Head of Property & Estates

London Early Years Foundation (LEYF); Harrow; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) seeks an experienced Head of Property & Estates to shape and lead the estate strategy across London nurseries, sites and facilities. You will guide capital projects, compliance and sustainability while partnering with senior leaders to keep environments safe and fit for purpose.

You'll drive ESG progress, optimize the portfolio, and develop a high-performing team, ensuring operations support thousands of children, families and colleagues daily.

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading property/estates in a multi-site organisation.
• Collaborative leadership style that develops high-performing teams.
• Experience shaping strategy and turning plans into action.
• Ability to build relationships and influence at all levels.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen with budgets and capital projects.
• Excellent knowledge of compliance, health and safety, and risk management.
• Sound judgement and constructive challenge.
• Strong communication and presentation skills; adaptable to audiences.
• Focus on continuous improvement and fresh thinking.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Estates & Facilities team and manage LEYF's property portfolio strategically.
• Develop and deliver a long-term property strategy aligned to growth and sustainability.
• Coach and develop a five-person team; foster a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Ensure estate compliance, health & safety, and risk management across sites.
• Plan and deliver capital projects, maintenance programmes and improvements.
• Build partnerships with landlords, contractors and suppliers to improve value and service.
• Lead property planning for acquisitions, expansions, relocations and closures.
• Chair a Property Steering Group to align priorities and manage risks.
• Shape and lead the ESG agenda with reporting frameworks and sustainable practices.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Multi-site management

Estate planning

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

ESG & sustainability

Team development

Job description

As LEYF continues to grow, we're entering a pivotal new chapter. With a diverse estate across London, ambitious sustainability goals and plans for future growth, we're looking for a Head of Property & Estates to help shape the environments that support thousands of children, families and colleagues every day.

This is a rare opportunity to lead property and estates for one of London's largest social enterprises. Our nurseries operate across communities with very different needs, including some of the most disadvantaged areas of London. Through our social enterprise model, we reinvest surpluses and use cross-subsidy to ensure more children can access quality early years education, regardless of their background. The spaces we create and maintain play a vital role in that mission.

Reporting to the Director of Operations, you'll lead the strategic management of our estate, overseeing everything from capital projects, compliance and facilities management through to estate optimisation, growth opportunities and environmental sustainability. You'll work closely with your experienced team and senior leaders to ensure our portfolio is fit for today and ready for tomorrow.

You'll also play a key role in advancing our ESG and sustainability ambitions, helping shape how we reduce our environmental impact while creating exceptional environments for children, families and colleagues.

We're looking for an experienced estates and property leader who combines strategic thinking with operational credibility and who is motivated by the difference we make to families. If you're excited by the challenge while contributing to a mission that changes lives, we'd love to hear from you.

What You'll Be Doing

Leading our Estates & Facilities team, you'll be responsible for the strategic and operational management of LEYF's property portfolio.

• Develop and deliver a long-term property and estates strategy that supports organisational growth, sustainability and operational excellence.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of five experienced property and facilities professionals, fostering a collaborative, accountable and high-performing culture.
• Take overall responsibility for estate compliance, health & safety, statutory obligations and risk management, ensuring our environments remain safe, well maintained and fit for purpose.
• Lead the planning and delivery of capital projects, maintenance programmes and estate improvement initiatives across the portfolio.
• Build strong partnerships with landlords, contractors and suppliers, driving value, performance and service quality.
• Lead property planning for acquisitions, new nursery developments, relocations, closures and wider estate optimisation projects.
• Establish and chair a Property Steering Group, bringing together key stakeholders to align priorities, manage risks and drive delivery.
• Shape and lead our ESG and sustainability agenda, developing reporting frameworks and embedding sustainable practices across the estate.
• Work closely with the Executive Team, providing strategic insight, robust recommendations and clear reporting on property, compliance and sustainability matters.

About You

You'll bring:

• A proven track record leading a property, estates or facilities function in a multi-site organisation.
• A collaborative leadership style that brings people together and gets the best from an experienced team.
• Experience shaping strategy, setting priorities and turning plans into action.
• The ability to build strong relationships and influence at every level, from operational teams to senior leaders.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with experience managing budgets, suppliers and capital projects.
• Excellent knowledge of compliance, health & safety and risk management.
• Sound judgement, with the confidence and finesse to challenge constructively
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to adapt your approach to different audiences.
• A focus on continuous improvement, finding practical ways to strengthen how things are done.
• Fresh thinking and professional expertise, regardless of sector background.

Most importantly, you'll enjoy creating clarity, bringing people together around a shared vision, and helping organisations make the most of their physical environments.

Why join LEYF?

This role offers the opportunity to make a visible impact across a growing organisation. You'll help define our property strategy, shape how we develop and optimise our estate, and play a key role in supporting our growth and sustainability ambitions.

You'll join an organisation with a strong social purpose, ambitious plans for the future, and a genuine belief that the environments we create matter. For children, families and colleagues alike.