Asset Manager
Summary
About the job
Job summary
The Government Property Agency is the largest property holder in government, with more than £2.1 billion in property assets and over 55% of the government’s office estate.
We are transforming the way the Civil Service works by creating great places to work, leading the largest commercial office programme in the UK, working towards halving carbon emissions from government offices, and achieving greater value for taxpayers. And we are looking for innovative, solutions-focused people to join our team.
Representing the best covenant in the UK – His Majesty’s Government – we are leading significant transformational programmes such as the Government Hubs Programme, Whitehall Campus Programme and Net Zero Programme. We are also delivering cost-effective property services such as asset management, lifecycle replacement and workplace services.
Innovation and progress underpin our behaviours. We foster a culture of lifelong learning, where curiosity and self-improvement are encouraged. Our four core values are at the heart of everything we do. They shape our culture and guide how we work, lead and grow together:
- Striving for excellence- We always aim to deliver great results
- Empowering through respect- We insist on fair treatment for all, always
- Acting with integrity- We consistently do the right thing
- Succeeding together- We rely on each other to achieve success
We are committed to representing the communities we serve by making Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) part of everything we do. Our strong emphasis on EDI is not just about driving inclusion across our organisation, it is also about ensuring our services meet the needs of government departments and the civil servants who use our spaces. To ensure that we are always recruiting and retaining a diverse mix of talent, we are particularly inviting applications from candidates who are disabled, ethnically or gender diverse, and people who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Join our dynamic and diverse team that leads with purpose, improving sustainability, nurturing social value, driving inclusivity and flexibility, and kickstarting economic growth. We are driven by purpose, and you can be part of it too: where you make a meaningful impact; where you influence; where your voice really matters; where you help to shape our future direction.
Job description
The role involves working with the team to implement strategic direction and GPA Agendas ensuring the financial viability of the GPA and enable the GPA to fulfil its mission and objectives.
Through the effective delivery of asset planning the principal purpose of the role is to provide both Landlord Services, ensuring internal leases are in place for the accurate recovery of costs and maximisation of income from our customers, and Occupier Management, to mitigate Head Lease liabilities and reduce cost.
Key Responsibilities
- Building and managing relationships with multiple stakeholders within and outside GPA at peer level to deliver GPA and Clients’ business requirements
- Responsible for budgeting for property portfolio and approving payables and receivable including rent, rates, service charges and other property management costs and charges
- Supporting GPA Finance in their production of Client / Property budgets
- Instruct & lead the Property Partner in the creation of new occupation agreements and varying of existing agreements by engagement with clients and client managers & colleagues within GPA eg Transactions Managers.
- Where required, line Management of the Assistant Asset Manager and contingent labour
- Management of the GPA Strategic Property Partner to provide the effective Property Asset Management at a property level
- Responsible for the creation, management and delivery of Strategic Asset Management Plans at a property level
- Ensure the accurate and timely completion of all property data by the Strategic Property Partner on the GPA property database (Horizon)
- Ensure Head Lease compliance to mitigate risk and reduce cost including dilapidations and Licences to Assign and Alter and other lease obligations
- Understand and communicate best practice and innovation
Person specification
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities and wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a sense of belonging in a workplace where everyone feels valued.
For this role, successful applicants will be experienced chartered surveyors, capable of working with minimal supervision. They should also be strong team players with an ability to work across GPA teams and their partners, taking on the leadership of tasks where required.
Experience and Technical Skills
Essential criteria:
- Must hold MRICS / FRICS
- Demonstrate extensive experience of managing a large commercial property portfolio
- Experience of drafting clear and concise reports and confidence in presenting these to senior management / stakeholders
Desirable criteria:
- Have a solid understanding of all aspects of Real Estate Management and the experience of asset pipeline management across multi let portfolios, ideally within a multi-client environment, preferably with expertise in commercial office assets and at a scale and level of complexity commensurate with regional portfolios within GPA.
- Must have a strong customer focus, with the experience of leading service provision against recognised standard KPIs and with demonstrable track record of achieving strong commercial outcomes through innovation and continuous improvement.
- A high degree of personal resilience, tenacity and focus on outcomes. Able to deal with ambiguity, and navigate often complex and demanding regulatory, commercial and political landscapes, all the time maintaining a focus on achieving measurable and impactful results.
- Strong interpersonal, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to operate, gain trust, be credible and build effective and productive relationships at all levels within an organisation, including at most senior levels.
- Ability to work effectively within a team, seeking collaborative solutions, building relationships and supporting others in the development of an effective performance-based culture.
Qualifications and Accreditations
Essential criteria: Must hold MRICS / FRICS
Desirable criteria: Leadership and / or project management qualification or substantial CPD evidence / experience in these fields
Qualifications
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Customer Perspective
- Commercial Acumen
- Property Market Knowledge
- Innovation
- Presentation
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Selection process details
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities and wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and well-being and aim to create a sense of belonging in a workplace where everyone feels valued. The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme (RIS) to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Please note – At this time GPA are unable to offer any Visa Sponsorship to candidates as we do not currently hold a visa sponsorship licence. Please do not apply for permanent roles with GPA if you will require your employer to take on the sponsorship of your current or any future visas.
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Sift
As part of the application process, you will be asked to include a CV and a 500-word personal statement. The personal statement should align with the person specification.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
The sift is due to take place week commencing 7th September 2026.
Interview
GPA policy is for interviews to be held face to face, with virtual interviews only by absolute exception. The date and location will be confirmed if you are invited to interview. If you feel this will be a problem for you, please contact recruitment@gpa.gov.uk to discuss prior to submitting your application.
At interview, applicants will be scored against 3 behaviours – Working Together, Making Effective Decisions and Communicating and Influencing.
Interview questions will be a blend of Behaviour, Experience, Technical (core skill) and a Presentation.
If you are invited for an interview, you will be asked to give a 5 minute presentation setting out the opportunities for occupancy cost reductions through the use of asset management & matrix working opportunities.
Your presentation should make reference to existing GPA systems such as CRM, MRI Horizon, and Power BI as well as any other systems you think may be relevant as well as how you would work with other within GPA and its partners to achieve this. Please give examples of where you have demonstrated innovation in cost reduction previously which you deem to be relevant. Your presentation must be available to be presented digitally and should include the opportunity for questions.
Your presentation should be submitted in advance of your interview by email.
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to GPA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via gparecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name :Caroline Courtney
- Email :caroline.courtney@gpa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email :recruitment@gpa.gov.uk