Head of Estates (Campus Development)

NERC: Natural Environment Research Council; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave

Employee discounts

Employee assistance programme

Flexible working options

Job summary

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) in Swindon is seeking a Head of Estate Transformation to lead the estates transformation programme, ensuring delivery of the Estates Strategy. You will govern budgets, manage risks, engage stakeholders and drive a one-team approach with Centre leads for BAU and transformation work.

The role requires strong leadership, extensive experience in large capital programmes, and the ability to deliver within time and cost constraints, reporting to senior UKRI

Qualifications

• Proven experience in an estates leadership role.
• Experience in leading and managing complex estates or capital programmes, delivering outcomes within time, cost and scope parameters.
• NEC, APM, RICS or IWFM accreditation.
• Strong financial oversight with budgeting, cost control, forecasting and transparent reporting.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight for the entire estates transformation programme.
• Translate objectives into a structured programme with deliverables, schedules, dependencies and resources.
• Oversee governance, risk management and assurance activities for the programme.

Skills

Estates leadership

Programme governance

Budgeting & forecasting

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Decarbonisation

Communication skills

Education

NEC/APM/RICS/IWFM accreditation

Job description

Location: Polaris House, Swindon - Hybrid working available

Closing Date: Friday 16th October 2026

The Head of Estate Transformation provides leadership of the entire estate transformation programme, ensuring effective delivery of the NERC Estates Strategy. The role is responsible for programme governance and budgeting. strategic planning, risk management assurance, stakeholder engagement, and oversight of delivery through others. The postholder will work closely with NERC Head of Estates and Centre leads to ensure a 'one team' approach which ensure seamless delivery of BAU and transformation activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing leadership and oversight for the entire estates transformation programme ensuring clear alignment with the NERC Estates Strategy.
• Translating organisational objectives into structured programme with clear deliverables schedules, dependencies and resource requirements.
• Advocating for the programme and its benefits within UKRI and beyond. Oversight of programme governance, strategic risk management and assurance activities.
• Budgeting and close financial tracking/assurance for the programme.
• Owning and maintaining programme documentation, including plans, risk registers, dashboards, decision logs and benefits information.
• Senior level engagement and stakeholder management including across Centres and within UKRI
• Ensure all building safety information is collected, verified and handed over accurately to statutory duty holders, supporting the Golden Thread requirements.
• Harmonising project interfaces with other estate-related workstreams to ensure alignment, avoid duplication and identify shared opportunities.
• Promoting data-driven decision making and continuous improvement across all project activity.
• Preparing detailed executive level reports, briefing papers and updates for senior leaders and internal/external stakeholders.
• Deputising for the Associate Director for Estates and Sustainability where needed

Personal Specification

• Proven experience in an estates leadership role
• Experience in leading and managing complex estates or capital programmes, delivering high quality outcomes within defined time, cost and scope parameters.
• NEC, APM, RICS or IWFM accreditation.
• Strong financial oversight capability, including budget setting, cost control, forecasting and ensuring transparent financial reporting.
• Experience in producing, maintaining and governing programmes control documentation, ensuring robust planning, tracking and decision making.
• Demonstrable strength in project & programme governance, applying structured oversight, assurance processes and compliance with organisational standards.
• Proven ability to identify, assess and manage project risks and opportunities.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience of decarbonisation activity within the built environment

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)