At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering strategy and improve environments for military veterans across multiple sites.
- Company: Respected charity dedicated to supporting military veterans and their families.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, pension contributions, and hybrid working options.
- Other info: Collaborative leadership team with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the lives of veterans while shaping future estate strategies.
- Qualifications: Strong engineering knowledge and experience in managing multi-site estates.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 65000 £ per year.
Are you an engineering leader looking for the opportunity to shape the future of a complex multi-site estate portfolio? This is a rare opportunity to join a highly respected charity supporting military veterans and their families, where your expertise will directly influence the environments people call home. This is not a traditional Head of Estates position. As the organisation's senior engineering authority, you will play a pivotal role in shaping long-term estate strategy, asset management, infrastructure investment and engineering governance across multiple sites. Working closely with senior leadership, you will help drive decisions that improve resident experience, strengthen operational resilience and support the future sustainability of the estate portfolio.
If you are currently working as a Technical Services Manager, Engineering Manager, Regional Engineering Manager, Building Services Manager, Estates Manager or similar, this could be an excellent opportunity to step into a broader strategic leadership role.
What makes this opportunity different?
- Become the organisation's lead engineering expert and trusted advisor to senior leadership
- Influence long-term estate, asset and infrastructure strategy
- Lead significant capital investment and improvement programmes
- Shape sustainability and future estate planning initiatives
- Work within a purpose-driven organisation supporting military veterans
- Join a collaborative leadership team where your expertise will genuinely influence decision making
- Leave a lasting legacy across a portfolio of live operational environments
The Role
Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will lead engineering and estates activity across a portfolio of specialist care facilities. You will bridge the gap between operational delivery and technical engineering requirements, ensuring the organisation's buildings, infrastructure and engineering systems remain safe, compliant, sustainable and fit for the future.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Developing and delivering long-term asset management and infrastructure strategies
- Leading capital expenditure planning and investment prioritisation
- Providing expert engineering advice to senior stakeholders and leadership teams
- Overseeing compliance across mechanical, electrical and building services systems
- Managing lifecycle planning for critical assets and infrastructure
- Leading engineering improvement projects from concept through to delivery
- Evaluating building performance and identifying opportunities for optimisation
- Supporting sustainability initiatives and future energy strategies
- Managing engineering contractors, service partners and specialist suppliers
- Leading, developing and supporting a small team of engineers across multiple locations
- Translating complex technical challenges into clear recommendations for non-technical stakeholders
Current Engineering Priorities
The successful candidate will play a key role in addressing several strategic engineering challenges, including:
- HVAC performance and environmental control improvements
- Infrastructure replacement planning and lifecycle management
- Water systems and aging asset strategies
- Long-term capital investment planning
- Estate sustainability and future-proofing initiatives
- Engineering governance and compliance enhancement
What we're looking for
We are open to candidates from a wide range of sectors. Experience within healthcare is not essential. We would welcome applications from individuals with backgrounds in:
- Healthcare and care environments
- Defence and military estates
- Facilities and technical services
- Universities and education estates
- Commercial property portfolios
- Multi-site manufacturing operations
- Building services and engineering consultancy
- Corporate estates and infrastructure management
You'll bring:
- Strong mechanical and electrical engineering knowledge
- Experience managing multi-site estates, engineering or technical services functions
- Asset management and lifecycle planning expertise
- Capital expenditure planning and investment management experience
- Contractor and supplier management capability
- Strong understanding of engineering compliance and governance
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
- The ability to simplify complex technical concepts for non-technical audiences
Experience with HVAC systems, water infrastructure, sustainability projects and large-scale asset replacement programmes would be advantageous.
The Person
Cultural fit is critical to this appointment. You will be a collaborative and approachable leader who builds strong relationships across teams and influences through expertise rather than hierarchy. You will be:
- Values-driven and resident-focused
- Transparent and trustworthy
- Humble and approachable
- Emotionally intelligent
- A strong communicator
- Collaborative in your approach
- Comfortable challenging constructively when required
Most importantly, you will recognise that these are people's homes, not simply buildings.
Salary & Benefits
- £60,000 - £65,000 salary
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- 7.5% employer pension contribution
- Life assurance at three times salary
- Professional membership fees paid
- Blue Light Discount Card
- Occupational sick pay scheme
- Additional paid leave for Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers
- Mileage reimbursement
- Travel time paid from home
- Hybrid working arrangement
Location & Travel
This is a multi-site role covering locations in Solihull, High Wycombe, Surbiton and Worthing. You can expect to spend approximately three to four days per week on site, with the remaining time working remotely. Travel is an essential part of the role and is fully supported through paid travel time and mileage reimbursement.
If you're looking for an opportunity where your engineering expertise can influence strategy, improve environments for military veterans and shape the future of a significant estate portfolio, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today for a confidential discussion.
Head of Estates in High Wycombe employer: castle employment solutions
Join a highly respected charity dedicated to supporting military veterans and their families, where your role as Head of Estates will allow you to shape long-term strategies and influence the environments people call home. With a collaborative work culture, generous benefits including a competitive salary, extensive annual leave, and support for professional development, this position offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact while enjoying a flexible hybrid working arrangement across multiple sites. Embrace the chance to lead significant engineering initiatives in a purpose-driven organisation that values transparency, trust, and collaboration.
Contact Details:
castle employment solutions Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Estates in High Wycombe
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the engineering and estates sectors. Attend industry events or webinars where you can meet potential employers and showcase your expertise. Remember, it's all about who you know!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation thoroughly. Understand their mission, values, and current projects. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate how your skills align with their goals, especially in supporting military veterans.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership style! Be ready to discuss how you've influenced decisions in previous roles. Use examples that highlight your collaborative approach and ability to simplify complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in the role and the organisation's mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Estates in High Wycombe
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience in managing multi-site estates and engineering functions. We want to see how your background aligns with our mission and the specific challenges outlined in the job description.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:As a potential Head of Estates, it's crucial to demonstrate your leadership style and how you've influenced teams in the past. Share examples of how you've built strong relationships and driven strategic decisions in previous roles.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to explain complex technical concepts, as we value communication skills just as much as technical expertise. Remember, we want to understand your experience without getting lost in jargon!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. This ensures that your application is reviewed promptly and gives us a chance to see your enthusiasm for joining our purpose-driven organisation supporting military veterans.
How to prepare for a job interview at castle employment solutions
✨Know Your Engineering Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your mechanical and electrical engineering knowledge. Be ready to discuss specific projects you've led, especially those involving HVAC systems or sustainability initiatives. This role is all about influencing strategy, so show them you know your stuff!
✨Understand the Organisation's Mission
This isn't just any job; it's about supporting military veterans and their families. Familiarise yourself with the charity's values and how they impact the estate portfolio. Being able to connect your expertise to their mission will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Scenarios
Expect questions about how you would communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Think of examples where you've successfully simplified engineering challenges in the past. This role requires strong communication skills, so demonstrate your ability to bridge that gap.
✨Show Your Collaborative Spirit
Cultural fit is key! Be prepared to discuss how you've built relationships across teams and influenced decisions without relying on hierarchy. Share examples of how you've worked collaboratively in previous roles, as this organisation values a team-oriented approach.
