Service Category: Development

Staff Stories – Neil Wotherspoon

Our latest Staff Stories episode has two special guests! 

Neil Wotherspoon, Senior Director in our Edinburgh office, dives into his career journey, his motivations and how he fits work and life together. Most importantly we also get to hear from his daughters, Chloe & Imogen, telling us what their dad’s work is really all about!

Office Administrator

We have an opportunity for a people facing office administrator to join a growing building consultancy to give support to team members located within our Bristol office. Due to the nature of this opportunity, and the people facing requirements, this is an office based role. Training opportunities are available to support progression to compile complicated secretarial reports and support the technical team.

As well as supporting the day-to-day smooth running and efficiencies of the Bristol office, meeting and greeting visitors and setting up meeting rooms, there is a requirement for proficient professional secretarial skills, compiling commercial building surveying reports, audio typing and taking meeting minutes.

Existing client facing experience is essential but for the particulars of the role full training will be provided.

Key accountabilities

  1. Office management and administration
  2. Travel bookings including train, hotels and flights
  3. Ordering of office supplies, stationery, coffee, milk, fruit and refreshments for meetings.
  4. Meet and greet visitors and provide refreshments (the office is on the 3rd floor)
  5. Setting up meeting rooms (including lunch/refreshments where needed) and ensuring IT equipment is working as required. Tidying up once meeting is complete.
  6. PA support to Senior Directors
  7. First aider and fire Marshall (training can be provided)
  8. Support arranging office events.
  9. Dead filing
  10. General typing, copying, collating as necessary to ensure the efficient running of the team.
  11. Photocopying and binding reports and documents as necessary, with the progress towards sustainable methods of data share, utilise the digital technologies available at TFT to reduce the need for physical report production.
  12. Reception duties: answering telephone calls, take accurate messages and circulate them in a timely manner. Be able confident to manage difficult calls.
  13. Setting up meeting rooms (including lunch/refreshments where needed) and ensuring IT equipment is working as required. Tidying up once meeting is complete.
  14. General housekeeping for the office, ensure the space is kept tidy, including arrangements for the disposal of confidential waste, arranging service/fault calls for IT and office equipment, keeping the notice boards up to date.
  15. Diary management of the meeting spaces for internal and external meetings, arranging appointments, booking travel and accommodation.
  16. Dealing with the incoming and outgoing post and taking parcels to the post office when needed.
  17. Liaison with the Knowledge Hub during peak times, absence and holidays to ensure that the effectiveness of the support services team is not compromised
  18. Any other reasonable tasks that may be required as part of the role to support the office/team.

Performance criteria

  1. Ability to flex to a range of tasks as required
  2. Self starter able to think on your feet
  3. Document formatting skills
  4. Professional telephone manner
  5. Good knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
  6. Ensure that all documents issued and systems operated comply with the TFT standards.
  7. Comply with TFT management systems and policies, utilising Core and inter-related IT Systems.

Skills and behaviour

  1. Willingness to learn new skills and be flexible with a can do approach
  2. Strong capability with technology and wiling embrace new systems
  3. Excellent administration, communication and organisational skills
  4. Proactive approach to tasks, ability to prioritise effectively
  5. Reliable and able to use your own initiative
  6. Able to work independently and as part of a team
  7. Flexibility to support office administration needs
  8. Accuracy with attention to detail
  9. Confidentiality

What’s in it for you?

Competitive salary offered plus benefits: Private Health Care (after 6 months), Life Assurance, 25 days holiday, 1 day charity leave and 1 wellbeing day per year.

Cycle scheme and interest free season ticket loan and company contributory pension scheme on completion of probationary period.

About TFT

TFT is the leading independent firm of Development, Built Asset & Engineering and Sustainability consultants. We place the wellbeing of people and the performance of buildings at the heart of everything we do.

We’re proud of our reputation for integrity and delivering work of the highest quality, blended with commercial pragmatism. We offer a strong track record across all commercial property sectors, advising investors, developers, occupiers and owners on maximising best property asset values. Diversity and strength in depth is important to us. Whether it be a technical thought leader with a career’s experience – or a recently qualified rising star – in today’s risk averse world you need people on your side with a reputation for diligence, transparency, intellect and commercial insight. Clients see TFT as large enough to provide the expertise and resources to get the best from their portfolios, and small enough for it to matter personally.

We have over 180 Senior Directors and employees operating from a network of offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Guildford, London, Manchester, Leeds and Southampton.

TFT is passionate about people development and will provide you with excellent and progressive career opportunities and sponsored learning.

We are BCorp Certified!

As TFT’s impact on the world has grown with the size of our business and the scale of our client services, we are determined that our future growth continues to be positive and sustainable. BCorp certification enables us to do just that, by recognising the highest standards of social and environmental performance and aligning our ongoing efforts with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. https://www.tftconsultants.com/tft-is-a-certified-b-corp/

DEI at TFT

At TFT we don’t aim to tick boxes and count numbers and percentages, we create an environment where anyone, from any background and life experience, can do their best work. We empower you to bring your full, authentic self to work. We are diverse by nature and inclusive by choice.

If you’re driven to perform, you’ll fit right in, we approach work fearlessly, learn quickly and improve constantly. A bright idea can come from anyone. We believe diversity drives innovation.

Our approach to diversity, equity and inclusion is simple – we embrace everyone. We wouldn’t approach a building survey in a one-dimensional way, so we don’t our people.

Secretary

An excellent opportunity for a commercial/professional services secretary to join a growing national building consultancy. You will join the team providing full secretarial and administrative support to senior directors and the technical team, as well as working with the secretarial team members across the national team. The role will also include office administration, meeting support and greeting visitors.

This position will be office based to be on hand to support the team. However, we are willing to consider Monday – Thursday with core hours of 9.30-3.30pm.

Key accountabilities

  • Provide an accurate secretarial support service at the Birmingham location, undertaking audio, copy typing re-formatting documents as required.
  • Compilation of complex reports, utilising TFT templates.
  • Reception duties; answering telephone calls, taking messages, meeting/greeting visitors, and providing refreshments as necessary.
  • Data entry into our document management system, this will include raising purchase orders, raising fee invoices, and relevant data management.
  • General housekeeping for the office, ensure the space is kept tidy, including arrangements for the disposal of confidential waste, arranging service/fault calls for IT and office equipment, keeping the notice boards up to date.
  • Ordering of office supplies, stationery, coffee, milk, fruit and refreshments for meetings.
  • Booking accommodation (through Premier Inn), travel (Trainline) and flights as necessary for the staff located in Birmingham, across the business when necessary.
  • Liaison with the Knowledge Hub during peak times, absence and holidays to ensure that the effectiveness of the support services team is not compromised.
  • Any other reasonable tasks that may be required as part of the role to support the office/team, including arranging staff events.

Performance criteria

  • Ability to flex to a range of tasks as required
  • Document formatting skills
  • Professional telephone manner
  • Good knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
  • Ensure that all documents issued and systems operated comply with the TFT standards.
  • Comply with TFT management systems and policies, utilising Core and inter-related IT Systems.

Skills and behaviour

  • Willingness to learn new skills and be flexible with a can do approach
  • Strong capability with technology and embracing new systems
  • Excellent administration, communication and organisational skills
  • Proactive approach to tasks, ability to prioritise effectively
  • Reliable and able to use your own initiative
  • Able to work independently and as part of a team
  • Flexibility to support office administration needs
  • Accuracy with attention to detail
  • Confidentiality

What’s in it for you?

Competitive salary offered plus benefits: Private Health Care (after 6 months), Life Assurance, 25 days holiday, 1 day charity leave and 1 wellbeing day per year.

Cycle scheme and interest free season ticket loan and company contributory pension scheme on completion of probationary period.

About TFT

TFT is the leading independent firm of Development, Built Asset & Engineering and Sustainability consultants. We place the wellbeing of people and the performance of buildings at the heart of everything we do.

We’re proud of our reputation for integrity and delivering work of the highest quality, blended with commercial pragmatism. We offer a strong track record across all commercial property sectors, advising investors, developers, occupiers and owners on maximising best property asset values. Diversity and strength in depth is important to us. Whether it be a technical thought leader with a career’s experience – or a recently qualified rising star – in today’s risk averse world you need people on your side with a reputation for diligence, transparency, intellect and commercial insight. Clients see TFT as large enough to provide the expertise and resources to get the best from their portfolios, and small enough for it to matter personally.

We have over 190 employees operating from a network of offices in Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Guildford, London, Manchester, Leeds and Southampton.

TFT is passionate about people development and will provide you with excellent and progressive career opportunities and sponsored learning.

We are BCorp Certified!

As TFT’s impact on the world has grown with the size of our business and the scale of our client services, we are determined that our future growth continues to be positive and sustainable. BCorp certification enables us to do just that, by recognising the highest standards of social and environmental performance and aligning our ongoing efforts with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

DEI at TFT

At TFT we don’t aim to tick boxes and count numbers and percentages, we create an environment where anyone, from any background and life experience, can do their best work. We empower you to bring your full, authentic self to work. We are diverse by nature and inclusive by choice.

If you’re driven to perform, you’ll fit right in, we approach work fearlessly, learn quickly and improve constantly. A bright idea can come from anyone. We believe diversity drives innovation.

Our approach to diversity, equity and inclusion is simple – we welcome everyone.

 

 

Funding a more sustainable built environment: the Loan Market Association in conversation with TFT

The Loan Market Association (LMA) is the voice of the EMEA syndicated loan market, whose members include lenders, law firms, borrowers and regulators, many of whom fund commercial property developments and navigating the challenges of funding a more sustainable built environment.

As part of the LMA’s mission to share best practice and expert insight, Hannah Vanstone met with Mat Lown, TFT’s Chief Knowledge & ESG Officer, to discuss our industry’s progress in delivering a more sustainable built environment, and the ways in which lenders and investors can help to support that work.

In a new article for the LMA, Mat discusses:

  • How sustainability considerations impact developer decision-making
  • Widening adoption of circular construction approaches
  • The challenges and opportunities for retrofit works

All this and more can be found in the full interview, here.

Alex Jackson

Alex is an Associate Director based in Belfast and serves clients across both Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI). With expertise in contract administration, technical due diligence (TDD), dilapidations, and planned preventative maintenance (PPM surveys, Alex has contributed to a wide range of projects in both commercial and healthcare sectors.

Notably, Alex played a key role in the reinstatement of the Cathedral Buildings, a grade B1 listed building in Belfast after extensive fire damage. Recently, Alex provided technical due diligence expertise for the purchase of the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin on behalf of Archer Capital. Beyond traditional surveying, Alex’s expertise in geomatics has fuelled a passion for adopting innovative technologies and techniques into his projects. This commitment ensures a more efficient and higher standard of information gathering, enabling Alex to better advise clients.

Read more

Hello.

Outside of work I like to stay active either in the gym doing CrossFit, playing in my weekly 5-aside game or playing golf on the weekends (and evenings if I’m allowed). The golf bug bit me about 4 years ago and I get out to play whenever I can, but don’t be fooled, regular playing time doesn’t necessarily translate to being good!

I’m also a diehard Tottenham Hotspur fan and enjoy going to as many home and away games as I can. Nothing ruins my Saturday more than a bad round of golf or Spurs losing a game. Unfortunately, both happen on a fairly regular basis!

Evgenia Budanova

Evgenia is an Associate at TFT with 11 years of experience in the Environmental field across the UK and internationally.

Her expertise covers passive environmental design, energy strategies, sustainable master planning (daylight and sunlight, solar radiation), overheating analysis, building envelope and thermal building performance. She also accomplished multiple BREEAM projects on pre-assessment, design and post construction stages across the UK.

Evgenia worked on a wide variety of the projects within sustainability sector including residential, care homes, offices, retail, hospitality, leisure and educational buildings. She has experience in educational projects promoting sustainability in schools and regularly teaching ecology and sustainability in a Sunday school. She is Level 5 Non-Domestic Energy Assessor, which allows her to issue the highest level of assessment withing the formal Energy Performance framework.

Read more

Hello.

In the past 13 years, I worked as a Sustainability consultant in PRP and ChapmanBDSP trying to make this world a better place by putting together all sorts of environmental reports. I accept that the amount of paper used for this purpose wasn’t an environmentally friendly act.

I have two little (10 and 5 y.o) blond male tornadoes at home who regularly destroy the house and train me to put their toys back to the place making sure that I spend my time efficiently.

Belfast

Staff Stories – Dan Henn

We caught up with Dan Henn, our Chief Growth Officer and project manager on many of our clients’ major schemes, to find out about how he found the industry back in the 1990s, and his highlights from nearly 30 years delivering client projects of all shapes and sizes. 

Director of Building Surveying (Dilapidations Specialist)

As a result of continuing business growth and client demand, we have an exceptional new opportunity for a Director of Building Surveying to grow the dilapidations service line and deliver work for our clients, working for high profile investor, institutional logistics and retail clients. You will help lead the dilapidations service line across TFT, forging relationships with both internal and external investment and institutional clients to deliver market leading consultancy advice.

As well as working to develop and grow the service line across TFT, you will be working with existing clients such as Railpen, Aviva Investors, Legal & General, Grainger, Knight Frank Investment Management, GIC, abrdn, and M&G delivering on a range of high-profile projects across several sectors, including industrial, office, purpose-built student accommodation and build to rent.

As a commercially focused consultant, you will be helping us to grow our Dilapidations services, maintain and further develop client relationships and diversify the range of our current service offering, as well as progressing your own career. You will be expected to help lead the service line and support the below actions:

  1. Coordinate business development, marketing, resourcing, and knowledge sharing, across all offices
  2. Champion the service line internally; driving improvements to working practices including templates and quality control
  3. Advocate and oversee operational and process improvement, promoting innovation and new ways of working.
  4. Drive and manage consistency and adherence to best practice
  5. Promote the service line externally for new and existing clients, supporting marketing as required
  6. Identify service line priorities and link back to the service line business plan, update annually
  7. Set service line SMART actions and deliver; updating progress quarterly
  8. Celebrate service line successes internally and externally
  9. Ensure marketing materials are up to date – case studies, capability statements
  10. Develop a community of practice and share across the firm
  11. Support the development of others within the business

Key accountabilities and deliverables

  1. Manage and drive TFT’s dilapidations bringing a profile of technical strength and commercial excellent, to complement the existing team, and that established by TFT across the UK.
  2. As well as being a hands-on delivery role for a wide range of Building Surveying, you will work with the dilapidations Senior Director to help develop and deliver against a business plan for dilapidations across TFT.
  3. Support the management and development of the technical team, to deliver quality dilapidations services to existing and new clients.
  4. End to end building surveying delivery
  5. Achieving performance targets (fee delivery and business development)
  6. Liaise with the Service Hub Leaders across Built Asset, Development and Engineering & Sustainability to align services with strategic goals and performance standards
  7. Network effectively with existing commercial clients and agreed targets.

Performance criteria

  1. Relevant degree equivalent qualification and MRICS
  2. Personable and confident with industry contacts
  3. Hands-on high-quality delivery of technical services, demonstrating expertise in dilapidations
  4. Gain client trust with regard to commercial confidentiality be a direct contact for instructions
  5. Demonstrable ability to influence, lead and respond constructively to challenges
  6. Existing building surveying and dilapidations client base with potential to generate new work and introductions
  7. Attain financial targets (2.5 base salary for Directors), and support and manage the performance of others
  8. Engage with the team to win work and deliver profitability

Skills and behaviour

  1. Inspire others to achieve, and help in their development, through mentoring, coaching and achieving engaging appraisal discussions.
  2. Demonstrate excellent team skills, embracing the support and expertise of the wider TFT business
  3. Prioritise work effectively to enable quality of work and wellbeing for self and team
  4. Client facing and comfortable in business development
  5. Able to handle multiple jobs and manage your own workload
  6. Risk-manage through best practice aligned with TFT Risk Management Guidance protocol
  7. Confident and concise communicator both verbally and in writing
  8. Technology oriented to share information centrally

Knowledge

  1. Be aware of the latest commercial property challenges technically and commercially
  2. Be aware of market trends to inform business direction
  3. Identify areas of personal development to enhance performance.
  4. Be aware of the latest TFT research on Redefining Building Performance, and such other industry/TFT research that is relevant to clients

What’s in it for you?

  • Flexible & hybrid working
  • Competitive salary and car allowance
  • Fee Plus bonus scheme, mobile phone & laptop, personal accident cover, private health care (after 6 months), life assurance, 27 days holiday, 1 day charity leave per year and annual wellbeing day. Company contributory pension scheme after 3 months.
  • Season ticket loan and cycle scheme on completion of probationary period.

About TFT

TFT is the leading independent firm of Development, Built Asset & Engineering and Sustainability consultants. We place the wellbeing of people and the performance of buildings at the heart of everything we do.

We’re proud of our reputation for integrity and delivering work of the highest quality, blended with commercial pragmatism. We offer a strong track record across all commercial property sectors, advising investors, developers, occupiers and owners on maximising best property asset values. Diversity and strength in depth is important to us. Whether it be a technical thought leader with a career’s experience – or a recently qualified rising star – in today’s risk averse world you need people on your side with a reputation for diligence, transparency, intellect and commercial insight. Clients see TFT as large enough to provide the expertise and resources to get the best from their portfolios, and small enough for it to matter personally.

We have over 180 Senior Directors and employees operating from a network of offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Guildford, London, Manchester, Leeds and Southampton.

TFT is passionate about people development and will provide you with excellent and progressive career opportunities and sponsored learning.

We are BCorp Certified!

As TFT’s impact on the world has grown with the size of our business and the scale of our client services, we are determined that our future growth continues to be positive and sustainable. BCorp certification enables us to do just that, by recognising the highest standards of social and environmental performance and aligning our ongoing efforts with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. https://www.tftconsultants.com/tft-is-a-certified-b-corp/

DEI at TFT

At TFT we don’t aim to tick boxes and count numbers and percentages, we create an environment where anyone, from any background and life experience, can do their best work. We empower you to bring your full, authentic self to work. We are diverse by nature and inclusive by choice.

If you’re driven to perform, you’ll fit right in, we approach work fearlessly, learn quickly and improve constantly. A bright idea can come from anyone. We believe diversity drives innovation.

Our approach to diversity, equity and inclusion is simple – we embrace everyone. We wouldn’t approach a building survey in a one-dimensional way, so we don’t our people.

 

 

Senior Geomatics Surveyor – flexible location

Working in conjunction with TFT Senior Directors and the Geomatics service line lead, assist in the growth of the TFT Geomatics service line by delivering measured survey services to clients. Geomatics is a key growth area for TFT and the opportunity exists for the right individual to help drive and grow this service line. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing a range of survey deliverables, with a key focus on survey data capture and measured survey drawing production. You will be expected to help manage and mentor junior staff, whilst acting as a lead surveyor for a variety of projects.

You will be part of a flexible and very supportive environment with great opportunities for career progression.

The right candidate will be willing to travel UK wide but will be based in our London or one of our South East Offices.

Key accountabilities

  1. Promote all geomatics activities to both existing TFT clients and potential new clients. Offering a service which goes above and beyond the norm.
  2. Manage and coordinate surveying and technical aspects of projects once client instruction has been received. Producing survey drawings/models to client specification within the appropriate timescales.
  3. To share information and knowledge with TFT staff on all aspects of data collection, processing and presentation, encouraging all aspects of “best practice”. Training and mentoring junior staff members to ensure all projects are delivered on time and to a high standard.
  4. Mentoring Junior staff through their RICS APC (preferred)
  5. Manage and deliver a variety of Geomatics services, including, but not limited to:
    1. Measured building surveys
    2. Topographical surveys
    3. RICS Code of Measuring Practice (GIA/NIA/GEA)
    4. IPMS reporting
    5. Lease plan drawings
    6. Boundary queries
    7. 3D walkthrough/Matterport spaces
    8. UAV/Drone inspections and topographical surveys
    9. Utility surveys
    10. 3D Revit models
    11. City models/GIS applications
    12. Setting out

Performance criteria

  1. Proficient in AutoCAD and a strong understanding of all 2D and 3D measured survey deliverables including Floor plans, elevations, sections and topographical surveys.
  2. Ability to produce high quality measured survey deliverables to a high standard of accuracy and detail. Managing multiple projects at once and utilising internal resource to ensure projects are delivered within the appropriate timescales.
  3. Ability to demonstrate experience of good client relationship management.
  4. Strong knowledge of utilising Total Stations, GPS/GNSS and LiDAR scanners.
  5. Knowledge of AutoCAD, N4CE (or similar), Revit and Leica’s Cyclone suite to produce survey deliverables as requested.
  6. Strong knowledge of all RICS measurement Standards and Guidelines.
  7. Undertake all other reasonable tasks as requested.

Skills and behaviour

  1. Qualification relevant to Geomatics, Surveying and/or Civil Engineering.
  2. Member of RICS (preferred)
  3. Laser scanning, Total station, GPS/GNSS and associated processing experience (essential)
  4. Proven track record within the Geomatics/Measured survey industry
  5. Minimum 3 years general experience
  6. Ability to lead and produce measured building surveys (essential)
  7. Ability to lead and produce topographical surveys (essential)
  8. An understanding of area reference reporting such as GIA’s, NIA’s, IPMS standards, etc (preferred)
  9. Ability to use AutoCAD (essential)
  10. Ability to use Revit and an interest in BIM and the associated practice (preferred).
  11. A strong understanding of IT applications and an interest in the development of geomatics, the technology that supports it at the opportunities this will present.
  12. Willingness to become involved with TFT’s tech and innovation working groups with an opportunity to develop and expand new service offerings.
  13. Able to deliver services with autonomy and engender confidence in clients.
  14. Commercially focussed and Diligent in experience with complex projects.
  15. Must be a good team player but able to work independently.
  16. Ability to accurately and precisely share information, acting as a mentor to junior staff and sharing knowledge throughout the business.
  17. Willing to travel. Full driving licence and access to the use of a car when needed is essential.

Package indicators

  • Flexible & hybrid working (2-3 days per week in the office)
  • Competitive salary and generous car allowance
  • Benefits: Fee Plus bonus scheme, mobile phone & laptop, Personal Accident cover, Private Health Care (after 6 months), Life Assurance, TFT well-being day and 25 days holiday
  • Season Ticket Loan, Cycle scheme and access to company pension scheme on completion of probationary period
  • Excellent career progression and training opportunities.

About TFT

TFT is the leading independent firm of Development, Built Asset & Engineering and Sustainability consultants. We place the wellbeing of people and the performance of buildings at the heart of everything we do.

We’re proud of our reputation for integrity and delivering work of the highest quality, blended with commercial pragmatism. We offer a strong track record across all commercial property sectors, advising investors, developers, occupiers and owners on maximising best property asset values. Diversity and strength in depth is important to us. Whether it be a technical thought leader with a career’s experience – or a recently qualified rising star – in today’s risk averse world you need people on your side with a reputation for diligence, transparency, intellect and commercial insight. Clients see TFT as large enough to provide the expertise and resources to get the best from their portfolios, and small enough for it to matter personally.

We have over 180 Senior Directors and employees operating from a network of offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Guildford, London, Manchester, Leeds and Southampton.

TFT is passionate about people development and will provide you with excellent and progressive career opportunities and sponsored learning.

We are BCorp Certified!

As TFT’s impact on the world has grown with the size of our business and the scale of our client services, we are determined that our future growth continues to be positive and sustainable. BCorp certification enables us to do just that, by recognising the highest standards of social and environmental performance and aligning our ongoing efforts with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. https://www.tftconsultants.com/tft-is-a-certified-b-corp/

DEI at TFT

At TFT we don’t aim to tick boxes and count numbers and percentages, we create an environment where anyone, from any background and life experience, can do their best work. We empower you to bring your full, authentic self to work. We are diverse by nature and inclusive by choice.

If you’re driven to perform, you’ll fit right in, we approach work fearlessly, learn quickly and improve constantly. A bright idea can come from anyone. We believe diversity drives innovation.

Our approach to diversity, equity and inclusion is simple – we welcome everyone.