APPLICATION PACK FOR THE POST OF DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES Required as soon as possible
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Contents 03
Welcome from the Foundation Principal
04 About Warwick Independent Schools Foundation 05 The Role 06 Job Description 08 Person Specification 10 Remuneration 10 How to Apply 11 Organisational structure 12 Our Facilities 13 Warwick & Surrounding Area
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Welcome from the Foundation Principal
Thank you for the interest you have shown in the role of Director of
Facilities.
Our Foundation is unique. We are a large but united community, focused entirely on ensuring that the pupils in our care have the most exceptional of educational opportunities. All that we do has that mission at its heart. Working together, our aim is for our Foundation schools – individually and collectively – to be recognised as the most vibrant and exciting in the U.K. The successful candidate will join an ambitious, forward-thinking, and future-centred organisation, ready to embrace both the challenges and opportunities for independent schools in the years ahead. As Foundation Director of Facilities, you will have a central role in creating, developing, and imp lementing the Foundation’s strategies for delivering integrated Facilities services to ensure that our Foundation continues to thrive.
I hope you are inspired by what you read and will want to join us, to play a key part in our exciting future.
Richard Nicholson MA (Oxon) Foundation Principal
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About Warwick Independent Schools Foundation
The Warwick Independent Schools Foundation (the Foundation) proudly educates girls and boys from 3-18 years of age. We are one of the largest independent school charities in the country, with some 2,800 pupils and 800 staff, and are committed to providing an outstanding education for all our pupils; for our schools to be the first choice for those seeking independent education for their children; and to be an exceptional place to work. Our historic schools are Warwick Preparatory School and the King’s Hig h School, which operate as a through-school for girls with a co-educational Pre- Prep, and Warwick Junior School and Warwick School, which operate as a through-school for boys. These schools are located on the Foundation’s 55 - acre site in Warwick. Between them, they educate some 2,500 pupils, and offer a unique model of education in the Midlands: co-education for our pupils aged 3 to 7, and single-sex education from age 7 onwards. This provides ‘the best of both worlds’ for our pupils: teaching specifically tailored to their needs with extensive learning opportunities to collaborate outside the classroom.
In a new and exciting development for the Foundation, we are delighted to have welcomed The Kingsley School, Royal Leamington Spa into our family of schools in 2021. Kingsley is an established and highly regarded school for girls (3-18) and boys (3-7). Kingsley will continue to operate from its site in Leamington. More information about the schools may be found on their websites: www.warwickprep.com www.kingshighwarwick.co.uk www.warwickschool.org www.thekingsleyschool.co.uk The Foundation is an active membership of the following associations: • AGBIS • GSA • HMC • IAPS • ISBA
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The Role
This is an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic team, ensuring that our Foundation schools have outstanding facilities now and in the future. The Director of Facilities, reporting directly to the Foundation Bursar, will play a central role in maintaining and developing the estates, grounds and transport facilities across the Foundation. A key aspect of the role will be working on future capital programmes as we continue to develop our estate. The postholder will be a member of the Foundation’s Professional Services Management Team and will be involved in and contribute to general Foundation business, strategy, and development.
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Job Description
This is a senior management role within the Foundation, ensuring the delivery of the highest quality facilities and services in support of the Foundation schools’ educational mission. Balancing operational and strategic priorities, the postholder will lead, and have line management responsibility for the Foundation’s estates, transport, and grounds teams .
Strategy
You will: •
prepare written reports for Governors and Senior Leaders regarding projects, strategy, budgets, and other matters as required. • lead the development and delivery of the Foundation’s Estates Strategy, supporting the goals of the Foundation Strategy. • contribute to the Foundation’s strategic planning with particular responsibility for the physical environment and physical resources. • be responsible for strategic risk management for the property portfolio.
Overall Responsibilities
The leadership and management of: • Estates, including planned and responsive maintenance and capital projects. • Operations, including utilities management, all housekeeping and caretaking services. • Grounds, including sports fields, gardens, and playgrounds. • Procurement lead, including management of preferred supplier database. • Property Management, including liaison with commercial property agents and with license holders. • Health and Safety with regard to facilities, including compliance and site security. • Transport services. manage, develop, and motivate senior staff in each department to ensure high functioning teams, conducting regular reviews of staff performance to ensure that individuals and teams are operating to deliver the Foundation's broader strategic priorities. • provide effective leadership to ensure that diverse departments work together as a cohesive team. • provide leadership and oversight of an annual major works program of refurbishment and improvement works to the Foundation estate, and the associated management of capital budgets You will: •
Budget Management
You will: •
have ultimate oversight of Estates Budget Bids and the annual repairs and maintenance budget (in liaison with the Foundation Bursar). • have budgetary control of the operational departments, ensuring that all departments are actively engaged in the annual financial planning cycle, and have a good understanding of budgets, forecasts and variances • identify and implement efficiency savings across all operational departments
Projects and Developments
You will: •
using consultants as required, effectively plan and deliver projects and developments for the Schools (in liaison with the Foundation Bursar/Foundation Principal). • attend Town Council meetings and liaise with Planning Authorities as required in relation to the Foundation’s properties an d projects/developments. • appoint and liaise with professional advisors, e.g. Architects, Surveyors, and Contractors regarding
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Foundation properties, projects, developments etc. • manage and oversee the work of your direct reports and their teams when larger projects are underway and ensure day to day operational matters continue to run smoothly when projects are running). • development of agreed service levels, as well as monitoring to ensure standards are met.
Other
• To respond to other requests from time to time, according to the changing needs of the Foundation. • Given the senior nature of the role, there is a need for flexibility to meet the changing requirements of the job role. The job holder is expected to work flexibly and for such reasonable hours as are necessary in order to fulfil the duties and responsibilities of the post.
Environmental Sustainability
You will: •
Additional duties
support the development and implementation of the Foundation's Environmental sustainability strategy • have oversight of the Foundation's environmental impact and energy consumption targets
• The post holder must comply with the Data Protection Act 1988, the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and all other policies operating at the school. • To report any Health & Safety problems to the Health & Safety Manager.
Communication and Performance Management
You will: • be the conduit for effective communication between Senior Leadership Team, your Heads of Departments, and other relevant staff, on day-to- day matters, budgetary issues, and when events are being planned and delivered. • deliver effective periodic performance reviews for direct reports and oversee their personal development and training needs. • provide leadership to all staff within your team; ensuring that the necessary skill and competency levels are in place, developed or acquired. • continuously review the skills mix to ensure that the Foundation is able to operate as an informed client in all aspects of its estate and facility management activities. • represent the Foundation on estate and estate related matters and in dealings with the Foundation Board, District, County and National Authorities and other external organisations. report whenever required to the Foundation Board and/or Principals’ Group on all estates and operational related matters. • effectively manage the contracts, and partnerships, for those facilities that have been outsourced to external providers. Periodically review all services and facilities that are in- house.
Safeguarding and Protection of Children and Young Persons
In accordance with the Children’s Act 1989, on appointment post holders will be required to commit to their responsibilities with regards to safeguarding. In addition, offers of appointment will be subject to an enhanced criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). These checks will highlight cautions, reprimands, and final warnings as well as any convictions. The post holder must not have any spent or unspent convictions that would prevent working with children. All staff are required to adhere to the School Policy on safeguarding and undertake training as required and ensure the safeguarding and well-being of children and young people at the school, in accordance with School policies.
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Person Specification
Essential
Desirable
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Health and Safety Management for Construction (NEBOSH) Building control accreditation
• Membership of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) • National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) Certificate or Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety • A working knowledge of Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations • A good first degree or significant relevant experience • Experience of leading and managing a professional estates and property function delivering the full breadth of Estates Services ideally including overseeing major projects and developments. • Experience of working with local Government authorities and councils • A strong strategic focus complemented by sound technical and professional skills and knowledge • Experience of managing a significant revenue budget in addition to Estates capital investment budgets. • Experience of working with executive, governing bodies and management teams • Project management experience (in respect of properties) and attention to detail, with the ability to prioritise multiple tasks and have a proactive approach to ensure deadlines are met. • Knowledge and experience of bidding for a budget, managing costs and expenditure to achieve best value and delivering projects within agreed budgets. • Excellent relationship building skills with internal and external stakeholders. • The ability to build and maintain positive and lasting relationships with a wide range of people. • Proven ability to think critically, analyse problems and arrive at solutions • Excellent change management and leadership skills • Proven ability to operate at a strategic level • An ability to engage with senior academics throughout the Foundation • A client-focused approach to Estate strategy and service delivery with the ability to engage with and influence business strategy; anticipating and determining the direction and priorities of strategic thinking in a complex environment with competing demands • The ability to forecast and capitalise on changes within the sector that place demands on the built environment to the competitive advantage of the Foundation
Qualification Experience/ Knowledge
•
•
Working knowledge of
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stages Postgraduate management qualification or similar
•
•
Experience in Education.
Skills/Abilities
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• Personal and professional commitment to the Foundation’s vision and core values and an ability to articulate these meaningfully to staff at all levels to inspire exceptional performance • Clear ability to actively participate as a member of Foundation Committees and to represent the Foundation externally • An effective management style that reflects an understanding of managing people, their personal development and welfare • Excellent oral and written communication skills, and high-level IT and financial skills • Ability to produce detailed and accurate reports and plans for Senior Managers and Governors to enable effective decision making to take place. • High standards of personal and professional integrity • Flexible approach to hours of week to meet requirement of job role • Understands their role in the context of safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults • Ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children and young people
Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
• Understanding of the requirements of Equality and Diversity
Equal Opportunities
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Remuneration
How to apply
Competitive salary dependent on experience.
For a confidential discussion and details of how to apply, please contact our retained advisor Hayley Mintern hayley.mintern@mrgpeople.co.uk
Benefits include: • Competitive contributory pension scheme. • Staff fee remission at our Warwick Campus • 30 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays per annum • Complimentary lunch and refreshments • Free parking • Use of the Sports Complex for staff. • A strong, supportive staff community.
Deadline for submissions: 12 noon Monday 28 th February
An interview will include questions about safeguarding children. The appointment will depend on satisfactory DBS clearance.
The Warwick Independent Schools Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Any concerns should be reported in accordance with the Foundation’s Child Protection policy. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion The Warwick Independent Schools Foundation is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all pupils and staff, both current and prospective, and in this position, you will actively support an environment and culture that values diversity and inclusion.
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Organisational Structure
The Director of Facilities reports directly to the Foundation Bursar, Mrs Victoria Espley who joined the Foundation in September 2021 and who is responsible for oversight of financial, administrative, and operational services across the Foundation and its schools. The Director of Facilities will line manage the Facilities Manager, Health and Safety Manager and Grounds Manager.
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Our Facilities
Warwick Campus Home to some 2,500 pupils aged 3-18, the 55-acre campus boasts outstanding and cutting-edge facilities for all our pupils. The campus has received significant investment over recent decades, including Warwick Hall, which was completed in 2016. The most recent development – ‘Project One Campus’ – the relocation of King’s High from its historic town-centre site to join Warwick Preparatory School and Warwick School on one spacious, green campus. This has seen facilities developed and enhancements for all and has included: • A new home for the pupils of King’s High School. • A new shared Sixth Form Centre for both Warwick and King’s High School students to enjoy for shared curriculum enrichment and social activities. • New and enhanced sports facilities, including a 3G rugby pitch for Warwick School, four netball and five tennis courts.
• A new, shared Music School for the pupils of King’s High and Warwick Preparatory School. • Improved play-space for Warwick Preparatory School, including a new nursery garden and ‘forest school’. • New parking facilities and enhanced traffic management. • New landscaping, creating a series of pedestrianised Quads. Leamington Campus The Kingsley School is home to over 300 pupils. Situated in the centre of Leamington, the excellent facilities include the Prep School, Senior School, and a dedicated Sixth Form Centre. 12 acres of playing fields are just a few minutes’ drive away, and inc lude a pavilion and netball and tennis courts. Investments over recent years have included a suite of refurbished science laboratories, a re-equipped food technology room, play space for Prep School pupils, and the refurbishment of the sixth form centre.
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Warwick & Surrounding area
Warwick itself is a charming, historic town, famous for its impressive castle whose soaring turrets dominate the town centre. Steeped in medieval history and a popular tourist destination, Warwick boasts a thriving social scene with many boutique shops and excellent bars and restaurants.
The delightful Regency town of Royal Leamington Spa adjoins Warwick, with its wide boulevards and grand architecture, is a thriving town, with excellent facilities for families.
Stratford Upon Avon and its outstanding theatres are just a 25-minute drive away. Kenilworth boasts an historic castle and excellent shopping facilities. The Cotswolds are also within easy reach, offering tranquil walks in rolling hills and villages of honey-coloured stone.
For further cultural opportunities, Birmingham is half an hour by train and offers everything you would expect from a major and vibrant city. With a packed calendar of events hosted by its many international venues, Birmingham is also first-class for shopping, dining and nightlife.
The area has excellent transport links. Leamington and Warwick both have mainline railway stations. Birmingham International Airport is just 25 minutes’ drive.
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