Head of Estates and Technical Services in Canterbury

Head of Estates & Technical Services

Based in Canterbury | Multi-site across East Kent

Full-time | Permanent | Senior Leadership Role

Salary: circa £67,000 + excellent benefits

Lead the estates function that keeps healthcare running

We are seeking a highly experienced Head of Estates & Technical Services to provide strategic and operational leadership across a complex, multi-site healthcare estate in East Kent, based from Canterbury.

This is a critical senior role responsible for ensuring the safe, compliant and resilient operation of patient-critical infrastructure across acute and community hospital sites serving thousands of patients every day.

If you are a proven healthcare estates leader with deep technical expertise, strong assurance capability, and the confidence to operate at Board and clinical level, this role offers scale, influence and real purpose.

The Role

Reporting at senior level, you will lead Estates & Technical Services across multiple hospital sites, with accountability for:

• Hard FM operations and engineering services
• Statutory, mandatory and HTM/HBN compliance
• Lifecycle, backlog risk and infrastructure resilience
• Project delivery and minor capital works
• Emergency response, business continuity and on-call leadership

You will act as the Technical Authority for the organisation, providing assurance to Directors, clinicians and regulators, and leading a multi-disciplinary workforce of 30+ estates managers, engineers and specialists.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Lead and develop Estates & Technical Services across a geographically dispersed healthcare estate
• Provide expert oversight of mechanical, electrical and building services systems, including HV/LV, medical gases, water systems, HVAC, boilers and emergency power
• Act as senior escalation point for clinical, operational and technical issues

Compliance & Assurance

• Ensure full compliance with HTMs, HBNs, statutory legislation and NHS guidance
• Maintain robust assurance frameworks, audits, AP/CP arrangements and risk management processes
• Lead high-risk compliance areas including fire safety, water safety, asbestos, COSHH and electrical safety

Maintenance, Projects & Asset Management

• Direct PPM, reactive maintenance, lifecycle planning and backlog risk reduction
• Oversee infrastructure upgrades and minor works within live clinical environments
• Maximise use of CAFM and BMS systems to drive performance and assurance

Financial & Contract Management

• Manage significant operational budgets and ensure value for money
• Lead procurement, contract management and supplier performance
• Drive KPI, SLA and service improvement outcomes

Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with clinical teams, senior managers, contractors and regulators
• Promote a culture of safety, professionalism, accountability and customer service
• Develop capability, succession and resilience within the estates workforce

Emergency & On-Call

• Participate in the senior Estates on-call rota
• Provide leadership during incidents impacting clinical services and continuity of care

About You

Essential

• Substantial experience in healthcare estates management, ideally within an NHS or acute hospital environment
• Strong applied knowledge of HTMs, HBNs and healthcare statutory compliance
• Degree (or equivalent experience) in engineering, building services, estates or a related discipline
• Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. IHEEM, CIBSE, IWFM)
• Authorised Person (AP) status in at least one discipline (e.g. electrical, medical gases, water, ventilation, boilers, HV/LV)
• Proven experience managing multi-site estates teams, contractors, budgets and complex infrastructure
• High competence with CAFM, compliance systems and performance reporting
• Full UK driving licence

Desirable

• Strong mechanical and electrical background
• Experience operating in high-pressure, clinically critical environments
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused leadership style with excellent stakeholder skills

What’s On Offer

• Salary circa £67,000
• Generous annual leave with buy/sell options
• NHS pension scheme
• On-site childcare (location dependent)
• Staff wellbeing and communication platforms
• Discounted on-site catering
• Access to public sector and Blue Light discounts