properties are safe, compliant, and fit for purpose. Champion the Greening Government agenda and sustainability standards throughout the asset lifecycle. Oversee planned and reactive asset maintenance strategies to protect asset value and reduce lifecycle costs. Financial Oversight: Maintain clear oversight of budgets, expenditure, and cost assurance across programmes and projects. Develop financial benchmarks and controls to respond to market inflation, manage affordability, and deliver value for money. Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting to senior stakeholders and central government. Asset Transfers and Disposals: Lead the strategic planning and execution of asset transfers, disposals, and acquisitions, working closely with legal, commercial, and property teams. Ensure transactions achieve optimal commercial outcomes while complying with government policies and governance requirements. KPI and Performance Optimisation: Define and monitor key performance indicators across portfolio delivery, including programme milestones, financial performance, and benefits realisation. Use management information and insight to drive continuous improvement and optimise performance across teams and suppliers. Stakeholder and Supplier Management: Oversee supplier performance, ensuring delivery to agreed standards, effective contract management, and resolution of complex issues. Develop and maintain effective relationships with senior stakeholders, including Ministers, departmental clients, and strategic partners.

You'll be:

A commercially astute and strategically-minded property leader to take forward a critical portfolio leadership role. Bringing deep expertise in property portfolio management, investment strategy, and asset optimisation, with a strong focus on financial control, stakeholder confidence, and delivering value for money. A dynamic, credible individual who thrives in a complex, high-accountability environment. Confident working autonomously while also providing inclusive leadership and working collaboratively across disciplines. Likely to have held senior leadership roles in commercial property, estates strategy or asset management, ideally within a public sector or government-facing environment. Someone who brings a combination of sharp analytical thinking, strategic influence, and strong operational delivery, paired with personal qualities such as resilience, relationship-building, and a results-driven approach.

Essential:

Senior-level experience in the property, asset management or real estate sector, with clear evidence of shaping and delivering portfolio strategies and investment programmes. Strong understanding of the UK property market and emerging sector drivers, ideally gained through holding strategic leadership roles in a commercial environment. Experience overseeing complex property contracts and supplier partnerships, with a focus on achieving value for money and managing performance at scale. Expertise in managing budget oversight, investment appraisals, and strategic business case development within a high-value property portfolio. Able to influence and build effective relationships at all levels with customers and suppliers alike through strong interpersonal and communication skills. Strong personal and professional presence with the ability and gravitas to gain credibility with stakeholders at the most senior levels. Well organised with the ability to prioritise to ensure outcomes are delivered and customer satisfaction always remains at the highest level. Appropriate qualification in a property discipline and/or professional accreditation of a relevant property body (e.g. MRICS, MCIOB, CIWFM or equivalent), or equivalent experience and willingness to obtain accreditation upon appointment

Desirable:

Experience collecting, managing and interpreting property data (e.g. through systems such as MRI Horizon) to build detailed plans, inform investment decisions and drive performance improvement across a complex portfolio. Extensive experience operating in complex delivery environments, with a proven track record of senior leadership in strategic planning, performance optimisation, risk management, and transformation initiatives. Familiarity with government property strategy, public estate management, or departmental spending review processes.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.



DE&I Commitment



GPA guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.



In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".