Senior Estates & Facilities Operations Manager
Contract Type: Permanent / Full-time
Are you an experienced Estates and Facilities professional looking for your next leadership opportunity within a complex healthcare environment? We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Estates & Facilities Operations Manager to lead the delivery of multi-disciplined hard and soft FM services across our estate — ensuring safety, compliance, and efficiency across all areas of operation.
The Role
As Senior Estates & Facilities Operations Manager, you will take overall responsibility for the strategic and operational management of estates and facilities services, including maintenance, compliance, and asset management across a high-value, multi-site NHS portfolio.
You will lead a large, multi-skilled team, oversee budgets exceeding £5 million, and drive continuous improvement in service delivery, sustainability, and performance. This is a high-impact leadership position requiring excellent technical knowledge, people management skills, and the ability to influence and engage at all levels.
Key Responsibilities
1. Lead and manage all hard and soft FM services, ensuring statutory compliance and alignment with HTM/HBN guidance.
2. Develop, implement, and monitor performance systems to achieve measurable service improvements.
3. Provide professional and technical advice on estates issues, ensuring compliance with legislation and NHS standards.
4. Manage multi-million-pound budgets, procurement, and lifecycle planning.
5. Deliver analytical performance reporting, identifying risks, trends, and recovery plans.
6. Drive efficiency and optimisation of assets, energy, and resources.
7. Develop and maintain strong working relationships across clinical, operational, and corporate teams.
8. Lead, mentor, and develop staff, fostering a culture of accountability, safety, and service excellence.
Skills & Experience To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:
9. Significant experience managing a large, multi-disciplined estates or FM operation within an NHS or healthcare setting.
10. Proven track record of managing services with a total value exceeding £5 million.
11. Strong understanding of statutory compliance, NHS HTM/HBN standards, and national frameworks.
12. Demonstrated ability to manage and interpret complex data using IWMS and CAFM systems.
13. Experience in contract management (NHS / JCT / NEC) and procurement.
14. Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
15. Strong analytical and problem-solving ability with a focus on innovative, cost-effective solutions.
Knowledge & Qualifications
16. Educated to degree level or equivalent in an estates engineering or related technical discipline (Level 6 or above).
17. Specialist NHS Authorised Person qualification in Electrical, Mechanical or Water disciplines.
18. Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g., CIBSE, IWFM, IHEEM).
19. Evidence of continued professional development.
20. Expert knowledge of national EFM legislation, NHS compliance standards, and performance management processes.
Personal Qualities
21. Professional and approachable leader with a flexible and proactive attitude.
22. Strategic thinker with the ability to manage complex challenges under pressure.
23. Committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
24. Willingness to travel as required across the Trust estate.
25. Demonstrates the organisation’s values in all aspects of work.
Why Join Us? This is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact in the delivery of healthcare facilities — ensuring our buildings and environments support the best possible care for patients, staff, and visitors. You will join a supportive, forward-thinking estates leadership team committed to service excellence, sustainability, and innovation.