Band 9 - Director of Environment

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Watford; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust in the UK is seeking a Director of Environment to shape strategic facilities management and ensure compliance with high standards. This pivotal leadership role involves overseeing a diverse contract portfolio and managing key services such as health and safety. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in NHS operational management, financial oversight, and possess strong people leadership skills. This position offers an opportunity to influence significant transformational change within a dynamic healthcare environment.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Focus on staff well-being

Qualifications

• Proven experience in managing clinical operational services.
• Strong evidence of handling complex arrangements with accuracy.
• Track record of delivering to high standards on budget.

Responsibilities

• Implement long-term Estates and Facilities strategies.
• Lead services including cleanliness, catering, and sustainability.
• Provide assurance reports to Board committees.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Change management

Financial management

People leadership

Education

Relevant first degree and postgraduate qualifications

Formal management training

Job description

Band 9 - Director of Environment

The closing date is 09 December 2025.

This is an exciting opportunity to join West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as our Director of Environment, a key leadership role responsible for shaping the future of our estate and facilities. You will lead the development of a modern, efficient, and sustainable environment that supports excellent patient care and reflects our strategic ambitions.

As the Trust's principal advisor on all land, property, and estates matters, you will oversee health and safety, fire safety, decontamination, medical equipment, and security management. You will manage a diverse portfolio of services, including soft FM contracts, and ensure robust governance, compliance, and risk management across all areas.

Working closely with senior leaders and external partners, you will drive the delivery of strategic estate plans, capital projects, and sustainability initiatives. This role requires a visionary leader with the ability to inspire teams, manage complex budgets, and deliver transformational change in a fast‑paced healthcare environment.

Main duties of the job

• Develop and deliver strategic estate plans across all Trust sites.
• Lead on health and safety, fire safety, decontamination, and medical equipment compliance.
• Act as Security Management Director (SMD) and oversee security management.
• Manage three soft FM services, ensuring effective contract execution and performance.
• Contribute to corporate decision‑making and strategic planning at Board level.

About us

With a new hospital planned for Watford, work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital and plans for a neighbourhood healthcare centre in Hemel Hempstead, this is an exciting time to join us. We are building on the success of our award‑winning virtual hospital and re‑imagining models of care, working closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare. Staff wellbeing and development are a priority, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience. Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive. They capture an important balance across what we must all do as individuals and to support others. We offer a variety of flexible working options as we recognise the importance of a good work life balance. We reserve the right to close this advert early due to the volume of applicants. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. If you do not hear back within 3 weeks of your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Job responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Shape and implement long‑term Estates and Facilities strategies, ensuring alignment with national standards and Trust objectives.
• Operational Oversight: Lead services including hospital cleanliness, catering, portering, security, engineering, sustainability, and waste management.
• Governance & Assurance: Provide assurance reports to Board committees and ensure compliance with statutory and NHS requirements.
• Financial Management: Oversee a £28m budget, ensuring value for money and adherence to Standing Financial Instructions.
• Change Management: Drive transformation and continuous improvement across Estates and Facilities services.
• People Leadership: Inspire and develop teams, fostering a culture of openness, inclusivity, and high performance.

Person Specification

Education

• Relevant first degree graduate and relevant postgraduate qualifications
• Evidence of continual professional development and management/leadership development
• Formal management training

Knowledge

• Effectively managing change, experience of managing clinical operational services and leading and implementing quality and productivity improvement
• Highly developed knowledge of estates and facilities management gained through holding senior leadership positions
• A track record of delivering to high standards, on time and on budget across complex multi‑use estates
• Broad knowledge of health service estates and facilities issues

Experience

• Senior operational experience within the NHS across a range of services/Organisations
• Experience of leading and motivating staff with the ability to identify and develop talent
• Strong evidence of experience of handling complex arrangements to a high degree of accuracy, timeliness and effectiveness, including managing multiple deadlines
• Proven experience in writing papers for senior level, internal and external audiences
• Experience in developing, commissioning and project managing capital works programmes within a public sector environment

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.

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust