Overview
Chartered Surveyor – Transport Sector Lead – Scotland – Edinburgh
About the job
Job summary
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This role is part of HMRC Valuation Office, formerly known as the Valuation Office Agency. We have recently integrated into HMRC.
HMRC Valuation Office are the public sector’s property valuation experts and advisers with a vision to be a world-leading provider of public sector valuations. Our work is vital to the collection of over £60 billion of revenue which goes back into communities, touching every citizen and every business across England and Wales.
Job description
An opportunity has arisen for a Sector Lead Transport Scotland in District Valuer Service (DVS). This is a technical surveying and leadership role primarily involving the delivery of valuation work, providing advice and negotiation services to national and local clients involving compensation. As Sector Leader you will be responsible for managing a diverse client base, whilst providing technical advice and support to the team. This is an excellent opportunity to lead high profile work and specialist teams, working closely with the Sector Head for Scotland, the Team Leaders, and other Sector Leaders in Scotland.
This role sits within the Transport Scotland sector working with major infrastructure providers, principally in Scotland: Transport Scotland and including Highways England, Welsh Government and HS2. We deal with all matters of compulsory purchase and compensation and work as part of multi-disciplinary teams to deliver infrastructure projects from early scheme design to final settlement of compensation.
You will work within a fast-paced team to meet increased client requirements, across a range of complex Compulsory Purchase casework including litigation cases. You will deliver complex casework, provide technical guidance to clients and support caseworkers within DVS.
This exciting opportunity will include project management and leading high-profile casework for high profile clients.
Key responsibilities
- Dealing with a large complex portfolio of work requiring extensive experience of complex Compulsory Purchase casework.
- Providing leadership and technical guidance/support to colleagues working on compulsory purchase work.
- Overarching responsibility for client and contract management.
- Engaging with team on client matters and bring key client issues to the attention of Sector Head.
- Maintaining and applying an advanced level of valuation surveying knowledge to casework activity, review of high profile or complex valuations and project management.
- Managing all associated communication and engagement with stakeholders including the client, other private sector suppliers and sub-contractors, land & property owners, and their agents.
- Identifying risks and issues and making recommendations on action to be taken.
- Collaboration with all internal stakeholders across DVS.
- Ensuring an awareness of the wider political, economic, social, technical, environmental, and legislative agendas that impact the Transport Sector Scotland.
- Acting as an expert witness, appearance before arbitrators or submission of evidence to independent experts and Lands Tribunals, where required.
Person specification
Our ideal candidate is someone with advanced technical surveying knowledge with a strong understanding primarily of the transport sector, flood prevention and has experience in project management. The successful candidate will have strong leadership skills with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
Essential Requirements
- Full MRICS or FRICS Qualified and be eligible to join the RICS Valuer Registration Scheme (VRS), criteria as determined by the RICS as follows: Valuer registration
- An advanced level of technical knowledge, including the application of relevant legislation, case law, and codes of practice and professional RICS standards.
- A strong understanding of the Transport Sector Scotland and a good understanding of client requirements reflecting the current market circumstances.
- The ability to build trusted and credible relationships with clients, peers, and direct reports.
- Strong leadership and communication skills.
- Good understanding of the links to other work areas and the external business environment.
- The ability to coach, support and provide feedback to individuals to improve their performance and achieve their potential
- Identify risks and issues and propose solutions ahead of risks becoming issues
- Show strong project management capability, taking the lead on large exercises ensuring delivery to the client’s requirements and achieving full cost recovery.
- A full UK Driving Licence is essential to this role.
- You’ll need to travel regularly to visit client sites and offices across Scotland. We are reasonable with our expectations and provide flexible working arrangements to support this need.
Licences
A full UK Driving Licence is essential to this role. However, if you are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 and do not hold a full driving licence, we will consider your application. Please contact resourcingteam@voa.gov.uk with your details to discuss this further.
Qualifications
MRICS or FRICS
Memberships
MRICS or FRICS
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Professional knowledge and experience as a Chartered Surveyor and on the Transport Sector
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £59,342, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £17,191 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.
We offer a generous leave allowance that starts at 25 days, increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days and a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
- Pension – We make contributions to our colleagues’ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
- Family friendly policies.
- Personal support.
- Coaching and development.
To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it’s really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.
How to Apply
If you can meet our person requirements above, we are keen to hear from you.
To apply for this post, you must complete an online application with the following:
A CV setting out your Job History/Full Qualifications/Previous skills and experiences.
A Personal Statement (maximum 750 words), please outline your suitability for the role. Please pay particular attention to the ‘Essential Requirements’ and ‘Person Specification’ outlined in the advert when providing your answer.
Sift – 29/05/2026
Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change.
We will assess you on your CV, Personal Statement and Qualifications/Memberships.
Interviews – 15/06/2026
Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change. These will be confirmed should you be invited to interview.
Interviews are currently taking place using Microsoft Teams Video. We will provide more detail if you are shortlisted for interview.
We will assess you on the Behaviours listed in the job description, Strengths and a Technical Presentation.
At the interview, the panel can then probe further and ask applicants to provide further specific examples that show how they best demonstrate their skills.
Presentation
You will also be required to conduct a 5-minute Technical Presentation followed by a 5-minute Q&A. Information on the presentation topic will be provided to you if you are shortlisted for interview.
Application Hints and Tips
For more information on Success Profiles, tips on how to write a successful application and find out more about what’s involved in the application process please visit About the application process , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk).
Further Information
Hybrid working at HMRC
HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time).
Reasonable Adjustments
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact the UBS Recruitment Team via resourcingteamvo@hmrc.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.
Criminal Record Check
Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
Locations
As part of the application process, you will be asked to tell us which of the locations available you can work in. You will be able to specify 1 option. Please be aware that you can be posted to any location that you put in your preferences.
Successful candidates must select one of the locations noted in this advert as their base office and will be expected to undertake regular travel to this location under HMRC hybrid working policy.
A full UK Driving Licence is essential to this role. However, if you are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 and do not hold a full driving licence, we will consider your application. Please contact resourcingteamvo@hmrc.gov.uk before you start/submit your application with your details to discuss this further.
Terms & Conditions
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.
Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.
Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Reserve Lists
If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 3 month reserve list as standard. During that time, we may use the list to fill the same, or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, without further testing of merit. Any appointments from the Reserve list will be made in strict merit order.
Concerns/Complaints
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the Central Recruitment Team at the following address: resourcingteamvo@hmrc.gov.uk
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
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
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 to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
