Job overview
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is on a bold journey to transform its Estates services — and we are looking for an exceptional Deputy Director of Estates to help lead the way.
This is a senior leadership role at the heart of one of the most ambitious Estates Teams in the NHS. You will provide visible leadership to a diverse team of senior managers and frontline staff, building a culture that promotes customer focus, accountability and ambition. At the same time, you will play a pivotal part in ensuring our hospitals and community sites are safe, compliant, resilient and fit for the future, while driving improvements that directly support outstanding patient care.
We are building a team that aims to be recognised as the best Estates service in the NHS. If you are a proven leader with technical expertise, strategic vision and a passion for developing people and services, this is your opportunity to make a visible impact in a high-profile and supportive organisation.
Main duties of the job
As Deputy Director of Estates, you will lead senior managers across engineering, operations, contracts and digital estates, ensuring our services are safe, compliant, resilient and customer-focused. You will chair statutory safety groups, oversee multi-million-pound budgets, and provide visible assurance on compliance, risk and performance.
You will play a central role in delivering the Estates Operational Strategy, driving cultural improvement, performance improvement, and modernising systems while supporting the operational handover of capital schemes. The role also deputises for the Director of Estates across the wider Property Services portfolio, representing the Directorate at senior Trust forums and with external partners.
We are seeking a values-driven leader with a strong track record in estates management and statutory compliance. You will bring financial and commercial acumen, the ability to influence at Board level, and a passion for building high-performing teams that deliver outstanding service.
Working for our organisation
Why colleagues think we are
What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?
As part of our BHT family, you’ll benefit from learning and development opportunities to support your career progression.
Alongside NHS benefits of generous annual leave entitlement and pension scheme, you'll have access to NHS discount schemes.
We provide a range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce.
What do we stand for?
Our vision is to provide outstanding care, support healthy communities and be a great place to work.
Our mission is to provide personal and compassionate care every time.
We are working hard to increase diversity at all levels within the trust. We believe a diverse workforce can have a positive effect on both staff wellbeing and patient outcomes.
We welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, candidates with disabilities and care-experienced candidates.
We make employment decisions by matching our service needs with the skills and experience of candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
Person specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential criteria
1. Master’s degree in Estates, Engineering, Facilities Management or a related discipline, or equivalent senior‑level experience gained in a large and complex estates environment
2. In‑depth technical knowledge of healthcare estates standards and legislation, including HTMs, HBNs, HSE and CQC requirements
3. Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to estates leadership and compliance
Desirable criteria
4. Chartered membership of a relevant professional body (IHEEM, CIBSE, CIOB, RICS or equivalent)
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
5. Significant senior leadership experience in Estates within the NHS or a comparable regulated environment, with responsibility for multiple sites or a large, complex portfolio
6. Proven accountability for statutory compliance across engineering, infrastructure, and property portfolios, including successful management of Authorised and Competent Persons frameworks
7. Evidenced success in driving cultural change, workforce engagement, and implementation of leadership development and succession planning
8. Experience of leading contract and supplier performance management, including commercial negotiations and risk management
Desirable criteria
9. Experience of working across system/Integrated Care System level, or in collaboration with multiple organisations
10. Experience of property and land management, including leases, licences, and occupancies
Specific Skills
Essential criteria
11. Proven leadership and management skills, with the ability to build, develop and motivate teams to deliver high performance
12. Excellent governance and assurance skills, with expertise in risk management, statutory compliance, and use of systems
13. Advanced analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex estates, financial, and performance data and translate this into clear decisions and actions
14. High degree of digital literacy, with practical knowledge of CAFM systems, Building Information Modelling (BIM), Building Management Systems (BMS), and Microsoft 365 applications
Desirable criteria
15. Knowledge of sustainability and net zero strategies in healthcare estates
16. Understanding of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract environments and their interface with retained Estates
PPE requirements: Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust requires all colleagues to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with our infection prevention and control procedures.
COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations remain the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course our patients from the viruses when working in our healthcare settings. We encourage our staff to be vaccinated when recommended.
Application deadline: This post will close on the closing date stated at midnight, however if we receive a large number of applications or there is a change in circumstance, we may be required to close a job before the advertised date.
Application information: If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records (ESR) system.
Shortlisting: The monitoring and safeguarding sections are not made visible to the shortlisting panel. The safeguarding section may be made visible to the interview panel, dependent on the role being recruited into.
Travel expenses: It is Trust policy that travel expenses for interviews will not be reimbursed.
Smoking: All Trust sites are NO SMOKING. Smoking in all areas of the buildings and premises is prohibited.
Employer certification / accreditation badges