Estates Director | Elderly Care Provider | North West / Cheshire in Manchester

Are you an experienced Estates professional looking for the opportunity to take ownership of a large multi-site portfolio within a highly successful elderly care provider? Do you enjoy being hands-on, visiting services, managing maintenance projects, and making practical decisions that directly improve the quality and compliance of care home environments? Are you looking to join an organisation where decisions are made quickly, your ideas are listened to, and you have genuine autonomy to shape the estates function? Then this could be the opportunity for you.

We are working in partnership with a well-established and privately owned elderly care provider to appoint an Estates Director to oversee the maintenance and estates function across a large multi-site portfolio. This is a newly created position designed to provide dedicated leadership across the group’s leasehold estate, allowing the existing senior team to focus on future developments and expansion projects.

The Opportunity

The Estates Director will take ownership of all maintenance, compliance and refurbishment activity across the portfolio, ensuring homes remain safe, compliant and commercially effective. Working closely with the ownership team, home managers and maintenance staff, you will oversee planned and reactive maintenance programmes, manage contractors, review capital expenditure and drive continuous improvements across the estate. This is not a purely strategic or office-based leadership position. The organisation is seeking a practical, commercially aware individual who enjoys spending time in services, understands building maintenance and can confidently balance operational priorities with financial responsibility. The successful candidate will play a key role in maintaining and improving a diverse portfolio while helping to shape long-term estates strategy.

About the Provider

Our client is a long-established, family-led elderly care provider operating a substantial portfolio of care homes across England. With a reputation for taking a hands-on and entrepreneurial approach, the business prides itself on quick decision making, collaborative leadership and promoting autonomy throughout its senior management team.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee all maintenance and estates activity across all homes
• Manage planned preventative maintenance and reactive repairs.
• Develop and implement estates improvement plans across the portfolio.
• Monitor property condition, presentation and infrastructure to ensure high operational standards.
• Identify refurbishment opportunities and oversee project delivery.

Compliance & Health & Safety

• Ensure statutory compliance across the estate, including monitoring Fire Risk Assessment actions and certification.
• Oversee compliance-related works and ensure remedial actions are completed efficiently.
• Work closely with internal maintenance teams and external contractors to maintain regulatory standards.
• Utilise the organisation’s estate management platform to monitor compliance, outstanding actions and maintenance performance.

Contractor & Project Management

• Manage relationships with contractors and specialist suppliers.
• Obtain and review quotations, ensuring projects deliver value for money.
• Oversee refurbishment works, room upgrades and larger capital projects.
• Support planning for property improvements and potential expansion opportunities where appropriate.

Commercial & Operational Leadership

• Manage estates budgets responsibly and ensure cost-effective decision making.
• Work collaboratively with senior leadership to prioritise investment across the portfolio.
• Support operational teams by resolving maintenance challenges and improving the resident environment.
• Provide practical recommendations for long-term estate improvements while balancing business performance.

The Ideal Candidate

You will be a pragmatic, hands-on estates professional who enjoys working within an operational environment and taking ownership of a diverse property portfolio.

• Previous experience within an Estates Director, Head of Estates, Regional Estates Manager or similar senior estates leadership position.
• Experience managing multi-site maintenance operations.
• Strong contractor management and procurement experience.
• Excellent understanding of property maintenance and compliance requirements.
• Commercial awareness with experience managing budgets and controlling expenditure.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable travelling extensively across a geographically dispersed portfolio.
• Self-motivated and capable of operating with a high level of autonomy.
• Previous experience within elderly care, healthcare or another regulated environment.
• Experience overseeing refurbishment programmes and capital projects.
• Knowledge of CAD or property layout planning.
• Understanding of Fire Risk Assessments and wider estates compliance frameworks.

The successful candidate will be practical, solutions-focused and motivated by improving standards across a large portfolio while working closely with an engaged and supportive ownership team.

Benefits

• Discretionary performance bonus.
• Car allowance available where appropriate.
• Opportunity to build and shape the estates function within a growing organisation.
• High levels of autonomy and direct access to senior decision makers.

Location & Working Pattern

Ideally based within Cheshire or the North West, although centrally located candidates will be considered. Significant travel across the portfolio required. Typical working pattern of 3–4 days on-site visiting services, with remaining time spent in office locations or working on strategic planning. Flexible approach to office base, with facilities available across the portfolio.

Interview Process

• Stage One: Teams interview with senior estates leadership.
• Stage Two: Face-to-face interview with the ownership team and senior Estates stakeholders, focusing on technical capability, leadership style and operational approach.

Summary

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Estates professional to join a successful family owned elderly care provider and take ownership of a substantial national portfolio. Offering genuine autonomy, a hands-on culture and the opportunity to influence the long-term condition and performance of a large care portfolio, this role would suit someone who enjoys being visible within operations, making practical improvements and working closely alongside senior leadership.