Steve Gray Email & Phone Number

Matlock

• Line management of facilities team to deliver a planned and reactive maintenance service across the business.• Controlling expenditure, monitoring performance and developing new procedures for planned and reactive maintenance including budgetary responsibility of £1.6m.• Ensuring that all maintenance operations, specifications and contracts meet corporate, legal and regulatory standards.• Responsibility for managing and continually improving performance of the contractor supply chain.• Developing and implementing effective KPI’s and controls for property maintenance activities to derive maximum value for money from maintenance operations.• Responsibility for collating, analysing and periodically reporting on performance of maintenance activities against agreed KPI’s and SLA’s.• Successfully tendered the YHA’s water hygiene contract to deliver improved compliance and a 50% cost reduction.

Hull

• Undertake all aspects of general practice work including: Property acquisition and disposal. Negotiating the terms and conditions for the granting of leases, tenancies, licences, easements, concessions and other legal or equitable interest. General management including rent reviews, surrenders, assignments, sub-lettings, improvement works, schedules of condition and dilapidation.• Ensure that work commitments are undertaken on time, to budget, to target fee and to the satisfaction of the client.• Contribute to the operation and development of the Business Management System to ensure the continuous improvement of quality assured services / products for clients.

• Managed a £1m budget for Planned and Reactive property maintenance works and was delivering over 30% year-on-year reductions in expenditure prior to the business entering administration.• Managed the operational delivery of hard and soft services to 125 locations across the Midlands and the South and maintained strong relationships with contractors, customers and the in-house team.• Engendered compliance with Health and Safety legislation across all areas of responsibility.• Planned, monitored and controlled national contract programmes taking action to stay within agreed timescales and budgets. Compiled and submitting Business Cases for financial approval as required.• Carried out regular routine inspections of buildings, including empty properties, to identify repair and maintenance, security, health and safety and general housekeeping compliance.• Maintained and updated building and compliance databases and asbestos registers. Monitored fire risk assessment reporting and initiated corrective action where necessary. Monitored works until completion.• Ensured that building faults and enquires were directed through the Maintenance Support Desk. Liaised with key stakeholders to ensure that repairs were completed effectively, efficiently and to specification.• Managed the stripping out of retail and industrial units to meet all necessary obligations at lease expiry.

• Identified suitable locations for the leasehold acquisition of stores on out of town retail parks.• Analysed factors of feasibility in terms of catchment, competition, access, visibility, planning and value.• Liaised with internal departments to complete financial appraisals and demographic modelling for new markets. • Produced presentations for monthly Property Development Meetings. Presented proposals to the Board, in person.• Negotiated and agreed detailed Heads of Terms and instructed solicitors.• Prepared detailed Development Proposals for submission to the Board and parent company.• Pro-actively engaged throughout the contract negotiation process and agreed appropriate legal documentation in association with the company’s solicitors and external consultants.• Managed the acquisition process from inception to completion, liaising closely with Commercial Agents, Landlords, Solicitors, Planning Consultants and Project Managers.• Challenged assumptions and offered alternative proposals to the Property Strategy Plan resulting in a £1m reverse premium being added to my employer's P&L for the disposal of a poorly performing store.• Applied commercial acumen to add value during contract negotiations. On one occasion this resulted in the negotiation of a £100k payment to my employer for variation of an agreed lease term I had previously secured.• Managed the sub-letting of both occupied and idle industrial sites in association with the Estates Manager.• Completed rent reviews by direct negotiation or via instruction of external agents.• Managed the exercising of break clauses, property disposals, lease re-gears and settlement of dilapidations claims.• Managed the process for compliance with obligations relating to Green Travel Plans.• Ensured all relevant property information systems were properly compiled and continually updated to ensure accessible, accurate information was maintained.

Hull, United Kingdom

• Managed a team of field based Internal Auditors carrying out audits within retail stores, home delivery platforms and after sales service centres.• Overhauled the field audit process and managed the introduction of a self audit and validation system.• Introduced an innovative reporting system which raised the department’s profile through close liaison with key stakeholders and effective communication of non-compliance with company procedures.• Ensured the company’s annual audit plan was completed in accordance with Audit Committee requirements.• Completed audit projects across head office functions and third party service providers based in Northern Ireland.• Provided advice and support on fraud prevention initiatives to minimise losses within the company’s telesales and internet departments.• Produced head office audit reports for a Board level audience complete with recommendations to manage key areas of risk identified.

• Managed the loss prevention strategy for 70 retail locations and the company’s National Call Centre. Monitored fraud and shrinkage levels and introduced initiatives to minimise loss.• Played a key role in the introduction of civil recovery procedures into the business, liaising closely with Legal, HR and Operations teams to make this a success. This resulted in the recovery of tens of thousands of pounds.• Closely assisted the Head of Loss Prevention during the design and implementation of the site security provision at the company’s purpose built National Distribution Centre.• Carried out investigative work in response to incidents of internal theft, fraud, shoplifting, burglary and robbery.• Produced and delivered training presentations to retail store colleagues in ‘high-risk’ locations.• Conducted interviews with internal colleagues and liaised with the Company’s HR department to progress suspensions and dismissals Liaised with the Police and civil recovery service providers following the apprehension of persons responsible for incidences of theft and fraud.• Specified the security requirements for new-build and refit projects through liaison with internal stakeholders and external contractors. Carried out site inspections to ensure compliance with the company’s loss prevention procedures and best practice.

Postgraduate Diploma, Surveying

Awarded a Distinction grade from the College of Estate Management when achieving a postgraduate Diploma in Surveying.

Ba (Hons), Administrative Management

Graduated with a 2:1 BA (Hons) degree in Administrative Management from the University of Lincolnshire & Humberside.

Higher National Certificate, Business And Finance

Awarded Distinction grades in 15 out of 16 modules when achieving a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Business and Finance.

National Certificate, Business And Finance