Education Estates Manager

Education Estates Manager

Contract: Permanent

Location: Home-based - with essential travel across the UK

Salary: Up to £45,000 per annum, dependent on experience

Hours: 35 hours per week

• 30 days’ annual leave, increasing to 35 days with length of service, plus bank holidays
• Company pension scheme
• Life Insurance x 2
• Employee Discount Scheme
• Free on-site parking at all sites

About Us

Polaris Community is one of the UK’s largest children’s services providers, with roots in the UK’s first independent fostering provider. Delivering fostering, residential care, specialist education, adoption, therapy and leaving care services across the length and breadth of the country, our community of 19 brands supports children and young people from Glasgow to Plymouth, Belfast to London.

As part of an exciting period of growth, we're creating this brand-new role to strengthen and expand our Estates and Compliance function. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced estates professional to make their mark, shape the role and play a key part in the future development of our school portfolio.

What the Team Does

Our Estates and Compliance team is passionate about creating safe, welcoming and well-maintained environments where children and young people can learn, grow and thrive. They're the people behind our schools, working at the heart of our organisation to ensure every site is compliant, fit for purpose and ready to deliver exceptional outcomes.

From leading improvement projects and modernising facilities to solving problems, managing contractors and driving high standards across our school estate, no two days are the same. The team works closely with school leaders to make a real difference, helping to create spaces that support both education and wellbeing.

Simply put, they keep our schools running brilliantly, enabling our pupils and colleagues to focus on what matters most.

What We’re Looking For

We're looking for an energetic, solutions-focused estates professional who thrives on variety, gets stuck in and knows how to make things happen. You'll bring the expertise to keep our schools safe, compliant and performing at their best, while building great relationships and driving continuous improvement.

This is a fantastic opportunity to have a real impact across our expanding portfolio of schools. If you're proactive, hands-on and love turning challenges into solutions, we'd love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the management of a safe, compliant and fit-for-purpose school estate across the UK
• Conduct property inspections, condition surveys and compliance reviews
• Manage maintenance programmes, remedial works and contractors
• Support improvement projects and the modernisation of school facilities
• Work closely with Headteachers, school leaders and key stakeholders to identify and drive improvements
• Support capital projects and investment planning from concept through to delivery

Technical Skills and Qualifications

• HNC, HND or degree in building studies, facilities management, construction or a related discipline
• Full UK driving licence
• NEBOSH General Certificate
• Fire risk assessment competency

Beyond the Technical

• Proven experience in estates, facilities or building management across multiple sites
• Experience conducting property inspections, condition surveys and compliance reviews
• Strong track record of managing maintenance programmes, remedial works and contractors
• Experience working within education settings, with an understanding of the unique challenges schools face
• Confident partnering with Headteachers, school leaders and key stakeholders to drive improvements
• Experience supporting capital projects and investment planning from concept through to delivery
• Highly organised and comfortable working independently in a predominantly field-based role

Polaris is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates, regardless of background.

Polaris is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.

As part of our safer recruitment commitment, all offers of employment are subject to a Standard DBS check, confirmation of your right to work in the UK and satisfactory pre-employment checks.

We reserve the right to withdraw this advert without notification.

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