Associate Director of Estates Technical Compliance

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust; Canterbury; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension

Flexible working

Job summary

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust seeks an Associate Director of Technical Estates Compliance to lead compliance, assurance and governance across a large NHS estate. You will advise the Board and senior leaders on priorities, and drive robust monitoring, audits and reporting frameworks to safeguard patient care.

The role requires Chartered Engineer status with NHS estates knowledge and a track record of influencing at Board level, delivering measurable improvements, and leading

Qualifications

• Proven experience in estates compliance within a large/complex organisation, preferably healthcare.
• Knowledge of statutory and NHS estates compliance requirements and guidance.
• Chartered Engineer or equivalent professional status with relevant qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Review and shape the estates technical compliance strategy with statutory and NHS guidance.
• Provide expert advice to the Board, Executive Team and senior leaders on compliance priorities and investment needs.
• Oversee development and delivery of compliant monitoring systems, audits, and reporting frameworks.
• Foster accountability, continuous improvement and professional excellence.
• Lead innovation in compliance management, including digital monitoring tools and sustainability solutions.
• Act as the Trust's Authorised Person for key engineering disciplines and ensure safe systems of work.

Skills

Estates compliance

Board liaison

Governance

Leadership

Digital monitoring

Risk management

Education

Chartered Engineer

Professional estates management status

Tools

HTMs/HBNs knowledge

Job description

A Vacancy at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. At EKHUFT, every role contributes to delivering safe, high-quality care - and our estates are no exception. Our facilities are the backbone of patient care, from the reliability of critical systems to the safety of every ward, theatre, and clinic. We are committed to ensuring our estate is not only compliant with all statutory and NHS requirements but also future-ready, sustainable, and resilient. As our Associate Director of Technical Estates Compliance, you will be the Trust's senior lead liaising with our subsidiary organisation regarding estates compliance, assurance, and governance. Your expertise will directly influence patient safety, operational continuity, and Board-level decision-making. You will be integral to agreeing the strategic direction for compliance across a complex, high-profile estate - ensuring that every building, system, and process meets the highest standards of safety, regulation, and performance.

What You'll Do

• Review and agree the Trust's estates technical compliance strategy, ensuring full adherence to statutory, regulatory, and NHS guidance.
• Provide expert advice to the Board, Executive Team, and senior leaders on compliance risks, priorities, and investment needs.
• Oversee the development and delivery of robust compliance monitoring systems, audits, and reporting frameworks.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional excellence.
• Drive innovation in compliance management, including the adoption of digital monitoring tools and sustainability-focused solutions.
• Act as the Trust's Authorised Person for key engineering disciplines, ensuring safe systems of work and technical assurance.
  Significant senior leadership experience in estates compliance within a large, complex organisation - ideally healthcare.
• In-depth knowledge of statutory, regulatory, and NHS estates compliance requirements, including HTMs and HBNs.
• Chartered Engineer or equivalent professional status, with relevant technical qualifications in engineering or estates management.
• Proven ability to influence at Board level and lead teams through change.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and risk management skills, with a track record of delivering measurable improvements.
  We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference'. We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called 'We care'. It's about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We're looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day.
• A collaborative, values-driven culture where your expertise is respected and your voice matters.
• Generous NHS pension scheme, annual leave entitlement, and flexible working arrangements.
• The satisfaction of knowing your work directly supports safe, high-quality patient care every single day.