Purpose of the (Assistant) Property Manager’s role

The Property Manager’s role is to work with the (Senior) Property Manager to take day to day responsibility for managing CGT’s church properties and partnering with the occupying churches in their Gospel work (including giving them ideas for outreach and to make their buildings more suitable for this work). It will also include working with the Communications Manager and the Chief Executive in making contact and meeting with trustees of properties that may be gifted to Church Growth Trust.

Role responsible to: (Senior) Property Manager

Responsibilities and duties

Property management - Sharing day to day responsibility (and reporting to the Senior Property Manager as line manager) for managing CGT’s church properties, including:

• Liaising with occupying churches, including meeting and praying with them;

• Visiting properties and reporting on the work and growth of the church, including:

• Being able to understand the church’s particular aims and approach to Mission and

• Praying with churches to encourage them and seek God’s will for their future;

• Visiting properties and reporting on the condition of the property;

• Monitoring compliance issues and raising awareness of latest regulations;

• Encouraging occupying churches to consider the suitability of their buildings for modern church use and energy efficiency;

• Keeping CGT’s fit for purpose records up to date;

• Discussing with the occupying churches ways of improving and enhancing the properties, as well as considering future requirements of the church;

• Liaising with occupying church before and during building projects;

• Agreeing terms for and drafting new tenancies (or instructing and liaising with solicitors for longer leases);

• Finding new churches to occupy building when the existing church closes or moves on, including meeting and praying with new churches;

• Dealing with other property queries as they arise.

Administration - Working closely with the Administration team to manage the fit for purpose records, make appointments and liaise with the occupying churches and help with letting properties.

New properties - Working with the Communications Manager and the Chief Executive with potential new properties that may be gifted to Church Growth Trust or where CGT may be appointed sole trustee or custodian/holding trustee, including:

• Contacting church leaders or trustees (particularly of churches that may be deemed at risk of closing) to introduce CGT. Specific churches/properties to be agreed each month between the Communications Manager, Chief Executive and Property Managers. Training to be provided on how best to do this.

• Meeting with trustees and occupying assemblies/churches of properties to explain the work of CGT;

• Reporting to the Chief Executive and Directors on any issues to be resolved and the condition of the property;

• Reviewing deeds for potential properties (training to be providing in reading and understanding trust deeds);

• Instructing and liaising with solicitors over the transfer of new properties.

Research and practical guides - Researching changes in property and charity legislation, sourcing, writing, editing and updating practical guides on various subjects which would be useful to CGT’s occupying churches, clients and independent churches generally.

Articles - Writing articles for CGT’s magazine and weekly emails.

Directors’ Meetings - Writing reports for CGT’s Directors’ Meetings and Sub-Committees.

Person Specification/Qualifications

The vacancy is for a full-time (Assistant) Property Manager.

The person will need to demonstrate a number of skills and competencies, including:

 Active faith – To have a real and active faith in Jesus, to be an evangelical, to have an understanding of the Gospel truths and to be of good standing in a local church. To be able to share his/her faith and pray for/with others.

Relationship and communication – To have good people skills including pastoral giftings to be able to get alongside others, empathise with them, encourage them in their faith and gently challenge when needed. The person should also be a good communicator to be able to speak to people comfortably on the telephone, to explain what is required by an occupying church, to set out clearly options that are available for trustees of potential new properties and to produce coherent reports for CGT’s Board and others. The person would need to be able to work well in a small team.

Technical skills/experience – To have a good understanding of property management practices, a basic knowledge of property, land and letting law, a practical experience of building repairs and compliance issues and a reasonable knowledge of Office365 software (and willingness to learn how to use new software). An understanding of charity law and marketing experience would be an extra bonus, or at least to be willing to be trained in these.

Driving – To be able to drive a car and have an up to date and valid driving licence.

Terms of employment

1. Full time (35 hours per week) employment, based in CGT’s office at Seaton, with six months’ probation.

2. Salary range £40,000 to £42,000.

3. Holiday of 25 days per year with additional bank holidays (FTE).

4. Pension based on 10% of salary paid by CGT.

5. Life assurance based on three times salary (after probation).

For an application pack please email [email protected]