Estates Hub Lead (West) - Wakefield

About the Role We are seeking to appoint a proactive and organised Estates Hub Leader to provide professional leadership and operational management of facilities and estates services across our West Hub in Wakefield. The postholder will ensure the five academies in our West Hub benefit from safe, compliant, well-maintained and high-quality environments which are conducive to the learning and wellbeing of young people. An experienced and capable leader, the successful candidate will manage and quality assure the work of Premises Managers and their wider Premises teams, building capability, strengthening performance and ensuring effective deployment across the hub. A strong focus on statutory compliance, planned preventative maintenance (PPM), risk management and audit readiness will underpin the role, with issues identified early and escalated appropriately. The Estates Hub Leader will work closely with leaders across academies and Shared Services to provide visible, hands-on leadership across sites. They will conduct site walks, support local priorities, advise on estates and health and safety matters, and coordinate business continuity responses during incidents or emergencies. Contractor management is a key element of the role, ensuring safe working practices, service quality, contractual compliance and value for money. The role will also support the Director of Estates and Chief Commercial & Operating Officer with strategic estates planning and delivery, including feeding robust condition data into the Trust’s capital planning modeland coordinating lifecycle and improvement projects. This includes playing a key role within the Department for Education (DfE) School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) project at a large secondary academy. The postholder will manage risks, liaise with suppliers and stakeholders, act as the central point of contact for the DfE and minimise academy disruption throughout the works. About You The successful candidate will be… Proactive and highly organised, able to plan ahead, prioritise effectively and keep multiple sites operating smoothly. Visible and hands-on, with a practical approach and willingness to be present on site to monitor standards, coach teams and resolve issues. Flexible and mobile, with the ability to travel regularly between academies and meetings. A strong people leader, able to motivate their teams while building a consistent approach across the West Hub. Commercially aware and quality-driven, able to challenge contractors appropriately, secure value for money and ensure safe working practices. Calm under pressure, able to respond decisively to incidents and emergencies, maintaining safety and business continuity. Committed to continuous improvement for our academies, always spotting opportunities to streamline processes, raise standards and improve the day-to-day experience for our young people, staff and visitors. Effective at building relationships and working collaboratively with c