Head of Capital Projects

Nigel Wright Recruitment; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Kirklees College is seeking a Head of Capital Projects to lead a £5m annual capital programme across seven buildings and six campuses, delivering strategic estate improvements and ensuring sound governance. This senior role requires strong delivery experience and strategic oversight to align investment with educational delivery and student experience.

Working in partnership with Nigel Wright Group, the role offers scope to shape investment priorities, drive multi-site delivery, and strengthen

Qualifications

• Strong construction/refurbishment or capital project delivery experience.
• Experience managing budgets, contractors, consultants and multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills; ability to translate complex information.
• A relevant degree or professional qualification would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead the College’s capital projects and estate improvement programme.
• Oversee project delivery, capital budgets, procurement, contractors and consultants.
• Ensure strong project governance, compliance and effective programme management.
• Develop investment priorities and provide strategic oversight across multiple projects.

Skills

Construction delivery

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Strategic oversight

Education

Degree or professional qualification

HNC/HND advantageous

Job description

Nigel Wright Group is partnering with Kirklees College to recruit a Head of Capital Projects, a newly created role within the College’s wider Estates transformation.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead and shape a significant capital investment programme across a diverse multi-site estate. The successful candidate will provide strategic oversight of capital projects and estate improvements, ensuring investment is effectively planned, governed and delivered.

You will join Kirklees College at an important stage in the development of its estate, with the opportunity to influence future capital investment, strengthen project delivery and help create an environment that supports both educational delivery and the student experience.

The Role

This is an opportunity to lead and shape a significant capital investment programme across a varied estate of seven buildings and six campuses, spanning approximately 100,000 sq m. The estate includes traditional teaching environments alongside specialist engineering, construction, process manufacturing and animal-care facilities. With an annual capital programme of approximately £5m, an asset management survey underway and longer-term investment plans taking shape, this is much more than simply delivering projects. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to help establish how the College plans, prioritises and delivers capital investment for the future.

You will:

• Lead the College’s capital projects and estate improvement programme.
• Oversee project delivery, capital budgets, procurement, contractors and consultants.
• Ensure strong project governance, compliance and effective programme management.
• Develop investment priorities and provide strategic oversight across multiple projects.
• Build strong relationships with senior leaders and stakeholders across the College.
• Translate complex technical information into clear recommendations for non-technical audiences.

About You

We are looking for an experienced capital projects, construction or estates professional with:

• Strong construction, refurbishment or capital project delivery experience.
• Experience managing budgets, contractors, consultants and multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to combine strategic programme oversight with effective delivery.
• A relevant degree, HNC/HND or professional qualification would be advantageous, although equivalent experience will be considered.

Why join Kirklees College?

This is an opportunity to join Kirklees College at an important stage in the transformation of its Estates function. The Head of Capital Projects will have genuine scope to shape the capital programme, influence future investment priorities and strengthen how projects are planned and delivered across a diverse multi-site estate.

• This is a newly created role within a wider Estates transformation programme and represents a significant commitment by Kirklees College to invest in its estate and strengthen its internal capability.
• You will join at a point where you can genuinely influence how the function develops. An asset management survey is underway, future systems and processes are being developed, and the College has ambitious plans for the ongoing transformation of its estate.

It is an excellent opportunity for an established capital projects professional or an ambitious Senior Project Manager ready to step into a broader strategic leadership role.

Nigel Wright Group is working in partnership with Kirklees College on this appointment.