Title: Director of Estates
Department: Estates
Fraction: Full time
Grade: Management Spine
Status: Permanent
Child/Vulnerable Adult Contact Yes
Responsible to: Chief Operating Officer
Responsible for: Estates and Facilities, Security and Cleaning Teams
Functional links with: All business support and curriculum areas, students and contractors

Job Purpose

The Director of Estates is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership of Nescot’s Estates and Facilities function, ensuring the delivery of a secure, safe, compliant, sustainable and high-quality environment across the College’s current 60-acre estate.

Working closely with the Chief Operating Officer and as a member of the College Management Team, the postholder will lead the development and implementation of the College’s Estates Strategy, Estates Masterplan and Sustainability Strategy, ensuring that the estate supports the College’s strategic ambitions, curriculum growth, student experience, commercial opportunities and long-term financial sustainability.

The Director of Estates will have overall responsibility for estates operations, facilities management, capital development, sustainability, compliance, security, grounds maintenance (including sports facilities), contracted services, business continuity and environmental performance.

The postholder will act as the College’s senior professional lead for estates matters, providing strategic advice to senior leaders and governors whilst ensuring the effective day-to-day stewardship of the estate.

Main Duties and Tasks

Strategic Estates Leadership

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and regularly review a comprehensive Estates Strategy aligned to the College Strategic Plan.
• Develop and maintain a long-term Estates Masterplan that supports curriculum growth, changing learner needs and commercial development opportunities.
• Provide professional advice and strategic recommendations to the Chief Operating Officer, Principal and Governors regarding estate development and investment priorities.
• Ensure estate resources, infrastructure and facilities support educational excellence and organisational objectives.
• Benchmark estate performance against sector best practice and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Lead strategic reviews of space utilisation, accommodation planning and future campus requirements.
• Prepare reports and presentations for College Management Team, Executive Team and Governing Body meetings.

Key Measures

• Clear estates strategy aligned to College priorities.
• Estate investment decisions informed by robust business cases and data.
• Positive feedback from Governors and senior leaders.
• Evidence of continuous improvement and estate optimisation.

Capital Development and Estate Enhancement

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all major capital projects from concept development through to successful completion.
• Produce feasibility studies, option appraisals and business cases for proposed developments.
• Manage project governance arrangements, risk management and stakeholder engagement.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget and to agreed quality standards.
• Maximise external funding opportunities including grants and capital funding streams.
• Manage relationships with architects, surveyors, consultants, contractors and regulatory bodies.
• Ensure all projects comply with planning, building regulations and statutory requirements.

Key Measures

• Projects delivered on time and within budget.
• Capital investment aligned to strategic priorities.
• Positive stakeholder engagement.
• Successful management of project risks.

Estates, Security and Facilities Management

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and management of all hard and soft facilities management services.
• Ensure effective planned preventative maintenance programmes are developed and monitored.
• Oversee cleaning, catering, security, grounds maintenance, waste management and support services.
• Ensure effective operation of service desk and reactive maintenance functions.
• Establish Service Operating Procedures (SOPs) and monitor service level agreements and key performance indicators across teams
• Ensure facilities consistently provide secure, safe, welcoming and inspiring environments for students, staff and visitors.
• Lead delivery of customer-focused estate services across the College.

Key Measures

• High service standards achieved across all estates functions.
• Maintenance backlogs effectively managed.
• Service level agreements consistently delivered.
• Positive stakeholder satisfaction.

Compliance, Health & Safety and Risk Management

Key Responsibilities

• Act as senior responsible officer for estates compliance.
• Maintain strategic oversight of:
  • Fire Safety
  • Asbestos Management
  • Legionella Control
  • Electrical Safety
  • Gas Safety
  • Building Safety
  • Accessibility Compliance
  • Contractor Safety Management
• Ensure robust systems of assurance, audit and compliance reporting.
• Support and contribute to the College Health and Safety Committee.
• Lead responses to regulatory inspections and audits.
• Develop and maintain business continuity and emergency response arrangements relevant to the estate.
• Maintain estates risk registers and mitigation plans.

Key Measures

• Full statutory compliance maintained.
• No significant audit concerns.
• Effective risk management and assurance reporting.
• Safe and secure campus environment.

Sustainability and Environmental Management

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the College Sustainability Strategy.
• Drive carbon reduction and energy efficiency initiatives.
• Monitor environmental performance and utility consumption.
• Identify opportunities to improve sustainability and reduce costs.
• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation and reporting requirements.
• Support the College’s net-zero ambitions.

Key Measures

• Reduction in energy consumption and carbon emissions.
• Sustainability targets achieved.
• Environmental compliance maintained.

Financial and Commercial Management

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and manage significant estates revenue and capital budgets.
• Develop annual investment and lifecycle replacement plans.
• Deliver value for money across all estates and facilities services.
• Lead procurement and tendering exercises in line with College policies.
• Monitor contractor performance and contractual compliance.
• Ensure robust financial forecasting and budget monitoring arrangements.

Key Measures

• Budgets effectively managed.
• Procurement exercises deliver best value.
• Financial controls maintained.
• Savings and efficiencies identified.

Leadership and People Management

Key Responsibilities

• Provide inspirational and visible leadership to Estates and Facilities teams.
• Develop a high-performance culture across the directorate.
• Lead workforce planning and succession planning activity.
• Recruit, develop and retain high-quality staff.
• Conduct performance management and annual appraisal processes.
• Promote wellbeing, engagement and professional development.

Key Measures

• Effective team performance.
• High employee engagement levels.
• Strong succession planning arrangements.

Stakeholder Engagement and Representation

Key Responsibilities

• Build effective relationships with senior leaders, curriculum managers, staff, students and governors.
• Act as the principal point of contact on strategic estates matters.
• Represent Nescot at professional networks and external forums.
• Develop productive relationships with local authorities, contractors, consultants and sector bodies.
• Communicate major estate developments and projects regularly and effectively across the College.

Key Measures

• Strong stakeholder relationships.
• Effective communication and engagement.
• Positive external reputation.

Personal Development

• Participates in, and co-operates with, own Performance Review Interview to ensure that job-related targets are met and on-going staff development in line with Nescot’s aims.
• Carries out the Annual Performance Review Interview for those staff who report to the post, to ensure their continuing staff development
• To carry out Continuing Professional Development (CPD) relevant to the role, including subject or professional updates.
• Staff at Nescot are required to complete mandatory online training modules to ensure the highest standards of education and safety. This training covers (but not limited to) child protection, health and safety, first aid, fire safety, safeguarding, and data protection. Additionally, staff may be required to undertake training specific to their role. This ongoing professional development is essential for maintaining a positive and supportive environment.

Equality and Diversity and Nescot Values

• It is the responsibility of the post holder to promote equality and diversity, Nescot Enterprise values and recognition of diversity throughout Nescot Enterprises
• To follow and adhere to Nescot’s Equality and Diversity policy at all times.
• The post holder will undertake their duties in full accordance with Nescot Enterprises’ policies and procedures relating to equality and diversity and Nescot Enterprise values.

Safeguarding and PREVENT Responsibilities

• It is the responsibility of the post holder to commit to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students within the College.
• The post holder will undertake their duties in full accordance with Nescot Enterprises’ policies and procedures relating to safeguarding, PREVENT and promoting the welfare of students.

Additional Duties

• To undertake such additional duties as may be reasonably required commensurate with the level of responsibility within Nescot Enterprises at the initial place of work or any other of the College Group sites within the area.

Health and Safety

• Under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, whilst at work, you must take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of any other person who may be affected by your acts or omissions. In addition, you must co-operate with the College on health and safety and not interfere with, or misuse, anything provided for your health, safety or welfare.
• The Health and Safety Policy is available through Sharepoint, your line manager or via Onboarding.
• To take responsibility for the management of health and safety within the areas managed in accordance with NEL Health and Safety Policy and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (or any superseding legislation). To work proactively with the College Health and Safety Officer to ensure a safe working environment for students and staff. Managers have a responsibility to ensure that industry/faculty specific health and safety advancements and procedures are implemented and adhered to by all users.
• This college is a smoke-free campus—smoking and vaping are not permitted anywhere on site, there is a smoking area available.

This job description is current as dated. In consultation with the post holder it is liable to variation by the College to reflect actual, contemplated or proposed changes in or to the job.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

All of the following criteria is considered essential unless otherwise noted.

Experience

• Significant senior leadership experience in estates, facilities or property management.
• Experience of leading large and complex estates operations.
• Successful delivery of major capital projects and estate transformation programmes.
• Experience of managing substantial revenue and capital budgets.
• Experience of developing and implementing estates strategies and masterplans.
• Experience of statutory compliance, risk management and health and safety leadership.
• Experience of leading and developing multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience of procurement, contract management and supplier performance management.
• Experience within Further Education, Higher Education or public sector environments. (Desirable)
• Experience of managing large campus estates. (Desirable)
• Experience of securing external funding and grant applications. (Desirable)

Skills and Abilities

• Strategic planning and estate development expertise.
• Strong understanding of statutory compliance requirements.
• Excellent project and programme management skills.
• Financial and commercial acumen.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders.
• Strong negotiation and contract management capability.

Qualifications

• Degree level qualification or equivalent professional experience.
• NEBOSH Certificate or equivalent Health and Safety qualification.
• Chartered membership of a relevant professional body (MRICS, MCIOB, IWFM, CIBSE  or equivalent). (Desirable)
• Management qualification. (Desirable)
• Project Management qualification (PRINCE2, MSP or equivalent). (Desirable)

Personal Qualities

• Strategic and forward-thinking.
• Collaborative and inclusive leadership style.
• Resilient and adaptable.
• Highly credible and professional.
• Commitment to safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
• Ability to balance strategic leadership with operational delivery.
• Has awareness of equality and diversity and NEL Values which is promoted within your role.
• Commitment to continuing professional development.
• Commitment to safeguarding, PREVENT and promoting the welfare of learners.
• The required health and physical capacity to carry out the relevant management activities, after NEL has made such adjustments as may be required under the disability. provisions of the Equality Act 2010.
• Commitment to energy management and sustainability.