About this role
Job summary
The Associate Director of Estates is a senior leadership role responsible for providing strategic direction, professional oversight and assurance across all aspects of the Trust's estate. As the Trust's senior estates professional, you will lead estate operations, statutory compliance, sustainability and capital development programmes, ensuring the estate remains safe, compliant, resilient and fit for the future. Working closely with the Chief Transformation, Estates and Digital Officer, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering the Trust's Estates Strategy, Capital Programme and Net Zero ambitions, supporting high-quality patient care and organisational priorities.
This is an opportunity for an experienced estates leader with a strong track record of delivering major capital projects, driving service improvement and managing compliance within a complex organisation. You will provide expert advice to the Executive Team and Trust Board, lead high-performing teams and work collaboratively with NHS partners, regulators and stakeholders to secure investment, modernise infrastructure and support service transformation across the Trust.
Right to Work in the UK This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application, as the organisation is unable to support sponsorship for this post.
Main duties of the job You will provide strategic leadership across Estates Operations, Engineering, Compliance, Sustainability and Capital Projects, ensuring the Trust's estate remains safe, compliant, resilient and fit for purpose. You will lead the development and delivery of the Trust's Estates Strategy, Capital Programme and Net Zero ambitions, oversee major infrastructure and redevelopment projects, manage significant budgets and provide expert advice and assurance to the Executive Team and Board. Working with staff, partners and regulators, you will drive continuous improvement and support the delivery of the Trust's strategic objectives.
About us
We are the lead provider of healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
We aim to provide High Quality, Compassionate Care everywhere, every day. This means our services will be safe, clinically effective and provide a positive all round experience for our patients, families and carers. And we believe passionately in treating everyone with kindness, respect and empathy.
Key to this is providing a supportive and safe environment for our 4,000 staff where we all feel welcome and able to do the best we can for those we support. Our staff and teams work incredibly hard delivering services across more than 90 locations, covering 2,200miles, to more than 1.8million people.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Job description Job responsibilities
The Associate Director of Estates is responsible for providing strategic leadership, professional expertise and assurance across all aspects of the Trust's estate portfolio. As the Trust's senior estates professional, the postholder will ensure the estate is safe, compliant, sustainable, resilient and fit to support the delivery of high-quality patient care and the organisation's long-term strategic objectives.
Working as part of the senior leadership team, the postholder will lead the development and delivery of the Trust's Estates Strategy, Capital Programme and sustainability agenda, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities, clinical service developments and system-wide objectives. They will provide expert advice and assurance to the Executive Team, Trust Board and Board Committees, deputise for the Chief Transformation, Estates and Digital Officer as required, and lead the Trust's estates, engineering, compliance and capital project functions.
The postholder will oversee major capital investment and infrastructure programmes, ensuring robust governance, financial stewardship, regulatory compliance and effective risk management across the estate. They will build strong relationships with NHS partners, regulators, local authorities and other stakeholders to support service transformation, secure investment opportunities and deliver modern, sustainable healthcare environments that meet the needs of patients, staff and communities now and in the future.
Person Specification
Education & qualification Essential
Educated to degree level or equivalent knowledge gained from significant experience managing medium to large public sector estate. Evidence of relevant continued professional development, gained through either postgraduate study, or specialist course(s), or specific equivalent development experience.
Desirable
Membership of relevant professional body such as HCIMA, BIFM, CIBSE, RICS or CIOB, IEEE, or an equivalent level of experience. Chartered status with relevant body.
Experience and Knowledge Essential
Substantial senior leadership experience in Estates and Facilities within a large, complex healthcare organisation or comparable environment. Significant experience of strategic estates management, including statutory compliance, governance, risk management and assurance. Proven track record of leading major capital programmes, including estate redevelopment, infrastructure and new-build projects. Significant financial and commercial management experience, including capital and revenue budgets, contractor management and delivery of value for money. Demonstrable experience of leading organisational change, service improvement and operational performance through multidisciplinary teams. Strong partnership and stakeholder management skills, with experience of working across organisational and system boundaries to deliver strategic objectives.
Desirable
Knowledge of mental health service provision and governance and assurance systems. Experience of leading complex capital projects and programmes, including project directorship, client-side commissioning and the application of recognised project management methodologies. Experience of service modernisation and change management within clinical and/or non-clinical services. Experience of prioritising and delivering schemes that support multiple services and organisational objectives. Experience of sustainability initiatives, energy management systems, emerging technologies and stakeholder engagement, including service user involvement in service or facility development.
Skills and Abilities Essential
Strategic leadership and people management skills, with the ability to lead, develop and motivate high-performing teams within complex organisations. Excellent communication, influencing and relationship-management skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior leaders, Boards, partners and external stakeholders. Strong programme, project and financial management skills, with the ability to deliver complex priorities and organisational objectives. High levels of analytical, decision-making and problem-solving ability, including the interpretation and presentation of complex information to support improvement and informed decision-making. Significant expertise in governance, compliance assurance and risk management, supported by strong digital literacy and the effective use of data, systems and performance information.
Desirable
Strong facilitation, training and coaching skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders and share knowledge across a range of audiences, including partners, service users and colleagues. Ability to apply project management skills and methodologies to organisational change, service improvement and wider business development activities. Proficiency in the use of technical and information management tools relevant to estates services, including CAD and database systems.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Address Bath NHS House
Newbridge Hill
Bath
BA1 3QE
United Kingdom
Employer's website http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)