Hard FM Lead | NHS England

NHS England; Leeds; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health organization in the UK is seeking a candidate to provide technical advice and develop safety regulations within healthcare infrastructure. This role focuses on ensuring compliance with safety standards while fostering a culture of innovation and teamwork. Candidates should have a background in healthcare and be proficient in translating technical information for senior leadership. Join us to lead fundamental changes in NHS facilities and make a substantial impact on patient care.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

Comprehensive training and professional development

Pension scheme

Qualifications

• Experience working in a healthcare environment.
• Proven ability to implement technical safety standards.
• Strong understanding of NHS operational challenges.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical advice to support operational safety.
• Develop hard FM assurance guidance that meets regulations.
• Work with a team to drive reforms for safety and excellence.

Skills

Technical advice

Healthcare experience

Communication skills

Safety regulations understanding

Strategic policy development

Education

Degree in relevant technical field

Job description

Transforming Our Estate for the Future

There has never been a more important time to join the NHS. We’re transforming our estate to deliver 21st‑century care and the best possible outcomes for patients. Estates are central to the government’s 10‑Year Health Plan and Infrastructure Strategy, placing the built environment at the heart of NHS transformation. We’ve laid the groundwork for fundamental change, now we need visionary leaders to help us realise the benefits and drive lasting impact.

Our ambitions are bold: becoming the world’s first net zero health system by 2040, setting global standards for sustainable healthcare, building 40 new state‑of‑the‑art hospitals, and accelerating investment in community‑based care. This is a pivotal moment in NHS history, a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity to help shape the future of the largest estate in the UK.

The NHS estate spans 27 million m², with 1.4 million staff working across 17,000 buildings, including 1,140 hospitals and 7,500 primary care sites. Around 100,000 estates and facilities professionals keep our services running. With £7 billion in operational capital and nearly £14 billion in annual EFM spend, the scale is vast and the potential for transformation even greater.

Join us as we work to future‑proof our estate and deliver care fit for generations to come. We’re looking for passionate individuals ready to lead, innovate, and make a lasting difference in healthcare infrastructure and patient experience.

Role Overview

Reporting to the Head of Hard FM, you will provide technical advice to support operational safety and drive the development of technical guidance.

Ensuring that safety regulations and legislation are understood and reflected in guidance, your focus will be on critical aspects of patient safety and improvement.

Your responsibility for developing robust and progressive hard FM assurance guidance that meets legislative requirements will ensure a safe and fit for purpose estate. You will be adept at developing strategic and operational policies and reports to promote innovative ways of delivery.

You will work as part of a wider team creating a positive working culture to drive reforms for safety and excellence, representing the engineering community and engaging with key stakeholders and professional bodies.

You will have experience working in a healthcare environment, with a proven ability to implement and apply HTMs and HBNs in practice. You will also demonstrate a strong understanding of EFM technical guidance and standards, alongside specialist expertise in one or more areas relevant to the NHS. Additionally, you will have a clear understanding of the operational challenges faced within NHS Trusts.

You’ll bring innovative new ideas to the role, with communication skills and energy to drive change and build trusted relationships. You’ll be able to translate complex, technical information into simple clear reporting, documentation, and advice to the Senior Leadership Team.

Benefits to NHS and Patients

Our work supports the NHS to deliver high quality services for patients and best value for taxpayers.

Our staff bring expertise across hundreds of specialisms — including clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial — enabling us to design and deliver high‑quality NHS services.

What We Lead in England

• Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities
• Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential
• Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
• Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
• Delivering value for money

Earlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, leading to full integration. The aim is to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and eliminates waste.

If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the recruitment process.

The National Estates and Facilities Team

The purpose of our team is to provide a clean, safe, and sustainable estate and patient environment across the NHS. The national team of c120 people is made up of a diverse mix of skills and expertise but we have a common purpose – to provide the best possible services and outcomes for our patients. We work across all aspects of estates and facilities functions from national policies and workforce strategy to regional and local delivery through local healthcare systems.

Why Join Us

People are central to what we do - both in terms of our patient‑led care but just as importantly, our brilliant team. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and compassionate workforce supporting everyone to reach their full potential.

This means we care about your professional development and training as well as your personal health and wellbeing. You'll be joining a supportive and friendly team where you can truly be yourself. You'll also have access to fantastic benefits such as our pension scheme, great annual leave entitlement and flexible working opportunities to give you the work/life balance that suits your lifestyle and caring responsibilities.

If you are passionate about estates and facilities and want to make a tangible difference to people's lives, join us on this exciting journey as we transition to the Department of Health and Social Care and amplify our impact.

Job Responsibilities

You can find further details about the job, organisational structure, recruitment profile, expected outcomes and benefits in the attached Job Description and supporting documents.

How to Apply

Please see the Job Description for further information. For an informal discussion, contact Simon Picking, Head of Hard FM / Engineering: [e-mail].

We particularly welcome applications from under‑represented groups.

Application Form Supporting Statement Guidelines

• What values, behaviours and leadership expertise will you bring to our team and how will this help us achieve our goals?
• What expertise do you have in leading and coordinating specialist technical programmes, including outsourced services?
• What expertise do you have in distilling highly technical information to allow senior leaders to make informed decisions?
• What innovation do you believe you can bring to the role?
• How does this role fit with your career so far and your long‑term aspirations?
• What sets you apart from other candidates?

Secondments

Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.

This advert closes on Sunday 28 Dec 2025.