Role Purpose

Delivering safe, compliant and effective estates operations.

The Assistant Director of Estates (Operations) plays a critical role in ensuring the University’s estate and associated infrastructure are safe, compliant, efficient and fit for purpose. Reporting to the Director of Estates, Facilities and Commercial Services, the postholder is responsible for the operational delivery of engineering, maintenance, utilities, statutory compliance, estate safety and energy services across the University portfolio.

The role provides leadership and direction across engineering, maintenance and infrastructure functions, ensuring that the estate is maintained to an appropriate standard of condition and functional suitability to support excellence in teaching, research and wider institutional priorities. This includes responsibility for Grounds Maintenance and for the effective management of the University’s utility contracts, including the long-term development and operation of the Energy Centre.

A core focus of the role is energy and utilities management, including the delivery of carbon management initiatives and the development of policies, strategies and best practice that support a sustainable, compliant and cost-effective estate. The postholder ensures that services are delivered through efficient and value-for-money models, meeting statutory and regulatory requirements while achieving high levels of customer service and enhancing the experience of students and staff.

Person specification

We are seeking a confident and professionally focused leader who brings sound judgement, strong leadership capability and a collaborative approach to this senior operational role. You will contribute to strategic leadership within the Estates team while building effective links across the wider University to support the delivery of institutional aims. Specifically, we are looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Proven ability to contribute to and support strategic leadership within an estates or operational context, developing effective relationships across a large and complex organisation to ensure institutional objectives are met.
• Evidence of effective team leadership, including recruitment, team building and professional development, with the ability to motivate teams and align delivery to agreed goals.
• A strong track record in the development and delivery of hard facilities management strategies within a complex operational environment.
• Proven experience of managing maintenance across a diverse estate.
• Demonstrable experience of challenging existing operations, improving processes and structures, and enhancing the customer experience through effective change.
• Experience of prioritising complex and often competing demands, applying appropriate risk management approaches to ensure effective delivery.
• Evidence of managing and developing systems to ensure statutory compliance across a large and complex estate, supported by appropriate governance and assurance mechanisms.
• Proven experience of financial planning, budget management and cash-flow forecasting within a complex operational setting.
• A degree or equivalent qualification or experience, with a professional approach to delivery.

Experience of working within large, complex organisations would be advantageous and provide valuable context for operating effectively in this role. Experience of shaping workplace culture and norms to support effective leadership, collaboration and performance would also be welcomed.

This role offers the opportunity to play a key part in delivering effective, compliant and well-managed estates operations within a large and complex University environment.

Lancaster University engages in a variety of domestic and international benchmarking exercises to ensure we are extremely competitive in the levels of reward and recognition we provide, therefore we are confident that any offer made will be strong and competitive. The final offer is subject to the experience and expertise of the successful candidate as part of a well-developed framework that allows reward progression.

More details are contained in the Job Description and Person Specification for the role, available on the University's recruitment portal.

Recruitment statement

Our commitment to you: a transparent recruitment process

We believe in a recruitment process built on openness and mutual respect. This is a leadership role based on our Bailrigg campus in Lancaster, Lancashire, and we recognise that a move of this nature may involve more than just you. We are happy to support:

• Informed decision making: We provide comprehensive information early so you can reflect on how this role fits your career and personal circumstances.
• Relocation support: For the right candidate, we are happy to discuss the practicalities of relocating to the beautiful North-west, including housing and family considerations.
• Open dialogue: We encourage you to raise questions about hybrid working, out of office hours on-call expectations, or the role’s scope at any stage. We want this to be the right fit for Lancaster, and the right next step for you.

If, having considered the above, you would like to continue with your application, we would very much welcome hearing from you.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Our employee community across the UK and the world comprises people from 85 nationalities. They practise different faiths, have different lifestyles and are at different stages in their lives. It is this mixture of life experience that adds diversity of thought and approach to make Lancaster University a force for good.

We are committed to creating an environment where everyone can feel welcome, thrive and fulfil their potential. Our equality, diversity and inclusion leaders are involved with everything from policy creation to celebratory events to help us be a fairer and more inclusive employer.