Estates Manager

NHS; York; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A local charity is seeking an Estates Manager for a fixed term position of 18 months. The role involves overseeing the delivery of support services, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations, and managing a team dedicated to creating safe and quality environments for patients and visitors. The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in facilities management and possess strong leadership skills.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing Facilities, Catering, and Housekeeping services.
• Strong understanding of Health & Safety legislation, infection control, and food hygiene in healthcare.
• Demonstrable experience in service evaluation, gap analysis, and implementation of improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of essential support services including Facilities, Catering, and Housekeeping.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and standards.
• Conduct service evaluations and implement improvements for operational efficiency.

Skills

Communication

Problem-solving

Education

Degree or equivalent qualification in Facilities Management, Estates, or related discipline

IOSH or NEBOSH Health & Safety qualification

Tools

Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Job description

Do you want to help make improvements to the Estates function of a local charity and make a difference to the local community?

St Leonard's Hospice is recruiting for an experienced and dynamic professional to join the team on a fixed term basis as an Estates Manager to lead on the delivery of the essential support services (Facilities, Catering and Housekeeping). This varied role is key to ensuring safe, compliant and high-quality environments for our patients and their visitors at the main Hospice site but also our retail estate which is based in York and the surrounding area.

This is a full-time position working 37.5 hours per week between normal office hours, Monday to Friday, for a fixed period of 18 months.There will also be a requirement to be a part of the facilities on-call function which provides 24/7 operational support.

Main duties of the job

As Estates Manager, your key priorities will be to:

• Deliver safe, efficient and cost-effective estates and support services aligned with the Hospices strategic goals with a focus on service development and improvements
• Be responsible for the senior management of the Facilities, Catering and Housekeeping teams, ensuring they deliver a safe and responsive service to meet all required regulatory standards
• Maintain and demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of Health & Safety legislation in relation to a healthcare environment including safe building maintenance, infection prevention and control, food safety and patient nutrition and hydration
• Ensure all statutory maintenance and compliance activities are carried out and documented

Our ideal candidates will have:

• Proven experience of successfully managing facilities, catering and housekeeping services including leading and developing multi-disciplinary teams and specialist contractors
• Experience of leading change management initiatives within operational services including service evaluations, gap analysis and implementing improvements
• A strong knowledge of health and safety legislation and track record of managing compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements (e.g. CQC, HTM and HBN)
• Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate at all levels both internally and externally
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work on own initiative

About us

Our mission is to provide excellent care and support to those living with life-limiting illness and to the people they care about, to enrich their lives and to contribute to the ongoing development of end-of-life care. We do this by placing our patients at the centre of everything we do, and through involving patients and their families in all decisions regarding their care.

We can only achieve this with the help of our amazing colleagues, by developing and recognising their contribution, and by sharing our knowledge and skills through education, audit and research.

Job responsibilities

TheEstates Manager will lead on the delivery of essential support services(Facilities, Catering and Housekeeping) with their key focus being servicedevelopment and improvements.

Theywill ensure that across the Main Hospice and Retail, sites will be safe,compliant and high-quality environments.

Mainduties and responsibilities

Professional

• Responsible for the management of the Facilities,Catering, and Housekeeping teams, ensuring they deliver a safeand responsive service tomeet all required regulatory standards.
• Accountable to senior leadership for deliveringsafe, efficient, and cost-effective estates and support services aligned withthe Hospices strategic goals.
• Conduct comprehensive service evaluations, includingneeds assessments, gap analyses, and service redesigns to enhance operationalefficiency and patient outcomes.
• Lead change management initiatives withinoperational services to enhance service delivery in response to the evolvingneeds of a growing organisation.
• Establish and introduce departmental KPIs to measureservice quality, drive continuous improvement, and ensure compliance withhealthcare regulations through ongoing monitoring.
• Maintain and demonstrate comprehensive knowledge ofHealth & Safety legislation in relation to healthcare environments,including safe building maintenance, infection prevention and control, foodsafety, and patient nutrition and hydration.
• Have (or gain) a strong understanding of CQCFundamental Standards and inspection frameworks, ensuring all support servicesare inspection-ready and fully compliant.
• Contractor Service Management review contractorsperformance ensuring value for money and build relationships, and assistservice leads in their operational contract management, including compliancemonitoring, value-for-money assessments, and performance management.
• FACILITIES:Ensure all statutory maintenance and compliance activities are carried out anddocumented, including HTM, HBN, and BS7671 (18th edition) requirements.
• FACILITIES: Projectwork as needed either in leading on small projects or working in coordinationwith Project Managers for larger projects.
• FACILITIES:Participate in the on-call facilities function, providing 24/7 operationalsupport and ensuring swift resolution of urgent service issues.
• ESTATE: Manageutilities, energy performance, and carbon reduction targets for SLH estate.
• ESTATE: Overseewaste management in alignment with clinical and non-clinical waste regulationsand sustainability goals.

Managerial

• Management lead for the operational delivery ofFacilities, Catering, and Housekeeping services within a healthcareenvironment, ensuring safe, patient-centred, and compliant service standards.
• Provide effective line management to service leadsand as Senior Manager to their teams; foster a culture of accountability,professional development, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
• Oversee staff recruitment, grievance, disciplinary,and capability matters.
• Collaborate with WELD to identify and implementstaff training and development programmes.
• Manage and carry out investigations related toplant, equipment, or service failures, identifying process gaps andimplementation of follow-up actions.
• Author, review, and update policies and proceduresto reflect current legislation, industry and clinical standards, andoperational best practices.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• IOSH or NEBOSH Health & Safety qualification
• Evidence of continued professional development in facilities or operational management
• Degree or equivalent qualification in Facilities Management, Estates, or a related discipline

IT

• Good basic IT skills
• Knowledge of Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Personal

• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work on own initiative
• Ability to manage complex and competing priorities under pressure
• Be able to work as part of a team and individually
• Flexible approach to the work undertaken

Communication

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to communicate at all levels within the Hospice

Other requirements

• Be prepared to assist with Hospice fundraising activities
• Current driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes

Experience

• Proven experience managing Facilities, Catering, and Housekeeping services
• Experience of leading and developing multi-disciplinary teams and managing specialist contractors
• Proven experience of leading change management initiatives within operational services
• Demonstrable experience in service evaluation, gap analysis, and implementation of improvements
• Track record of managing compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements (e.g. CQC, HTM, HBN)
• Experience of managing budgets, energy performance, and cost efficiency across operational services
• Experience of managing performance through KPIs, audits, and monitoring systems
• Line management experience, including handling recruitment, disciplinary, and grievance processes
• Experience in managing service contracts, including procurement and contractor performance
• In-depth knowledge of healthcare-specific standards such as HTM, HBN, BS7671 (18th edition)
• Strong understanding of Health & Safety legislation, infection control, and food hygiene in healthcare
• Ability to lead and implement policy and procedural changes
• Experience of working in a healthcare environment
• Familiarity with CQC inspection frameworks and regulatory compliance
• Experience with sustainability initiatives including carbon reduction and waste management strategies
• Experience participating in or managing a 24/7 on-call rota for facilities services
• Involvement in capital projects or refurbishment programmes within healthcare settings
• Familiarity with Facilities Management software 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.