Head of Estate

United Kingdom

Role Summary

My client is a vibrant and esteemed academic institution. The College's main site, in the centre of Oxford, comprises of historic listed Cotswold stone buildings, dating back as far as the seventeenth century, sitting alongside a recently built modern quad with a café, lecturer theatre, art gallery and teaching spaces in addition to student accommodation. There is a further accommodation complex nearby on the Thames, together with a boat house and sports pavilion.

The College's site includes:

A mix of Grade 1, Grade2 and Modern buildings with approx 250,000 sq. ft. of floor space

484 bedrooms as part of its accommodation facilities.

They are seeking an experienced and dynamic individual to serve as Head of Estates. This role is pivotal in ensuring the effective management and strategic development of the College's physical infrastructure, including its buildings, grounds and facilities. The successful candidate will manage a team comprising of a Maintenance Supervisor, five Maintenance Assistants and a Gardner who are responsible for maintaining the College's estate to the highest standards while supporting the institution's academic mission and broader objectives.

Main Responsibilities

Buildings Strategy and Sustainability

Own, develop and implement the site masterplan so as to meet the current and future needs of the College, creating a strategic programme of works.

Promote and embed sustainability across the College's site, buildings and operations.

Represent the Estates Team at the Buildings and Sustainability Committee of the Governing Body, at Project Steering Committees and at any other relevant meetings.

Significant Capital Projects :

Play a lead role in managing major capital projects from inception to completion, including planning, design, procurement, and construction phases.

Working with the College staff on both academic and operational teams, develop detailed business cases, ensuring briefs are properly defined and agreed, through to tender, engagement and onsite management of external advisors and contractors.

Serve as the main point of contact between project contractors/consultants and the College, ensuring that the day-to-day project activities minimise interruption to College life.

Liaise with architects, engineers, contractors and stakeholders to monitor progress and to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

Proactively communicate with all members of the College community, keeping them updated on project progress, movement of contractors and consultants, and any potential disruption.

Facilities Management :

Manage the College's (hard) facilities, including utilities, gas, plumbing, heating, lighting, electrical, mechanical, and fire safety systems.

Update and implement a programme of planned preventative maintenance to ensure the ongoing upkeep of College buildings and infrastructure.

Oversee the effective implementation of the maintenance helpdesk, ensuring that reactive repairs are carried out swiftly and cost effectively.

Plan and deliver renovation and refurbishment projects, prioritising projects based on the planned preventative maintenance schedule.

Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and health & safety standards.

Oversee the scheduling of compliance testing and any specialist inputs, bringing in external contractors as required.

Financial and Project Management :

Manage the maintenance, compliance, and refurbishment budgets, totalling circa £1m pa, ensuring prudent use of resources and delivery of cost-effective solutions.

Manage smaller capital projects in their entirety, obtaining quotes, hiring contractors and ensuring delivery of projects on time and within budget.

Negotiate and contract with a range of external suppliers, developing long term relationships and overseeing their work.

Leadership, Management and Stakeholder Engagement

Provide strong leadership and direction to the estates team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and excellence.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contribute to College wide operational planning, collaborating closely with other operational leaders, academic departments, staff, students and external stakeholders.

Serve as a member of the College's Critical Incident Response Team and play a key role in supporting one off and regular large events including the bi-annual College Ball, conferences and College celebratory events.

Communicate effectively and build positive relationships across the Oxford College Community.

Person Specification

A proven track record of successfully managing a complex estate, including maintenance, renovations and capital projects, ideally with knowledge of heritage buildings. Familiarity with an educational setting would be a plus.

A relevant professional qualification (eg in engineering/as a quantity surveyor) or equivalent experience together with a Bachelor's degree or equivalent.

Experience and knowledge of tendering, procurement, costing and liaison with contractors and professional consultants in relation to buildings projects.

Strong financial acumen and experience in budgeting, financial planning and resource allocation.

Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire staff.

Knowledge of health & safety regulations, building codes and compliance requirements.

Exceptional communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills.

Strategic mindset with the ability to think creatively and problem-solve effectively.

A genuine commitment to sustainability and stewardship and development of a historic site to meet the needs of a College Community.

Commitment to promoting diversity, equality and inclusion within the workplace.