Job overview
We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Senior Estates Capital Projects Manager to join the Estates & Facilities team at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Primarily based at Bedford Hospital, with travel to other Trust sites as required, you will lead the delivery of a portfolio of complex capital estates projects valued at £3–5 million annually.
Reporting to the Estates & Facilities Business and Compliance Manager and accountable to the Director of Estates & Facilities, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and developing the Trust’s estate. Your work will ensure our facilities continue to support high‑quality patient care, meet clinical requirements, and achieve long‑term sustainability.
This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic, forward‑thinking professional with a proven track record in estates project management. You will be instrumental in driving meaningful improvements across a dynamic and evolving NHS Trust, contributing to the creation of a safe, modern, and efficient environment for patients, staff, and visitors.
Main duties of the job
1. Act as Project Director/Manager for estates capital schemes across the Trust.
2. Lead the planning, delivery, and monitoring of a wide range of construction and refurbishment projects.
3. Manage capital project budgets (£3–5m) and staffing budgets (~£100k), ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.
4. Develop project briefs, evaluate tenders, appoint contractors and consultants, and ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
5. Support the Trust’s six‑facet survey programme, backlog maintenance planning, and prioritisation of estates investments.
6. Prepare and contribute to the development of Business Cases aligned with clinical and operational needs.
7. Provide line management to the Capital Projects team, including appraisals, performance management, and training.
8. Contribute to corporate governance, risk management, and strategic estates planning.
9. Collaborate effectively with clinical and operational teams, senior managers, external contractors, and statutory bodies to ensure smooth project execution.
10. Report progress, risks, and key updates to the Capital Planning Group and other governance forums
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
11. Capital Project Management lead (Estates capital schemes) for Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
12. Responsibility for the following budgets Staff expenditure (approx. £100k) Non staff expenditure (£3-5m)
·Responsible for the management of Capital Projects staff across the Trust and the appointment and management of agency staff employed in delivering capital projects.
13. To undertake any other duties as may be reasonably required, consistent with the nature and grade of the post.
Please refer to the attached JD
Person specification
Qualifications and Experience
Essential criteria
14. •Educated to Masters level or Professional Chartered Status or Incorporate Status (e.g. RICS, CIOB, CIBSE, ARB, RIBA)
15. •Able to demonstrate Project Management experience
16. •Able to demonstrate successfully Estate / Construction Management over five years
17. •Experience of managing contracts, contractors commissioning and quality assurance.
18. •Construction, Building Surveying experience
Desirable criteria
19. •Project management qualifications.
20. •Equivalent previous experience in similar care setting.
21. •Proven track record in the management of Risk and Health & Safety.
Training
Essential criteria
22. •Commitment and evidence in undertaking Continuing Professional Development.
Desirable criteria
23. •Business Planning with extensive project and financial management knowledge and experience required as post holder will be expected to develop strategic plans, which involve unpredictability and which may affect the whole organisation
Special Knowledge
Essential criteria
24. •Experience in the Acute Health Care Environment
25. •Project Management
26. •Planning and Building Regulations
27. •Building Surveying / Building Defects
28. •Healthcare Engineering
29. •Space planning
Desirable criteria
30. •NHS Estates management.
31. •NHS Policy and Practice.
32. •Performance management systems
33. •Health and Safety legislation
34. •Public sector finance and accounting practice
35. •Experience in operations and maintenance of buildings, engineering plant services and equipment
Behaviours
Essential criteria
36. •High-level of customer focus
37. •Honesty and integrity
38. •Commitment to working in partnership with and supporting others
39. •Commitment to personal and team development
40. •Acceptance of individual responsibility within a teamwork culture.
41. • Champion best management practice through personal example and leadership
42. •Flexible approach and embracing of change.
43. •Tact and diplomacy.
Practical Skills
Essential criteria
44. •Ability to communicate effectively, including strong report writing and presentation skills.
45. •Excellent strategic thinking, analytical and problem solving skills
46. •Strong interpersonal skills with a particular emphasis on influencing and negotiating skills.
47. •Ability to perform and deliver under pressure.
48. •Evidence of successful management of large scale projects
49. •Innovator and facilitator in identifying and developing alternative.
50. •Ability to chair meetings effectively to enable issues with capital projects to be resolved and taken forward.
51. •Post holder must have ability to deal with highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious information
52. •Post holder must have appropriate IT skills.
Desirable criteria
53. •Policy development and revision
54. •Leading and effecting change management
General Disposition
Essential criteria
55. •Ability to motivate self and others
56. •Calm under pressure.
57. •The ability to work confidently, flexibly, efficiently and effectively with senior colleagues, assessing priorities, meeting deadlines, achieving the corporate objective and supporting colleagues in the achievement of personal objectives.
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.