Estates Manager - M&E (Mechanical Bias)

NHS Ayrshire & Arran; Chandigarh; On-site; INR 7,699,000 - 9,624,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Borders Estates Department is seeking an Estates Manager with a strong bias toward mechanical engineering to lead and coordinate the mechanical services across the NHS Borders portfolio.

The role includes operation, maintenance, upgrades, compliance, and resilience, with responsibility for a multi-disciplinary team and collaboration with the electrical team. Flexibility to work across the Scottish Borders is required.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering mechanical services management in a healthcare setting.
• Ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams and manage contractors.
• Strong knowledge of ventilation, medical gas, decontamination systems.
• Full driving licence and flexibility to work across region.

Responsibilities

• Oversee operation, maintenance and development of mechanical infrastructure.
• Lead a multi-disciplinary team of staff and contractors.
• Ensure resources are used effectively and service standards maintained.
• Support planned upgrades, compliance programmes and resilience improvements.
• Communicate clearly with stakeholders at all levels.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Team leadership

Change management

Communication skills

Driving licence

Education

Degree in mechanical engineering

Facilities management qualification

Job description

OUR VALUES IN ACTION

• Compassion
• Kindness
• Integrity
• Teamwork
• Excellence

This position will be based at the Borders General Hospital (Melrose) but there will be a requirement to work flexibly across the Scottish Borders region serving acute and primary health care facilities.

NHS Borders Estates Department is seeking a suitably qualified and experienced Estates Manager with a strong bias toward mechanical engineering (ventilation, pressures systems, decontamination, medical gas etc). The post holder will have responsibility for the operational maintenance management of all mechanical engineering services, and support with links to the electrical team across the NHS Borders property portfolio. A key focus of the role will be the safe, compliant, and efficient delivery of mechanical systems management, resilience, and statutory obligations.

The post holder will lead and coordinate a multi‑disciplinary team of directly employed staff and specialist contractors, ensuring resources are utilised effectively and service standards are consistently maintained. They will oversee the operation, maintenance, and development of mechanical infrastructure, including supporting planned upgrades, compliance programmes, and resilience improvements.

Candidates should be experienced in managing services through periods of change, capable of working with a high degree of autonomy, and confident in prioritising competing demands in a complex healthcare environment.

Excellent interpersonal and organisational skills are essential, along with assertiveness, diplomacy, and the ability to communicate complex technical information clearly at all levels. The successful candidate will be able to apply logical and practical problem‑solving approaches to ensure safe and effective management of electrical systems.

The post holder is expected to uphold and promote NHS Borders’ core values - quality, teamwork, care and compassion, dignity and respect, openness, honesty, and responsibility - through professional behaviours and leadership.

A commitment to ongoing professional development is essential, and the successful candidate must be willing to undertake further training as required to support the role.

There is also a requirement to participate in the emergency on‑call rota for Estates services and, on occasion, to work out with normal hours in response to urgent or emergency situations.

A full and valid driving licence is essential.

For informal inquiries please contact: Gavin McLaren, Head of Estates, 01896 826382 or email [e-mail]

Whether you’re early in your career or looking to take the next step into a more senior role, NHS Borders offers a supportive environment where you can grow, influence change, and make a real impact.

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.

As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK websitehere.

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be foundhere.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsoredBEFORE submitting your application form

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application—but your answers must be your own.

• Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
• Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.
• Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.

Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you—not an AI tool.