February, 2010

A new TRAMPS vacancy available via Witan Jardine.  They are contactable on:

13 Southampton Place, London WC1A 2AL.  020 7404 4004  www.ambition.co.uk

Client Accountant.

Location: West London

My client is one of the UK's leading Real Estate Advisory companies by turnover, they trade on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange. The business is one of the world's largest real estate advisory organisations with offices in over 50 countries.

The business is looking to recruit a Senior Client Accountant within their London based finance function. You will be maintaining the Property Management Database (TRAMPS), raising head-lease charges and reconciling them to demands that have been received. You will also be raising tenant demands for sublet units, working closely with surveyors, credit control, accounts payable and cashiering teams. To apply you must have experience of dealing with rent and services charge payments, budgeting and forecasting and month end management accounting. The role is both internally and externally client facing and you will regularly meet with external customers.

http://www.ambition.co.uk/job/29199-client-accountant

I am well aware that I promised to place job vacancies on our blog but these have been lacking.  This is largely because there are few jobs and plenty of candidates so many of the jobs don't get advertised before they are filled.  We have, however, noticed a march larger number of people approaching us for training on TRAMPS.  Many people are aware of how widely used it is and want to ensure that they have the skills to put themselves forward for TRAMPS jobs.

From now on we are making a more concerted effort to post vacancies on here and to ensure that they are still available at the tine of posting.

Here is the first, from Witan Jardine, a recruitment company based in London WC1:

"Position:  Accounts Manager

My client is a Property and Real Estate advisor that operates globally. The business advises Occupiers, Investors, Developers plus also a number of other stakeholders. The company has a well established and internationally recognised brand with a solid reputation for delivering excellent customer service.

As a result of an increasing workload the finance team is looking to recruit for an Accounts Manager. My client is looking for a candidate with prior experience of dealing with service charges, cash reconciliations, reporting to clients, VAT reporting and running client statements quarterly and monthly. The system the company uses is TBS Tramps and having used the financial package would help differentiate you from other candidates in the market."

More information via the link: http://www.ambition.co.uk/job/29079-accounts-manager 

Witan Jardine contact information:

Witan Jardine, 13 Southampton Place, London WC1A 2AL.  Tel: 020 7404 4004

As you know PISCES, the interoperability standard, is now OSCRE (the Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate) after its merger with the American organisation with the same objectives.  From now on I will always refer to it as OSCRE, the correct name.

Below is a press release about OSCRE's recent partnership with FIDJI, a French standards body.  This continues its momentum towards a global standard for real estate.  Read on...

PRESS RELEASE:  FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

OSCRE Partners with FIDJI in continued drive to establish global real estate investment standard

February 10, 2010 – OSCRE (the Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate), today announced that they will partner with French standards body FIDJI in order to combine expertise and harmonise data definitions to facilitate smooth exchange of real estate data, for increased business efficiency.  This new partnership builds on OSCRE’s recent announcements unveiling similar initiatives with Argus Software and IPD in its continued momentum towards a global standard for real estate.

A Memorandum of Understanding is currently being drawn up to formalise the relationship and detailed discussions on the harmonization of the standards will begin later this month.  A working group is planned to bring together interested FIDJI members to explore the development of a global investment real estate model.

Catherine Williams, Chief Executive of OSCRE said: “We are operating in an increasingly global market. The issues faced in France are the same as those experienced across the globe, and standards developed with only a local perspective will always be vulnerable. Partnering with an international standards organisation enables local expertise to address local needs, whilst maintaining an overall global perspective and cohesion.  It is the solution that everyone in the sector is seeking.”

Patrick de Lataillade, President of FIDJI said: "The aim of this partnership is to facilitate the real estate transactions of international asset holders and reduce transaction costs. The wide geographic distribution of real estate assets is now a fact. Enquiries have to be processed from different countries by many different people and it is therefore necessary for us to quickly integrate this aspect in the development of our standards going forward.”

Bernard Boulenguiez, Secretary General of FIDJI commented: "OSCRE is the established real estate standard in the United Kingdom and the United States. Our shared commitment to meet these new needs of the "internationalized" real estate industry has logically brought us closer together ".

About OSCRE (the Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate)

OSCRE is a not-for-profit market led initiative that facilitates increased business productivity through the development and delivery of standards across the real property sector. 

OSCRE offers global leadership in delivering electronic standards for exchanging real estate information and drives standards adoption by guiding and providing a platform, methodology and resources.

OSCRE is the only global e-commerce standards body for real estate and the property sector.

The OSCRE Membership is made up of a very experienced group of real estate professionals who have dedicated many years of service to improving our industry.

Currently OSCRE is comprised of over 120 members, with approximately 30 percent of these making up the Executive Membership. Members are both commercial and residential property organizations with representation from major organizations, small to medium sized businesses, trade associations and government departments.

The consortium is funded by these members, whose valued financial and professional contributions enable the continuation of the work of OSCRE. 

For more information please visit our website at http://www.oscre.org.

About FIDJI (Inter Exchange Format Data Legal and Real Estate)

FIDJI is a common language that formalizes the exchange of qualitative and quantitative information between different stakeholders in the housing market without the need for retreatment. The association is guarantor for the promotion and development of the format. It currently brings together some forty key players in the French property market such as AEW Europe, AXA REIM, CAAM RE, CB Richard Ellis, GVIO, CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD, Icade, IPD or BPSS.

For more information about FIDJI: http://www.format-fidji.org/