Head of Estates and Facilities

NHS Scotland; Carstairs; On-site; CAD 114,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Scotland seeks a Head of Estates and Facilities to oversee strategic and operational management. This senior role demands a master's degree in engineering, relevant institute membership, and strong managerial skills. The incumbent will lead initiatives ensuring compliance, safety, and effective delivery of services while collaborating closely with key stakeholders in a high-security environment. The closing date for applications is 21 December 2025.

Qualifications

• Qualified to masters degree level or acceptable equivalent qualifications.
• Ability to demonstrate in-depth managerial, financial, and strategic knowledge.
• Experience managing diverse financial budgets.
• Good working knowledge of health and safety legislation.
• Strong analytical skills at management level.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist advice to Directors on Estates and Facilities.
• Lead strategic and operational management within the department.
• Oversee long-term strategic planning for services.
• Chair key forums on health and safety and sustainability.
• Support the hospital’s Capital Programme.

Skills

Managerial knowledge

Financial management

Strategic planning

Health and safety legislation

Education

Masters degree in engineering or equivalent

Corporate membership of relevant institute

Job description

Head of Estates and Facilities

Join Our Team as Head of Estates and Facilities

AfC Band 8C (pro rata) plus a High Secure Environmental Allowance of £1,750.47 per annum (pro rata)

Hours 37hrs*

Contract Duration Permanent

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of Estates and Facilities to play a pivotal role at The State Hospitals Board for Scotland. This is an exciting opportunity for a forward‑thinking professional to influence corporate decision making and drive the delivery of person‑centred, high quality care aligned with both local and national objectives.

As the Board's leading expert in Estates and Facilities, you will provide specialist advice to Directors and take ownership of interpreting and implementing legislative requirements. You will lead on strategic and operational management within the Estates and Facilities Department, ensuring national NHS policy and guidance are effectively embedded through NHS Assure and collaborative working groups. Your expertise will contribute significantly to the formulation of policies and strategies that underpin the organisation’s objectives.

In this senior role, you will chair and contribute to key forums such as the Climate Change and Sustainability Group, Workforce Governance Group, Health & Safety Committee, Infection Control Committee and influential Health Facilities Scotland Groups, including the Strategic Facilities Group and Scottish Engineering and Technical Advisory Group. You will oversee long‑term strategic planning and the provision of Estates & Facilities services that directly support both clinical and non‑clinical operations.

Your formal technical leadership will be vital in supporting the hospital’s Capital Programme and you will take responsibility for the effective management of both hard and soft Estates and Facilities Teams. You will lead, direct and instruct staff across the Estates and Facilities Department in line with the Hospital’s Annual, Medium and Long‑Term Delivery Plans, always upholding the highest professional standards of best practice.

This role carries significant responsibility, including being the designated person for fire safety; asbestos management; confined spaces; legionella; medical gases; sterilisation; waste; water; housekeeping; catering; laundry and overall estates. You will also hold senior authorised person status for high and low voltage electrical systems and water management within the hospital.

Experience

• Qualified to masters degree level (or hold acceptable equivalent qualifications, experience and knowledge) in an engineering discipline.
• Corporate member of a relevant institute e.g. IHEEM (Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estates Management).
• In addition to the above qualifications the post holder will have the ability to demonstrate in depth managerial, financial and strategic knowledge within the field of Facilities Management. e.g. Experience of managing diverse financial budgets.
• Evidence of specialist knowledge acquired through the relevant professional and personal development (CPD).
• Experience should be supported by a good working knowledge of health and safety legislation, professional best practice and NHS technical memorandums. Well developed interpersonal abilities and strong analytical skills at management level are also essential training, qualifications and experience to carry out nominated person’s and authorised person’s responsibilities / duties.

Closing Date

The closing date for applications is Sunday 21 December 2025.

Contact

For an informal discussion please contact Allan Hardy, Acting Director of Security, Estates and Resilience on 01555 842015.

If you have any queries or require assistance regarding the application form or recruitment process, please contact the HR Team.

Equal Opportunities Statement

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society. It should be noted that the State Hospital is a high‑secure hospital and the current organisational position based on a risk assessment is that we welcome applications from people under the age of 18 for non‑clinical roles however to be eligible for a clinical role applicants should be 18 years and older. Should you have any questions in relation to this please contact.

Right to Work

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigration Service. As part of the pre‑employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check this entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa and settled and pre‑settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission and if you can demonstrate such cover, please refer to the GOV.UK website. For specific types of post, it might be possible to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licensed Sponsor and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found. Please note that the State Hospital is NOT licensed to issue certificates of sponsorship under current UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) regulations. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship to work with us.

Reduced Working Week

From 1 April 2026 the working week for NHS Agenda for Change staff in Scotland will reduce from 37 to 36 hours for full time employees. Part time staff will receive a pro‑rated reduction in hours, with no loss of earnings. The State Hospital is committed to implementing this change however, it may not be possible to fully transition on 1 April 2026 in all areas. In some departments, implementation may take longer to ensure patient safety and service continuity. If your department cannot safely accommodate the reduced hours from 1 April 2026, you may be required to continue working 37.5 hours per week (pro‑rated for part‑time staff) until adjustments can be made. You will, of course, be remunerated accordingly. Our priority is to implement the 36 hour working week across all areas as soon as it is safe and practical to do so.