Property - Building Management

As a Brand Building Manager (BBM), life can start very early in the morning.
Usually up and on the road by 7.00am, destination, anywhere in the country.
A BBM has responsibility for all the sites in their brand throughout the country.
So from Aberdeen to Plymouth, from Margate to Swansea, a meeting can be arranged.

Responsibilities can range from attending and chairing project briefing meetings and site meetings, presenting to the Operations Teams, briefing Licensed House Managers on process changes, meeting planning officers or being present in the office for a meeting.

The role of BBM is very challenging and very rewarding. Life is very varied and the responsibility huge. Refurbishment budgets of £7m, Acquisition budgets of £6.6m, repair budgets of £2m. Special Projects like kitchen equipment rollouts, garden projects and re-branding. There is always something to do, but every day is different and in another part of the country.

The role of the Building Cost Manager (BCM) is governed by the Director of Property's ethos 'overspend is failure'. Three BCMs have the remit to ensure that their respective Channel's Capital Plan is delivered to Budget. The BCMs have key involvement in the formulation of the Capital and Revenue annual budgets, management of all budget variations, and also management of all the required processes for the control and reporting of expenditure to achieve this goal. Whether the project be a £1.5m new build, a £150k refurbishment, a £2.5k installation of a coffee machine, or a £50 call out for the servicing of said coffee machine it is ultimately the BCM's responsibility.

Working closely with their team of external Quantity Surveyors the BCM aims to add value to the Construction process through varying cost analysis techniques, utilising historic data and current market conditions to identify any positive or negative trends that can be addressed.  Along with accuracy, time is a key factor in the reporting process. To this end the BMC facilitates the agreement of final accounts, project closures, and the resolution of any disputes that may occur in a timely manner.

Due to the requirement for process control and extensive cost management the BCM is mainly office based. However, as direct involvement in projects is encouraged and there is a necessity to develop and maintain relationships with the external virtual team, the BCMs will attend site regularly.

The role is primarily to manage Minor Project Delivery in a particular channel of City and Country, Suburban, or Value outlets, all of which may be branded or unbranded. Individual project values can range from £5000 to £120,000 depending on the scale and scope of what is required for an outlet. In any one financial year, an individual Building Manager may be responsible for 120 Minor Projects or more.

A typical week will vary depending on what the priorities are, whether it be briefing meetings at the start of a quarter or handover meetings at the end of the quarter. Each Building Manger is responsible for delivering their programme of minor projects, however a typical week could be split between 1 or 2 days in the office dealing with project administration, e.g.cost approvals and Health and Safety Plans and 3 or 4 days on site in briefing or handover meetings.

The minor project process involves meeting with Operations colleagues and other parties at the outlet in order to put together a comprehensive brief. The scope of the work can range from minor repairs, external redecoration and joinery repairs through to full internal refurbishments and alterations to layouts requiring Planning, Building Regulations, Licensing or other Statutory approvals. Once briefed and agreed, the proposals can then be worked up and quoted for by Contractors. The proposals and quotes need to take into account the Health, Safety and Welfare of all parties involved in or around the project and budgetary constraints. The works must be programmed to be completed with minimal disruption to the business. When costs are approved, start and completion dates are agreed and the site Health and Safety Plan completed and approved.

Building Managers are also often asked to help deal with ad-hoc issues, for example works to comply with Environmental Health requirements or refurbishments to Licensed House Managers flats when moves occur. These need to be dealt with quickly so that issues are resolved by ensuring that the Company is compliant with the regulations and requirements of the Operations Teams.

The role also requires assistance with budget preparation for the following year's Minor Projects. This is undertaken by updating the outlet Condition Survey following completion of a Minor Project, noting any outstanding work required and allocating a budget cost for completion of this, pending the Company's approval.

Close working relationships with Operations colleagues and all internal and external parties are essential to ensure successful delivery of the projects. Communication and planning skills are vital, as are self motivation coupled with drive and willingness to exceed expectations. The role is varied and challenging and there is always something to be done and something new to be learned. Pressure is always there but the role is rewarding and enjoyable.

The main task is to manage the Reactive Maintenance Revenue and Capital Works for approximately 160-200 sites within the defined budgets. This involves a close working relationship with the Area Maintenance Controller and the appointed Contractors to create a team that delivers the service to the appropriate standards of Health & Safety, Time, Quality and Cost. A range of skills and tasks are involved. These include Structured Meetings, Data Analysis, Site and Office Audits, Site Assessment/Specification of Works and Overall Management of a Diverse Team of Contractors. Considerable internal company referral and negotiation is required to ensure maintenance works are managed within other (Project) activity.

Across the year, Structured Site Visits to all sites are required to review and update Fire/Risk Assessments, Condition Surveys and Asbestos Registers. The works resulting from these reviews need to be actioned or recorded in the appropriate format. The ABM works closely with the PPM Team to authorise works identified by statutory inspections, ensuring all required Certification is obtained.

ABMs provide a general Property Support service to a range of customers. The LHM, RBM, BBM and others request support with ad hoc property issues. These include Environmental Health Officer (EHO) Reports with complex issues, Fire Officers Reports, Estate and Unlicensed Property Repairs, Insurance Works, Minor Additions/Alterations and General Advice on many aspects of the building and equipment. Support to the Franchised Estate is provided and we participate in training sessions for New Managers.

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