DIO - Senior Estate Surveyor

Job summary

Do you want to work for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and play a key role in keeping our country safe through caring for the Defence estate and those that depend on it? DIO manages the Defence estate, one of the UK’s largest and most diverse property portfolios, enabling the armed forces and Defence civilians to live, work, train and deploy. From net carbon-zero accommodation to runways for the F35 fighter jets, our outputs are unique in the UK and across the globe!

If you are a suitably qualified property professional who would be interested in working client-side with Military colleagues on one of the largest estates in the country and/or across an extensive overseas portfolio, and you are motivated by the prospect of working on a diverse range of exciting, interesting and often-challenging projects of National interest in support of the UK Defence Mission, then the DIO Estates Team is for you!

The Role

DIO Estates is seeking a highly motivated Senior Estate Surveyor to join the Specialist Teams Overseas division in Cyprus. The postholder will plan, manage and lead all aspects of their delivery area, gaining valuable experience of living and working overseas. The role requires broad surveying expertise and the ability to apply professional judgement across a diverse and strategically important estate.

The MOD estate in Cyprus includes critical Defence infrastructure such as communication facilities, airfields, training areas and a resident infantry battalion. This estate serves as a vital joint operating base for UK Defence activity in the region. DIO Estates is a trusted partner to British Forces Cyprus, providing timely, accurate and expert real estate advice in support of sovereign interests and military objectives.

The successful candidate will lead a team of UK estate surveyors, supported by locally employed staff, and work collaboratively with UK and international colleagues. The role requires developing effective, diplomatic relationships with military command, local government and other stakeholders to support UK infrastructure delivery across the MOD estate and the Sovereign Base Areas.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a respected network of professional surveyors. We seek a suitably qualified property professional able to lead the local team, apply sound expertise across varied estate activities and deliver high quality subject matter advice to military and civilian colleagues.

Job description

The Sovereign Base Area Administration are the public body managing the Overseas Territory in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence, derived from the 1960 Treaty of Establishment. The Administrator is also the Commander British Forces Cyprus - a 2* Command post providing a vital strategic platform in the Eastern Mediterranean enabling the UK to operate decisively in the region and project hard and soft influence across the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. As a British Overseas Territory, the UK retains direct control over foreign affairs, defence and the Areas still have their own internal legislative, executive, fiscal, police and judicial authorities.

The territory of the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA’s) lies in two significant areas of the island totalling 98 square miles at Episkopi / Akrotiri (Western SBA) and Dhekelia / Ayios Nikolaos (Eastern SBA) and whilst the majority are held by private interests, a large area is owned and managed by the Crown. MOD operates from various sites including Akrotiri, Episkopi, Dhekelia and Ayios Nikolaos

Main Responsibilities

The work is extremely varied and wide ranging, but key activities for this role will include:

• Lead and develop a mixed team of 2 UK and 9 'locally employed' surveyors and support staff.
• Liaise, devise and implement the Ministry of Defence Estate strategy with senior Cyprus government and other Ministry of Defence departments and organisations, maintaining and developing excellent relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee routine transactions on behalf of and acting with power of attorney for the Secretary of State for Defence including lettings, renewals, and rent reviews for third party occupiers of the Ministry of Defence and wider Sovereign Base Areas Estate in Cyprus, or the acquisition and management of property interests from third parties for use by the British Forces across a wide range of property types including agricultural, residential and commercial assets.
• Ensure the delivery and safeguarding of property rights to enable the development of strategic UK military infrastructure and the integrity and effective management of property data and information.
• Lead a programme of disposal of surplus estate (often legacy and politically sensitive) in close consultation with the Military Command, Sovereign Base Areas Administration and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.

Tour Length:

• 3 Years + up to 2 Years extension at Line Manager discretion

This position offers an enhanced overseas remuneration package, including travel, relocation, living and market skills allowances, utility and rent-free accommodation (dependent on status), and access to leisure and welfare facilities.

Location

The role is based at Episkopi, Cyprus and the successful candidate will be expected to attend the office on a regular weekly basis for face-to-face meetings and collaboration. The role will involve regular travel to sites across the island.

If travelling outside your base location for duty reasons, you will have access to flights, hire cars, rail tickets and overnight accommodation. You can also claim 45 pence per mile if a pool vehicle is not available and you have to use your own vehicle for business travel.

Travel will be required to carry out site visits where you may go on MOD Establishments, residential estates, building sites, agricultural land, training areas and firing ranges etc.

DIO Business Area – Estates

The Defence estate is one of the largest landholdings in the UK and covers an estimated 1.8% of the UK land mass (200,000+ ha). This is complemented by a significant UK Defence presence overseas.

Estates are the in-house real estate team within the DIO (part of the UK Ministry of Defence) supporting infrastructure needs across a high-profile Public Estate. We acquire, manage, safeguard, and dispose of Defence real estate. Our unique customer knowledge and insight of the Defence Estate enables our in-house team of property professionals to provide in-depth advice to our Military customers.

The Team

DIO Estates - Specialist Teams includes Chartered Surveyors, Registered Valuers and Safeguarding Officers who, between them, provide comprehensive land, estate and property management services to the Overseas Estate, Estate wide Valuation & Rating Services and Safeguarding of Defence assets and operational capabilities.

The Overseas Team provides the full range of DIO Estates services globally (across 50+ countries) including much of Europe, Cyprus and Gibraltar and further afield such as Kenya, Nepal and the US. The Overseas Team HQ is at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire, but also has staff located in 10 overseas offices providing the opportunity to live and work abroad, playing a hands-on role managing UK MOD interests held under Lease, Licence and Inter-Government Agreement, or delivering these from the UK, supplemented by periodic travel. An ability to cultivate local partnerships and an expeditionary approach in this team are a must.

This is an established MOD post within Cyprus and any Cypriot Nationals will not be eligible to apply as a UKBC (UK British Civil Servant).

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

Essential Experience:

Relevant, suitable experience and knowledge at an appropriate level in General Estate Management of a wide and varied portfolio, including:

• Landlord and Tenant
• Property Valuation
• Rent and debt management
• Estate utilisation and rationalisation
• Property Transactions
• Estate Liaison with Senior Government or Commercial Departments/Organisations
• Property data and information management
• Management of multi-disciplinary teams in geographically dispersed locations

Desirable Experience:

• Working in a Defence environment
• Working in an overseas environment
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office

Licences

Essential Licences: A full driving licence - Post holders will be required to travel to the sites covered by the post on a regular basis and some sites are difficult/impossible to access via public transport.

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications: RICS Accredited Degree OR Qualification

Memberships

Essential Memberships: Full membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS/FRICS).

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Technical: Government Property Profession Career Framework: 1: Property Professional Expertise - Practitioner Level.
• Technical: Government Property Profession Career Framework: 3: Stakeholder Engagement - Practitioner level.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service.
• Successful candidates will become members of the Government Property Profession, with benefits including opportunities for Government and industry led CPD events; access to a diverse community of property professionals across government for sharing knowledge and ideas; and a comprehensive career framework and learning and development curriculum to support your career journey.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
• A tax-free Cost of Living allowance (COLA) paid with salary of between £6,319- £12,107 p.a. depending on family status (NB rates correct as of 01 September 2025)
• Rent free accommodation (scale based on family need/entitlement) inclusive of utilities and local taxes for period of approved overseas tour.

To learn more about our full range of benefits, view our Candidate Information Guide attached.

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD. https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

This post offers full relocation allowances subject to availability. Cost of Living Overseas Allowances is payable based on personal circumstances and marital status.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

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 Experience and Technical skills.

Please ensure that at the application and interview stages of the campaign you review the Success Profiles Framework to assist you in the demonstration of your skills and experience.

Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly, and the successful candidate will be appointed on merit.

At application you will be assessed against the following:

Experience:

CV including Job History, Full Qualification Details and Previous Skills & Experience: Please ensure that you explain all skills and experience that are relevant to the advertised role as detailed within the Essential experience within the personal specification section of the advert.

Personal Statement:

Please provide a statement to demonstrate your suitability for the role and to demonstrate your skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

At interview you will be assessed against the above PLUS the following:

Technical Skills:

Government Property Profession Career Framework:

• 1: Property Professional Expertise - Practitioner Level
• 3: Stakeholder Engagement - Practitioner level

We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn't always possible, so we do hold candidates on an active reserve list for 12 months. It is also possible that we may offer similar lower graded role/s to reserve candidates or, if no reserves are appointed, candidates that meet the lower grade criteria in merit order.

Application sifting is scheduled to take place on week commencing 6th April 2026.

Interviews are currently taking place via Face to Face or remotely through a digital platform, this will be confirmed with the successful candidates who are invited to an interview and will be conducted week commencing 13th April 2026.

A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews. We endeavour to stick to these dates, but these are subject to change around business needs.

To assist with your application please find attached below:

1. DIO Candidate Information Guide
2. GPP Career Framework

For help and support with your application check out our Civil Service Careers Homepage and the How to apply section

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

This is an established MOD post within Cyprus and any Cypriot National will not be eligible to apply as a UKBC.

This vacancy will be assessed at SEO grade.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigation's can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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 theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Thomas Harrison
• Email : Thomas.harrison123@mod.gov.uk
• Telephone : 07971708494

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam1@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please see Further Information document attached.

Attachments

20241009 - Further Information - External (5) Opens in new window (docx, 34kB)Defence Civil Service Offer (5) Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)