Head of Maintenance

University of Leicester; Leicester; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Leicester seeks a Head of Maintenance to lead strategic management, compliance and maintenance across a diverse estate, ensuring a safe and high‑performing environment for students, staff and visitors.

You will lead a multidisciplinary team, manage budgets above £10m per year, drive long‑term maintenance planning and oversee asset management across 250+ buildings, while advancing digital asset systems and reporting to senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading maintenance, asset management and compliance programmes within a large and complex property portfolio.
• Strong understanding of building compliance, health and safety legislation, maintenance planning and lifecycle asset management.
• Experience managing in-house technical teams and external contractors.

Responsibilities

• Lead maintenance strategy, proactive maintenance planning and reactive maintenance services across the estate.
• Oversee budgets in excess of £10m per annum and coordinate condition surveys and asset management programmes.
• Develop and implement a Long-Term Maintenance Plan aligned with University objectives.
• Drive digital transformation of asset and maintenance management systems and reporting.

Skills

Leadership

Maintenance management

Compliance

Asset management

Budget management

Team leadership

Stakeholder reporting

Job description

The University of Leicester is seeking to appoint a Head of Maintenance to lead the strategic management, compliance, condition assessment, and maintenance of a diverse and complex estate, ensuring a safe, sustainable, and high-performing environment for students, staff, and visitors.

The University of Leicester is a global leader in education and research, committed to innovation and excellence. Our estate spans 95 hectares and includes over 110 non-residential buildings and 191 residential properties, with the majority of academic facilities located on our main campus to the south of Leicester city centre.

As Head of Maintenance within Estates and Campus Services, you will take ownership of estate condition, compliance and fixed infrastructure maintenance across the University's extensive property portfolio. Leading a multidisciplinary team of surveyors, engineers, technicians, tradespeople and support staff, you will be responsible for developing and delivering proactive maintenance strategies, long-term investment plans and reactive maintenance services that ensure the estate remains safe, compliant and fit for purpose.

This is a highly influential leadership role with responsibility for managing maintenance budgets in excess of £10m per annum and overseeing condition surveys and asset management programmes across more than 250 buildings. You will develop and implement a robust Long-Term Maintenance Plan, working closely with colleagues across Estates and Campus Services to identify priorities, manage risk and align investment with the University's strategic objectives.

A key aspect of the role will be ensuring full compliance with statutory and legislative requirements across the estate, whilst driving continuous improvement in maintenance planning, performance management and service delivery. You will oversee planned preventative maintenance programmes, manage specialist consultants and contractors, and provide regular reporting on estate condition and compliance to senior stakeholders. In parallel, you will play a leading role in the University's digital transformation agenda, helping to develop integrated asset and maintenance management systems that provide accurate data, enhanced reporting and better decision-making.

We are seeking candidates with significant experience of leading maintenance, asset management and compliance programmes within a large and complex property portfolio. You will have a strong understanding of building compliance, health and safety legislation, maintenance planning and lifecycle asset management, alongside experience of managing both in-house technical teams and external contractors. The successful candidate will bring a strategic mindset, excellent leadership capability and the ability to balance operational priorities with long-term estate planning.

The University of Leicester offers a competitive salary and pension scheme, generous leave entitlement, and a strong commitment to your professional development. Further details about the University, the role, benefits, and the application process can be viewed via the candidate briefing pack.

We believe that equality, diversity and inclusion is integral to a successful modern workplace. By developing and implementing policies and systems that challenge stereotypes across all aspects of our work, we have a culture that recognises and values the diverse contributions of our staff. Our strong values of inclusivity and equality support our efforts to attract a diverse range of high-quality staff and students and identify our University as a progressive and innovative workplace that mainstreams equality, diversity and inclusion.