Head of Estates (Interim)

VACANCY REF: AK18856

The Client:

Our client is a joint venture of both public and private health providers and educators, addressing both current and future needs of the national healthcare sector within a vibrant health sciences campus, which provides facilities and services in support of the education and development of UK and international medical students, across all areas of healthcare.

Overall Purpose

• To be responsible for the effective development and management of the campus buildings, land, and holdings, including the Student Hall residences, the short and long-term maintenance programme and other capital developments approved by the Board.
• To be responsible for all current and to-be-developed Campus Facilities and Commercial Services.
• To support the academic health sciences mission, goals, and objectives, ensuring these are embedded in operational plans, strategies, and staff role descriptions.
• To work closely with the tenant-partners as well as other industry partners and stakeholders relevant to the health sciences mission of the organisation.
• To build and lead a highly competent and ambitious team, ensuring that the senior operational team works closely with the Board to deliver the successful implementation of the organisation’s strategy.

Principal Functions

• Working closely with the Board, lead on the delivery of property and facilities strategy ensuring overall organisational performance to a high standard.
• Manage the annual, Board-approved revenue budget as well as the capital plan for long- and short-term buildings and grounds maintenance. Develop and implement a comprehensive financial and non-financial risk management plan for the property portfolio.
• Work closely with the Board to develop a long-term campus development plan.
• Take responsibility for managing a healthy, safe, and environmentally sustainable campus, compliant with all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements. Regularly assure the Board that these requirements are being met to a high standard.
• Lead on the continual examination of the organisation’s operating environment, ensuring that both the Board and the operational team are apprised of the implications of such developments on priorities and plans.
• Manage the provision of a Board secretariat service ensuring that the Board is fully and openly apprised of performance against plans and that the Board is made fully aware of risks and how these are being managed.
• Provide effective leadership to all staff, as well as those engaged via outsourced contracts, ensuring that the necessary skill and competency levels are in place, developed or acquired. Continuously review skills mix to ensure that it is effective in all aspects of its property and facilities management activities and services.
• Positively manage the performance of staff and contracted out service providers, ensuring that an effective performance management and monitoring regime is implemented.
• Negotiate on property and facilities services issues with tenant-partners and relevant authorities, including regional health authorities where appropriate, on lease agreements and service level agreements, safeguarding the reputation as a fair and responsive landlord.
• Represent the organisation on property and facilities related matters, particularly with Local Authorities and Councils as well as other relevant external stakeholders.
• Actively promote the effective and flexible use of the physical resources occupied by the University, improving the academic experience and campus aesthetics, and providing staff and students with a more effective teaching, learning and social environment.
• Actively promote the development of a distinctive, welcoming academic health sciences campus community of university, healthcare and health sciences tenants that quickly wins the support of community stakeholders.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Selection Criteria: essential

• A good first degree or equivalent
• A chartered professional qualification, or equivalent, in a property/built environment related discipline
• Experience of or an ability to work constructively with a Board and to contribute to organisational strategy development
• Experience of leading and managing a professional property and facilities function, or a large element of such a function, delivering a breadth of relevant services
• Experience of managing revenue budgets and capital projects
• Experience of working with and influencing Local Government Authorities and councils, and healthcare authorities
• Proven ability to think critically and objectively, analyse problems and arrive at solutions
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with an ability to engage with multiple different audiences ranging from board level officers through to operational staff
• Proven leadership skills, a can-do mentality and a management style that reflects an understanding of people, their personal development and welfare
• Personal and professional commitment to the organisation’s missions, and an ability to articulate it meaningfully to staff at all levels to inspire exceptional performance
• An ability to engage with senior academics, healthcare, and health/life sciences senior managers
• Demonstrable experience of delivering services with a strong customer service ethos
• High standards of personal and professional integrity

Selection criteria: desirable

Direct experience in the higher education, healthcare or R&D sectors, or their proximate equivalents. This is an important role with an interesting strategic and operational mix and the prospect of working with a small, senior Board to grow a significant academic health sciences facility. We would welcome applications from senior managers who can demonstrate strong leadership skills and commitment.

Hours: The nature of the post is such that the post holder is expected to work flexibly and for such reasonable hours as are necessary to fulfil the duties and responsibilities of the post.

Flexibility: Please note that, given the need for flexibility to meet the changing requirements, the duties/location of this post and the role of the post holder may be changed after consultation.

Remuneration & Benefits:

• Salary – £60,000 to £80,000 per annum equivalent – Subject to Experience
• Pension scheme – 8% non-contributory
• 33 days holiday per year (inc. Bank Holiday)
• Free on-site parking
• Occupational Health Assessments.
• Use of onsite gymnasium.
• On-site refreshment facilities

To apply for this position, please contact Andrew Kingsley on 07879 413 765 or email a copy of your latest CV to andrew@kingsleyrecruitment.co.uk quoting the position and reference AK18856

Kingsley is a leading Property & Built Environment Recruitment Consultancy, providing across all levels of seniority, throughout the UK. The Directors hold a true mix of time-served surveying experience and high-level Professional Recruitment, which sets us apart from our competitors.

If you are considering either your next career move, or looking to recruit within your property team, then please contact Kingsley for Independent, Confidential and Qualified advice.