Head of Estates

Oak Multi Academy Trust; Oadby; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

OAK Multi Academy Trust is seeking a Head of Estates to join the central senior leadership team and own the Trust's estates strategy across five schools. You will shape priorities, set budgets and have real authority to decide what needs doing, with deputies and on-site teams supporting you.

The role is hands-on and collaborative, visible across campuses, working with headteachers, premises teams and trustees.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of a multi-site estates or facilities team.
• Experience in strategic estates planning and budget management.
• Strong health and safety and compliance knowledge.
• Ability to engage senior stakeholders and trustees.

Responsibilities

• Lead the estates strategy for five schools within the MAT.
• Assess condition, risk and need and prioritise investment.
• Direct funding and oversee delivery of improvement projects.
• Work with premises teams, headteachers and central teams.
• Present recommendations to trustees and continue professional development.

Skills

Estates management

Leadership

Commercial awareness

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Facilities/Estates management experience

Job description

Five schools. One estates strategy. Your opportunity to shape it.

OAK's five schools are in good condition. Compliance systems are established. Updated condition surveys are being completed. And there's funding available to invest.

Now we're looking for someone with the judgement and ambition to decide what comes next.

As Head of Estates, you'll join the central senior leadership team, report directly to the CEO and take ownership of the Trust's estates strategy.

You'll have real authority to identify what needs doing, and the budget to make it happen.

You'll assess condition, risk and need, set investment priorities and direct funding where it will make the greatest difference.

With ambitions to grow beyond its five schools, OAK needs someone who can bring individual school-led approaches together into one strategic, Trust-wide model.

But this isn't a role where you'll spend all your time behind a desk.

You'll be visible across the schools, working with Headteachers and premises teams. One day you might be reviewing investment plans or presenting recommendations to trustees. The next, you'll be on site helping solve a practical problem.

And because OAK is still a relatively small Trust, you'll see the impact of your decisions.

You'll also develop the premises teams, introduce more consistent ways of working and help people work together rather than as five separate sites.

You won't be doing this alone.

You'll have a central Premises Officer to support you, alongside experienced colleagues in HR, finance and the wider leadership team. It's a close, collaborative environment where people share expertise and support each other.

Of course, five schools means five sets of priorities. You'll sometimes need to explain why investment is going to one school rather than another, and bring people with you when changes need to be made.

That takes confidence, diplomacy and commercial judgement.

Because ultimately, your decisions aren't just about buildings. They help create the places where young people can flourish, achieve and grow.

You might already work within a Multi Academy Trust, but you don't have to.

OAK welcomes candidates from education, the NHS, charity or other complex multi-site environments. What matters is strong estates or facilities experience, sound health and safety and compliance knowledge, commercial awareness and the ability to lead and develop people.

You don't need to know every detail of education estates management from day one. But you will need to be organised, practical and confident in your judgement.

You'll receive 26 days' holiday plus bank holidays, rising to 31 days after five years' education service, a 17.3% employer pension contribution, CPD and a wider wellbeing and employee benefits package.

Interested?

Closing date: Monday 26th October 2026

OAK Multi Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful applicant will be subject to enhanced DBS clearance and satisfactory references.