Housing Assets Advisor

The Role

Develops, implements, administers, and maintains preventive, corrective, and annual maintenance programs for physical and structural components of multi-residential and non-shelter space buildings for community housing providers. 

Provides technical assistance, support, and training to community housing providers and staff in Housing Services. 

Develops, implements, administers, and maintains the building condition assessment program and 5-year capital plans for community housing. Performs technical reviews and audits. Reviews and makes recommendations for approval of capital funding requests and prepares an allocation plan, including cost estimates.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Develops and implements asset management, preventive maintenance, and evaluation programs for community housing providers. Provides technical assistance, consultation, recommendations, and follow up regarding asset and project management, including energy conservation measures, accessibility, capital work, preventive maintenance, annual work plans, restoration projects, alterations, and new construction. 
• Performs cyclical and technical review audits and prepares related reports and evaluations for buildings and properties (roofs, building envelope, interior fabric, electrical, plumbing, HVAC systems). Ensures compliance with legislative and code requirements. Conducts risk analysis to identify potential unexpected financial or legislative complications and ensure appropriate actionable solutions. Identifies barriers per AODA guidelines and identifies work to be completed. Assigns priorities and prepares cost estimates for implementation.
• Develops and administers the community housing condition assessment program, including policies, procedures, forms, frequency, type, resources, and schedules. Develops RFPs and works with procurement staff to screen and approve vendors. Administers contracts with vendors, ensuring delivery of services per agreement and quality performance. 
• Maintains a community housing assessment program database. Analyses, compiles, and manipulates data to understand overall provider/program needs, support providers in developing their 5-year capital plans, and understand funding implications for the Region. Creates related reports, workflow documents, presentations, and other data outputs to support initiatives and program decision-making.
• Arranges and analyses engineering surveys, geotechnical and hydrogeological investigations, building envelope and legal surveys for building condition assessments and construction/renovation project designs.
• Liaises with government agencies to support community housing providers to navigate systems and address compliance issues or potential code breaches. Works to ensure appropriate ministerial consents are granted for successful project completion.
• Works with community housing providers to prepare RFPs, funding requests and business cases and maintain detailed records, and to obtain and coordinate quotes, estimates, tenders, and contracts. Provides recommendations to community housing providers and supervisor. 
• Leads project teams or committees, including to review and approve capital funding applications to providers, and to support program changes/processes. Creates program materials, selection criteria and local program guidelines for capital funding programs. Identifies potential projects for capital funding programs including project scope, schedule and budget.
• Reviews and assesses capital funding requests and budgets submitted by community housing providers for a variety of capital programs. Makes recommendations on project approvals to management. Ensures funding allocations align with program guidelines and priorities identified in building condition assessments. Prepares cost and material estimates, reconciles variances, rationalizes schedule changes, and recommends adjustments to approved allocations or the re-allocation of unspent funding.   
• Ensures the proper storage of documents and files, including funding applications, invoices, CAD and other drawings, and other program documents. Addresses technical issues identified by community housing providers and supervisor.
• Creates and maintains program-related tools and training resources. Facilitates community housing provider organizational capacity and self-sufficiency through staff and board development, including conducting workshops for providers and related organizations.   

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Ensures compliance with regional, municipal, provincial, utility, and conservation authority standards and requirements, as well as health, environmental, and construction safety standards and legislation. Monitors and oversees consultants and contractors to ensure compliance, and at various project stages to confirm work progress and completion per agreements.
• Undertakes special requests, assignments, comprehensive technical audits, and consultation as assigned.
• Works collaboratively with other staff, area municipalities, the private sector, and community housing sector to monitor and develop programs to assist in maintaining physical condition standards for community housing. Networks with professional associations, internal working groups, project teams, other levels of government, consultants, developers, builders, and lenders.
• Creates documents to support community housing providers with procuring services and preparing annual preventive maintenance work plans.
• Identifies efficiencies and planning strategies to address current and future delivery models for asset management and capital planning.
• Prepares and presents reports to senior staff, Finance, Legal, and standing committees.
• Reviews and recommends approval requests for capital expenditures to leaders.
• Reviews and recommends payment of consultant and contractor invoices, progress draws, and payment certificates. 
• Plans and prioritizes work independently for concurrent projects. Assesses options and makes recommendations to keep projects on track, ensure records and data are current and complete and support meeting team objectives.
• Approaches management for resolution of complex issues that involve potential health and safety, financial or other negative impacts to community housing providers or their residents.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of building construction trades and technology, project management and administration, budget preparation and monitoring, facilities management, asset management plans, and accessibility.
• Knowledge and skills are acquired through a 3-year degree or diploma in construction engineering technology or related field (e.g., Architectural Technology, Civil Engineering Technology), plus 5 years of related experience in building construction, maintenance, or design.
• Knowledge of the community housing sector and applicable legislation.
• Ability to keep knowledge current, such as through membership in a professional association (e.g., Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists).
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, relevant code(s), fire marshal regulations, insurance regulations, safety standards, accessibility legislation, forms of agreement, and industry standards for steel, concrete, masonry, timber, electrical, and mechanical work.
• Knowledge of contract law as it relates to building construction and renovation.  
• Analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to identify, analyse, and evaluate compliance, permit, and construction issues and suggest solutions; and ensure building condition asset data is accurate to recommend priorities for project funding and support program planning and decision- making. 
• Communication and human relation skills to provide guidance and consultation to providers; administer contracts and discuss technical information including project status with consultants and contractors; work with other departments, senior management, and government staff; and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to read and interpret complex construction drawings, design standards and specifications, manufacturer data, supplier instructions, building codes, engineering and technical journals, contracts, reports, legal documents, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to write construction reports; inspection and assessment reports, and correspondence to contractors, architects, and consulting firms.
• Ability to prepare and conduct presentations.
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office, asset management project software, and CAD. 
• Ability to travel within Waterloo Region. 
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.