Director of Estates and Facilities

Castlefield Recruitment are proud to be working in partnership with the University of East Anglia to support the recruitment of a Director of Estates and Facilities.

The University of East Anglia is a publicly funded major UK research and teaching university. It was built to embody a radical new vision for higher education, where interdisciplinarity is crucial and excellence in both research and teaching is valued. UEA consistently ranks within the top quarter of universities in the UK for the quality of research and teaching.

The Estates and Facilities Directorate is responsible for the buildings and grounds that make up the campus and ensures the smooth running of the facilities that underpin teaching, learning and research activities. Striving to maintain a sustainable, safe and well-maintained campus for all staff, students, researchers, and visitors.

The Director of Estates & Facilities post provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of the University’s physical estate, ensuring it reliably, sustainably and economically supports the delivery of Strategy 2030 and beyond.

The role leads the delivery of the Estate Strategy 2024–2034 and the Campus Development Programme (CDP), balancing statutory compliance, risk mitigation, financial sustainability, decarbonisation, and enhancement of the student and staff experience within a capital-constrained environment.

Key responsibilities will include;

· Provide inspirational leadership to a large, multi-disciplinary Estates & Facilities workforce

· Oversee major refurbishment, redevelopment and rationalisation projects across the estate, including listed buildings and high‑risk assets

· Develop and deliver long-term estate, maintenance and capital investment strategies that improve financial sustainability, maximise space utilisation and manage risk across the estate

· Lead the University’s estate sustainability agenda, driving decarbonisation, energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption and environmental performance in support of net-zero ambitions

· Oversee delivery of hard FM, utilities, security, cleaning, transport and helpdesk services

· Represent estates matters at Executive, Estates Committee and Council level

· Work closely with the Vice‑Chancellor, Chief Finance Officer and Executive to align estate decisions with academic and financial planning

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The successful candidate will demonstrate;

· Senior level leadership experience gained within a large, complex organisation with a track record for successfully inspiring, coaching/mentoring and leading a large-scale, in-house staff cohort ranging from senior managers to operational professionals

· Substantial track record of leading both large-scale sustainable capital development programmes and significant on-going operations across a diverse and technically complex estate portfolio

· Significant strategic project planning, implementation and delivery

· Strong track record of delivering major programmes of work to completion

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 For an informal and confidential discussion, please contact Paul Harker at Castlefield Recruitment.

The closing date for this vacancy is Monday 10^th August. Interviews and presentations will be held on 20^th/21^st August

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Please note that direct approaches and speculative CV's will be directed to Castlefield Recruitment to be included in the recruitment process.

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