The University of Derby Estates Department is dedicated to cultivating a vibrant, innovative, and sustainable campus environment, that supports our passion for delivering world class education and ground‑breaking research.
The Estates team has over 250 colleagues, working across all of our sites on everything from the refurbishment of buildings to catering.
About the Team
The Estates Compliance and Risk team sits within the wider Estates function and plays a critical role in ensuring the University’s buildings, infrastructure and activities are safe, resilient and fully compliant with statutory and regulatory requirements.
The team leads on the development and delivery of compliance and risk strategy across Estates, providing both strategic oversight and hands‑on operational support. This includes assurance of corporate, statutory and legislative compliance, coordination of Estates risk management processes, and delivery of integrated audit and assurance programmes that support institutional governance and executive decision‑making.
About the Role
The Head of Compliance and Risk provides strategic and operational leadership for Estates compliance and risk management, ensuring statutory, legislative and corporate requirements are met across the University estate.
Reporting to the Head of Group Sustainability, Health, Safety and Compliance, the post holder leads the development of Estates compliance and risk strategy, embeds assurance and audit frameworks, and supports institutional governance through high‑quality reporting and executive engagement. The role acts as the senior subject matter expert for Estates compliance, advising on emerging risks and regulatory change.
The role includes hands‑on operational leadership, with responsibility for asbestos and radon management, statutory building engineering services compliance, contractor management and permit‑to‑work systems, and health and safety assurance relating to construction and property activities. The post holder will provide cover for key technical roles when required to maintain statutory compliance.
You will lead a specialist team, including line management of the Fire Safety Manager and Asbestos Manager, and lead on the Safe Place University Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee. Key objectives include strengthening compliance assurance, embedding preventative risk management, improving governance visibility, and building organisational capability across Estates.
Flexibility is required to respond to urgent compliance matters. This senior role offers the opportunity to shape compliance strategy, influence executive decision‑making and drive continuous improvement across a complex estate.
The anticipated interview date will be W/C 27th April 2026.
About You
You will be an experienced compliance and risk professional with a strong background in estates or property environments, combining strategic oversight with hands‑on operational delivery. You will bring demonstrable experience of risk management, compliance assurance and business continuity, alongside a proven ability to develop and embed policies, frameworks and audit programmes that drive continuous improvement.
You will have comprehensive knowledge of property‑related statutory and legislative requirements, with experience managing contractor compliance, permit‑to‑work systems and statutory inspection regimes. You will be comfortable providing operational cover for senior technical roles when required and ensuring continuity of critical compliance activities.
A proactive, collaborative team player, you will have experience managing high‑performing teams and working in partnership across departments to achieve shared objectives. You will be confident engaging and influencing at senior level, building strong stakeholder relationships, and producing clear executive‑level reports that support informed decision‑making. You will actively seek opportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency and move the organisation towards a more preventative, solutions‑focused approach to compliance and risk.
Essential requirements for this role include significant experience in estates compliance, contractor management, and integrated health & safety systems, alongside a strong track record of managing and mitigating risk. You will be confident challenging established ways of working, while maintaining a supportive and collaborative approach that brings others with you.
Benefits
* Generous annual leave entitlement of 42 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
* Local Government Pension Scheme
* Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family‑friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
* Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
* Discounted onsite gym
* Access to employer‑funded Private Health Insurance
* Holiday purchase
* Cycle to Work scheme
* A flexible working environment
* A commitment to personal and professional development
Key Contact
For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Adam Gomes Head of Group Sustainability, Health, Safety and Compliance via a.gomes@derby.ac.uk
For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk
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