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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and manage diverse estates services, ensuring high standards and sustainability.
- Company: Join the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible working, generous leave, and wellness support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on heritage and sustainability while leading dynamic teams.
- Qualifications: Degree in Building or Facilities Management and proven leadership experience required.
- Other info: Work in a beautiful environment with excellent career growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 61337 - 65000 £ per year.
We are currently seeking a Senior Estates Manager at Wakehurst to provide strategic and operational leadership for the delivery of Estates services, including PPM, asset management, and both hard and soft FM services across a complex and diverse site. Reporting to the Head of Estates Operations & Maintenance, the role will support capital projects, sustainability, compliance, facilities, and the Estates Helpdesk, while overseeing multidisciplinary teams and contracted suppliers. The post holder will ensure high standards of health and safety, statutory compliance, and customer service, develop robust maintenance and sustainability strategies, support historic and heritage assets, and build strong stakeholder relationships to drive Estates excellence and long-term operational resilience.
Responsibilities
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for the delivery of Estates services across a complex site, including PPM, asset management, and hard and soft facilities management.
- Support capital projects, sustainability, compliance, facilities, and the Estates Helpdesk, while overseeing multidisciplinary teams and contracted suppliers.
- Ensure high standards of health and safety and statutory compliance, and deliver excellent customer service.
- Develop robust maintenance and sustainability strategies; manage utilities and critical systems.
- Support historic and heritage assets and build strong stakeholder relationships to drive Estates excellence and long-term operational resilience.
- Lead, develop, and retain teams; manage contractor performance and service delivery within estates maintenance operations.
Qualifications and experience
- Degree in Building or Facilities Management, or equivalent experience.
- Proven track record of leading medium to large estates or maintenance operations.
- Strong expertise in managing building and engineering infrastructure, contractor performance, health and safety, and statutory compliance across complex estates.
- Experience in developing robust maintenance regimes, managing utilities and critical systems, and supporting historic or heritage buildings.
- Consultative leadership style, strategic operational thinking, and success in team development, customer-focused service delivery, and sustainability within estates maintenance operations.
Location and working pattern
This role is based at Wakehurst with the option of regular home working, subject to operational requirements.
Salary and benefits
The salary for this position is £61,337 - £65,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience. Our fantastic benefits package includes opportunities for continuous learning, a generous annual leave entitlement, flexible working to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, an Employee Assistance Programme and other wellbeing support such as cycle to work scheme and discounted gym membership. We also offer a competitive pension, an employee discount scheme and free entry into a wide range of national museums and galleries, as well as access to our own beautiful gardens at Kew and Wakehurst.
How to apply
If you are interested in this position, please submit your application through the online portal, by clicking “Apply for this job”.
Equality and diversity
We are dedicated to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to interview disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
Senior Estate Manager (Wakehurst) in East Grinstead employer: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Contact Detail:
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Estate Manager (Wakehurst) in East Grinstead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that Senior Estate Manager role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its values. Understand their approach to sustainability and heritage management, as this will show you’re genuinely interested. We recommend practising common interview questions and having examples ready that showcase your leadership and operational skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. We suggest mentioning something specific from your conversation to remind them why you’re the perfect fit for the Senior Estates Manager position.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we often have exclusive opportunities listed there that you won’t find anywhere else. Let’s get you that dream job!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Estate Manager (Wakehurst) in East Grinstead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Estates Manager role. Highlight your experience in managing estates and facilities, focusing on your strategic leadership skills and any relevant projects you've led.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Use specific examples from your past experiences that align with the responsibilities mentioned in the job description, especially around sustainability and compliance.
Showcase Your Leadership Style: We want to see your consultative leadership style in action! Share examples of how you've developed teams and managed contractor performance in your previous roles, as this is key for us at Wakehurst.
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to submit your application through our online portal! It’s the easiest way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of estates management, particularly in areas like PPM and asset management. Familiarise yourself with the specific challenges faced by complex sites like Wakehurst, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Since this role involves leading multidisciplinary teams, prepare examples that highlight your consultative leadership style. Think about times when you've successfully developed teams or improved service delivery, and be ready to share these stories during the interview.
✨Emphasise Sustainability and Compliance
Given the focus on sustainability and health and safety, come prepared with insights on how you've implemented robust maintenance strategies or managed compliance in previous roles. This will show that you understand the importance of these aspects in estates management.
✨Build a Connection
Establishing strong stakeholder relationships is key for this position. Think about how you've built rapport with stakeholders in the past and be ready to discuss your approach. This will demonstrate your ability to drive estates excellence and operational resilience.
