Paul McMahon
Paul is our recruitment consultant specialising in the placement of Asset Surveyors on a contract or interim basis.
The role and responsibilities of Facilities Managers have spiralled over recent years, and as that has occurred, their need for additional resources and contracted talent has increased.
Facilities management has always been a wide-ranging discipline, encompassing both soft services (cleaning, security, groundskeeping) and hard services (engineering, HVAC, technical maintenance), alongside managing issues such as health and safety, energy consumption, and more general building maintenance and management. As safety and compliance have become more pressing concerns for FMs, the safe management and maintenance of building assets have become much higher priorities within facilities management.
This is where Asset Surveyors come into play. Building maintenance has become a beast for facilities management teams to keep on top of. Asset Surveyors create orderly systems that enable FM teams to make decisions about the maintenance of the real estate and the assets within it.
What is an Asset Survey?
An asset survey records all buildings and assets into a single, structured register, with detailed information and schedules on maintenance, repair, quantities, potential hazards and more. This level of data capture can have a hugely positive impact on a company, as it enables them to better protect their assets and protect against capital risk. The asset survey then translates into the relevant tasks that will be required to keep all the assets safe and compliant.
Asset surveyors, then, play a vital role in making sure business, facility, and property managers are kept up to date with all maintenance, safety and compliance concerns. They assess the performance of the assets and highlight areas for quality, systems or process improvement. They call attention to service needs for equipment and building fabric, and they support the operational areas of the team by ensuring they can be as efficient as possible – high productivity and low downtime due to waiting around for unexpected repairs.
So, what are the skills that an Asset Surveyor would benefit from?
1) You need to be meticulous
Creating an asset survey and staying on top of an ever-fluctuating register requires attention to detail alongside the ability to carefully document the correct details. More than that, an Asset Surveyor needs to be able to spot potential issues before they arise. You’ll need to flag in advance anything that might need repairs or replacement. You’ll need to check the details of every asset and system that you’re documenting and build a clear history for the FM team to follow.
2) You need to be technical, and data-driven
Asset surveying is an excellent career option for those who have been working in a more hands on engineering or technical role but would like to move into a more strategic position. The technical knowledge you can bring to the role will be valuable. If you can demonstrate experience in collecting data and the ability to analyse that data to make strategic decisions, you will be demand.
3) You need to have a good grasp of legal and compliance issues around buildings
While you certainly don’t need to have a legal background or qualification to be an Asset Surveyor, you do need to understand building regulations, and have a grasp on the basics of building and asset compliance. Knowing the legislative requirements for the stock you’re managing will ensure that when you’re compiling the asset register, you know what you’re looking out for, and where potential risks might come into play.
4) You need to be a thorough and effective communicator
An important part of the job will be compiling and communicating reports for the wider team. One of the things that Asset Surveyors need to do well is explain, succinctly but effectively, what works need to be undertaken and in what priority order. Asset surveyors play a large role in helping to understand where budget should be allocated, so having a firm grasp on the costs vs the necessity of works, repairs and replacements that need to be completed will be crucial.
5) You need to have a good grasp on technology
A good number of the assets you’ll be responsible for managing will be tech based, or rely upon technology to work. You’ll need to regularly monitor this technology and understand the role it plays in ongoing facilities projects and strategy. That means you need to understand the technology, what it does, and how any downtime will affect the wider operations of the facilities management team or the client. You’ll need to be able to suggest a schedule of works that incorporates these concerns.
Should you consider a career as an Asset Surveyor?
Absolutely, yes. If you're working within the facilities management industry, or have a technical or engineering background, but would like more of a commercial challenge within a similar environment, this could be a great next step for your future. If it's something you're considering and would like to know more about it, please reach out, as I'd love to chat to you about why you might be a good fit.