Director of Estates

About the Role We are seeking to appoint a highly effective strategic leader to the role of Director of Estates. The successful candidate will provide professional oversight and clear strategic direction, setting Trust-wide standards and ensuring consistent delivery through effective leadership of Estates Hub Leaders and the wider estates teams. The postholder will have a proven track record of leading estates programmes and teams to drive operational improvement. The Director of Estates will develop and implement the Trust’s Estates Strategy, bringing a robust approach to asset management, lifecycle planning and condition improvement. Working closely with senior leaders, the postholder will shape and maintain the Trust’s long-term investment plan, ensuring School Condition Allocation (SCA) and Devolved Formula Capital (DFC)funding capital programmes are delivered and aligned to educational need, sustainability and long-term estate resilience. A strong focus on compliance, assurance and risk management will underpin the post. The Director of Estates will maintain oversight of estates-related risk, ensure academy sites are audit-ready, and lead estates business continuity and disaster recovery planning. The postholder will lead the Trust’s approach to contractor performance and procurement, including senior oversight of hard/soft facilities management, compliance services and any Private Finance Initiative (PFI) arrangements, ensuring safe working practices and value for money. Effective financial stewardship will be central, with responsibility for budget oversight, cost control and forecasting, and for strengthening governance and reporting across estates activity. The Director of Estates will also drive sustainability, energy reduction and operational efficiency initiatives across the estate, supporting environmentally responsible and cost-effective operations. About You The successful candidate will be… Strategic, organised and influential, able to set clear direction and deliver estates strategy across a multi-site organisation while building strong relationships with academy leaders. An empowering people leader, developing Estates Hub Leaders and the wider estates teams, setting high standards, building capability, flexibility, accountability and consistency. A clear communicator, able to translate complex estates issues into concise options, risks and recommendations. Calm and decisive under pressure, demonstrating strong judgement during escalated incidents, emergencies and high-risk situations. Commercially astute, able to secure value for money and hold contractors to account. Comfortable leading major capital programmes safely with minimal disruption to academy operations. Customer-focused and collaborative, balancing academy needs with Trust-wide consistency and compliance requirements. Flexible and mobile, with the ability to travel regularly between academies and geographical hubs, attending meetings, including out-of-