Head of Estates Operations

The Dean Trust; Sale; On-site; GBP 56,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension and Death in Service Benefit

Annual Leave

Professional development opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Health care cash plan

Job summary

The Dean Trust is seeking an experienced Head of Estates Operations to lead the management of our estates across multiple school sites. You will report to the Chief Estates Strategy Officer and provide strategic and operational leadership for planned and reactive maintenance, safety compliance, and capital projects.

You will work with Headteachers and central services to deliver a consistent, customer-focused estates service that supports educational excellence.

Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant subject essential.
• Senior leadership experience across multi-site estates/facilities.
• Extensive knowledge of statutory compliance, health & safety in complex estates.
• Experience leading teams, managing contractors and high-quality services.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and organisational skills.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel across Trust sites.
• Experience in education/public sector/Multi-Academy Trust is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational delivery of estates services across all Trust sites.
• Ensure statutory compliance and oversee planned preventative maintenance.
• Manage reactive maintenance, contractors and service providers.
• Lead, coach and develop the Estates Team.
• Support delivery of capital projects and long-term asset management.
• Drive continuous improvement and sustainability initiatives.
• Produce strategic performance and compliance reports for decision making.

Skills

Senior leadership

Estates management

Stakeholder management

Health & safety

Contractor management

Driving licence

Education

Degree in a relevant subject

Job description

Your Role

Salary: NJC Pay Band 12, SCP 45 - 48, £55,620 - £59,016 per annum FTE, plus Car Allowance on top of salary (Pay Award Pending)

Contract: Permanent, Full Time, Monday - Friday

Location: Candidates' main office base will be at one of our Dean Trust sites; this is to be agreed at interview, but will be either Huyton, Manchester, Wigan or Trafford

Regular travel between all Trust sites will be required as part of the role.

Start Date: ASAP

The Dean Trust is one of the North West's leading multi-academy trusts, educating thousands of children and young people across our family of primary and secondary schools. We are committed to delivering outstanding education through collaboration, innovation and high-quality support services that enable our schools to thrive.

The Dean Trust is seeking an experienced and strategic Head of Estates Operations to lead the management and development of our estate across multiple school sites.

Reporting to the Chief Estates Strategy Officer (CESO), you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the Trust's estates function, leading a dedicated Estates Team and ensuring the effective delivery of planned and reactive maintenance, statutory compliance, health and safety, and capital improvement projects. You will deputise for the Chief Estates Strategy Officer in their absence.

You will work closely with Headteachers, school leadership teams and central services to deliver a consistent, customer-focused estates service that supports educational excellence across every Trust school.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the operational delivery of estates services across all Trust sites
• Ensuring statutory compliance and overseeing planned preventative maintenance programmes
• Managing reactive maintenance, contractors and service providers
• Leading, coaching and developing the Trust Estates Team
• Supporting the delivery of capital projects and long-term asset management
• Driving continuous improvement, sustainability initiatives and operational excellence
• Producing strategic performance and compliance reports to inform Trust-wide decision making

We're looking for an experienced estates professional who can combine strategic thinking with strong operational leadership.

You will have:

• Senior leadership experience managing estates or facilities across a multi-site organisation
• Extensive knowledge of statutory compliance, health and safety legislation and estates management within complex environments
• Experience leading teams, managing contractors and delivering high-quality services
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and organisational skills
• A full UK driving licence and the ability to travel regularly across Trust schools
• Experience within education, public sector or Multi-Academy Trust environments would be advantageous.

In return, we offer comprehensive employee benefits package, including wellbeing support and professional development opportunities, please see below our Trust benefits.

Benefits

• Conditions of Service
• We adopt national terms and conditions for all teaching and non-teaching employees.
• Occupational Sick Pay
• Generous sick pay scheme, entitlement dependent on length of service.
• Continuous Service
• Recognition of local government continuous service.
• Family Friendly Policies and Leave of Absence
• Paid leave which supports a wide range of circumstances, including family emergencies and religious festivals.
• Health Care Cash Plan
• We are excited to be part of the Simplyhealth Care Cash Plan. The Trust will fund membership for all employees to receive money back on healthcare services.
• Preferential Admission
• Employees with two years at the Trust will benefit from preferential admissions arrangements for their children.
• Free places to school-run Holiday, Breakfast and After School Clubs
• The Believe Learning Institute
• Access to high-quality professional learning and development programmes through our dedicated training centre.
• Recognition Awards
• Financial awards in recognition of long serving employees.
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Free and confidential counselling service available 24/7.
• High Street Benefits and Discounts
• Access to a variety of shopping discounts at national online and high street retailers.
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Pension and Death in Service Benefit
• Automatic enrolment into either the Teachers Pensions Scheme or the Local Government Pension Scheme for non-teaching employees.
• Annual Leave
• Generous annual leave entitlement for non-teaching employees.

Qualifications

Degree in a relevant subject essential

Safeguarding Information

The Dean Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check.

This post involves working with children, young people, vulnerable adults or is a position of trust. The amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provides that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain convictions and cautions are 'protected' and are not subject to disclosure to employers, and cannot be taken into account. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found at the Disclosure and Barring Service website (www.gov.uk/dbs). Any failure to disclose the appropriate information could result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the organisation. Please note that a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position.