Head of Sustainability and Infrastructure Candidate Information Pack
Contents
4
About the GDST
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Sustainability at the GDST
6
The GDST Estate
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The Estates Vision
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The Estates Programme
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The Capital Investment Programme
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The Role
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Person Specification
2
About the GDST
Sustainability at the GDST
The Girls’ Day School Trust is the UK’s leading family of independent girls’ schools. In all of our schools, academic excellence is a given – at the GDST we develop character beyond the curriculum. The GDST is a charitable trust which owns and operates 25 schools across England and Wales. Our schools are mainly girls only, with the GDST ethos to ‘reach as many girls as possible’ permeating everything we do. Most schools are Junior, Senior and sixth form, with some having nurseries as well; one of the school’s remains a boarding school. The Council of Trustees oversee the strategic direction of the Trust, with an Executive Board who run the day to day operations, based at the Trust Office in Victoria, London. The Heads of the schools report into the Chief Executive, and all have Directors of Finance and Operation (DFO’s) who help to run the 23 schools and 2 academies. The GDST owns most of its property freehold, although there are certain leasehold landholdings, plus other property retained for investment purposes. There is also an outward bound centre in north Wales. Each of the schools and academies are run separately, with central services including Estates, Finance, HR and IT located in Trust Office. This is also where the strategic Education and Innovation strategy is set, along with most of the teacher and staff training, reinforcing the GDST ethos.
Climate change is a very real part of our lives today, and its impact will be felt more widely when our students reach adulthood. Our students are passionate about making a difference and dedicated to achieving a sustainable world. Our sustainability strategy is informed by our girls and the GDST is committed to meeting its ambitious targets. Our work includes a strategy to deliver Net Zero by 2050, and we have already achieved CarbonNeutral® Organisation certification. We achieved this by off- setting our carbon footprint whilst we work towards significant reductions in our energy use. A dynamic green thread of sustainability is woven through everything we do and our One strategy aims to capture and amplify this holistic approach. You can learn more here.
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The GDST Estate
A list of the main schools and sites are given below: 1. Blackheath High School, London 2. Brighton and Hove High School 3. Bromley High School, London 4. Croydon High School 5. Howells School, Llandaff, Cardiff 6. Kensington Prep School 7. Newcastle High School for Girls 8. Northampton High School 9. Northwood College, Middlesex
Our Estate is diverse, both geographically and chronologically, with buildings dating back to the 1800’s up to the present day. A significant number of the older properties are listed or locally listed and sit in Conservation Areas. Many of our properties are converted residential buildings, others are purpose built as schools. All of our current schools are in England and Wales and amount to over 200 buildings, predominantly owned by the GDST, plus also Trust Office in central London. Most of our properties are occupied for educational purposes, although some sites also have residential accommodation for staff, in addition to the one boarding school in Bath. Further investment properties are let out to external occupiers.
10. Norwich High School for Girls 11. Nottingham Girls High School 12. Notting Hill & Ealing High School 13. Oxford High School 14. Portsmouth High School 15. Putney High School
16. Royal High School, Bath 17. Sheffield High School 18. Shrewsbury High School
19. South Hampstead High School, London 20. Streatham & Clapham High School, London 21. Sutton High School 22. Sydenham High School 23. Wimbledon High School 24. Belvedere Academy, Liverpool 25. Birkenhead High School Academy, Birkenhead
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The Estates Vision
The Estates Programme
Our mission is to provide an integrated customer service, providing strategic leadership and well as technical support and advice across the Estate, ensuring consistency of approach and critically ensuring compliance with all statutory requirements across the Estate at all times. The Estates department under the Director of Estates, hold the delegated responsibility from the Trustees to assure, maintain, enhance and develop the estate to ensure it is fit for purpose to provide innovative education and learning facilities as well as the breadth of functions that allow the schools to operate, including external spaces and sports fields. Our primary aim is to keep our Estate safe for our students, staff, visitors as well as members of the public. The Estates department run a continuous programme of maintenance programmes, minor works, refurbishment and new build projects, varying in scale from £100,000 to over £20 million. Each school also has a delegated maintenance budget, directly managed by the school, used to address minor repair and maintenance works. The Estates team act as the central Technical and Trusted Advisors for the schools, supporting them in all Estates related decision making, scoping and delivery.
Our Estate is the physical representation of the schools and the GDST; with the Estates Strategy a reflection of the Trust’s strategic vision. It is the responsibility of the Estates department to deliver against this context. Although primarily for educational purposes, our schools host numerous events for the school community plus for the wider public benefit within their local communities. We aim to provide an appropriate quality of environments, infrastructure and buildings to support the educational and recreational needs of our schools; working to deliver sustainable and innovative spaces for our students to enjoy, whilst enhancing the GDST’s reputation as a leader in girls education. The GDST is committed to ensuring all of its operations are as sustainable as possible. As such, it is now certified a carbon neutral organisation and currently progressing towards a carbon zero strategy, driven primarily by the Estates team. Sustainability is embedded in all property work, as the estate is evolved towards carbon net zero both in construction and operation.’
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The Capital Investment Programme
The GDST invests over £30 million annually in capital programmes across the Estate; based on a prioritisation of compliance and condition related works, educational need, as well as improvement and expansion of the Estate, as appropriate. Examples of projects recently completed include: • A new STEAM tower and dining room at Wimbledon High School; • A new Science and Arts facility at Oxford High School; • An extension to Bromley High School; • The refurbishment of Waterlow Hall at South Hampstead High School into a high quality performance space. Significant projects currently underway include: • A new integrated carbon net zero designed Junior School building at Notting Hill & Ealing High School, (see CGI images on the next page); • A programme of works at Sutton High School including an extension to the junior school, new refectory and improvements to sports facilities, which aims to target net zero carbon; • Major external refurbishment of Howell’s School listed buildings; • Proposed new sixth form and design technology hub under development; • Fire compliance works programme for all schools. In parallel, there are a significant number of refurbishment and improvement works across the Estate, infrastructure works and maintenance programmes covering both fabric and mechanical and electrical works.
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Head of Sustainability and Infrastructure
Role:
Head of Sustainability and Infrastructure 10 Bressenden Place, Westminster, London SW1E 5AE
• Supporting the Director of Estates to deliver a professional Estates focused knowledge base to support and enhance best practice throughout the GDST and to recommend and implement strategic investment on behalf of the Trust • Supporting the Trust strategy to be leaders in educating girls through Estates and charitable objectives of maximising use of estates assets for the benefit of current and future students Accountabilities • To lead on the implementation of the Sustainability and Decarbonisation Strategy into GDST policy and operations through the development of the Estates Sustainability Vision and Objectives • Responsibility for managing and ensuring co-ordination of the Green Steering Group and its activities • Develop and lead significant technical change programmes and projects associated with environmental sustainability across the estate and liaison with the schools, including technical skills competence and recommendations for training. • Benchmark the Trust’s sustainability performance within the sector and against similar organisations using national and regional indices • To actively manage GDST’s sustainability reputation and minimise the risk associated with this. Liaise with the Marketing team to promote this. • Manage key external relationships including local and statutory authorities, landlords and suppliers. • To ensure effective planning and programming across the GDST for sustainable infrastructure, feasibility studies and programmes of work. Initiating appropriate actions, establishing the most practical and effective approach to resolving complex infrastructural problems. • To lead and develop technical design, specification of standards and design briefs in relation to building services and infrastructure, including new build, refurbishment, replacement, commissioning and handover across the GDST. • Work with Capital Projects and Estate Management teams to ensure best
Location:
Accountable to:
Director of Estates
Grade:
G1 - c. £85,000 plus excellent benefits
Job Purpose / Background The Estates Department acts on behalf of the GDST and deals with all property related matters to ensure that the Trusts interests and its estate are developed and maintained to agreed standards. The estate consists of 23 schools, two academies and the Trust Office based in Victoria. Reporting to the Director of Estates the postholder will act as the Sustainability expert regarding social, economic and environmental matters across the Trust as well as within the Estates Directorate. This will involve creating and managing sustainability policies, informing maintenance as well as capital projects across the Estate. The role will interface closely with other directorates including Finance and Procurement, Learning & Innovation, IT, Marketing and Comms. The post holder will be a senior member of the Estates team and will demonstrate the behaviours and culture expected of this team which include: • Leadership – both directive and supportive • Excellent written and oral communications • Team player • A strong collaborative approach to work and colleagues • Utilising the Estate systems and processes to support evidence-based decision making The post holder will follow the GDST Strategic Vision, the Estate Strategy and the school business plans. They will also act as the primary point of contact on property and maintenance issues for all Schools / departments on sustainability, engineering and environmental matters and be seen as both a technical and trusted advisor or on these issues.
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in terms of its legislative duties and best practice. • To provide specialist expertise, support and advice on sustainable development as it relates to all areas of major work. • Responsibility for financial budgeting and control. o Responsible for managing projects within budget, Procurement, Regulations and controls. o Manage budgets and produce appropriate requests, business case proposals and documentation o Researching and applying for energy related Grant Funding. • Preparation and presentation of formal committee reports. Evaluation of options with clear recommendations for decision making. Ensure that reports are written with options proposed to allow senior members of the Trust and / or Schools to make appropriate decisions • Ensure monitoring and assessment of all key infrastructure provision across the GDST Estate including, but not limited to, power and alternative energy supplies, drainage, water and gas. • Ensure accurate and regular reporting into the PMO and Estates Director • Line management responsibilities of the Energy Manager plus management of key sustainability workstreams, projects and programmes. • Proactive member of the Estates SLT • Carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job Key Relationships • Director of Estates, Head of PMO, Head of Capital Development and Head of Estate Management. • Energy Manager • Project & Estate Managers • School Heads, Directors of Finance & Operations (DFO’s) • Procurement, Finance, Legal and other members of the Trust Office Management team • Outsourced service providers (e.g. professional consultants, contractors etc.) • Public bodies and statutory authorities, staff and community.
practice and appropriate design operations and maintenance solutions for all projects in alignment with the GDST wide strategic objectives. Key Responsibilities • Senior management responsibility to prepare and deliver a sustainability and decarbonisation strategy, design briefs and specifications, service standards and procedures in collaboration with relevant GDST stakeholders. • Senior management responsibility for sustainability projects and workstreams including contract negotiation and management, appointment of consultants and contractors. • Carry out a ‘client monitoring’ role on external M+E and sustainability consultants to challenge design philosophy, complexity, operation and maintenance requirements etc. and ensure they align with GDST strategies. • Senior management responsibility for infrastructure and engineering input into Long Term Maintenance Programme (LTM) including complex priorities/ budget challenges and delivery of agreed projects ensuring developing specifications, cost estimates and timescales. • Senior management responsibility for infrastructure and engineering, contributing to the development of a maintenance strategy including a ‘Soft Landings’ approach, Planned Preventative Maintenance and developing future service contracts and improved service proposals to support the GDST in liaison with Procurement. • Responsibility for organising and driving the Green Steering Group agenda and actions in collaboration with the Learning + Innovation team plus other colleagues. • Responsibility for energy management and reporting annual against SECR and ESOS requirements. • Responsibility for annual review of carbon accreditation. • Develop policies procedures and guidance in all areas of Sustainability and Engineering in collaboration with all key stakeholders across the GDST. • Support the Schools Sustainability related energy monitoring and audit records, including all appropriate returns adopted by the Schools. E.g. CRC and/or similar. • In conjunction with all Estates team members, actively promote Sustainability to the schools and other stakeholders. This could include holding educational workshops with schools and students. • Keep up to date with sustainability and in particular environmental issues and UK legislation, providing advice to the Estates team and to the Schools
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Person Specification
Person Specification • Strong and passionate advocate of ‘Triple-Bottom Line’ sustainability • Ability to generate and maintain stakeholder confidence in you as an individual and in the team as a whole. • Approach of taking proactive ownership of a situation and seeing it through to a successful conclusion whilst escalating issues when necessary • Excellent communication and presentation skills • Ability to work effectively and flexibly on own initiative under pressure • Excellent negotiating skills • Ability to motivate staff and to manage collaborative team working • Ability to create good working relationships both internally and externally and manage stakeholders effectively • Able to work with, structure and prioritise large amounts of project information and work with the Asset Management database • Ability to challenge in a constructive manner • Ability to develop creative solutions to difficult issues • Open and diplomatic approach • Ability to work outside normal office hours as required • Qualifications / Training Education/ Training Essential: • Formal qualification in an environmental and engineering related discipline. • Training/Knowledge and experience of practice of ISO14001 Environmental Management Systems. • Educated to degree status. • Understanding and knowledge of estates related compliance and health + safety, including CDM regulations.
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• Leadership and co-ordination of project teams and stakeholder groups. • Highly developed numeracy and IT skills to support the business • Strong customer focussed approach. • Proven experience of project management of multi-discipline energy services projects. • Presentation Skills and Report writing skills. • Excellent knowledge of MS Office. • Experience of delivering a financial objective across a range of demanding influences.
Desirable: • Chartered Engineer • Membership of relevant professional body • Post graduate qualification in environmental issues • Proficiency in managing projects to RIBA work plan stages.
Relevant Experience:
• Budget management skills • Ability to think creatively
Essential: • Thorough knowledge and experience of a broad range of sustainability issues, standards, best practice, legislation and grants • Experience of working in a ‘Triple Bottom Line’ sustainability environment. • Experience of writing and setting Policy documents • Strategic planning and programming • Business management demonstrating sound commercial awareness. • Analysing and preparing management reports. • Carrying out environmental audits. • Ability to deliver complex projects and programmes, working across infrastructure, M&E and services related requirements
Desirable: • Experience of using Monitoring and Targeting software. • Experience of working with BIM
Desirable: • Developing systems and procedures for broad application. Relevant Skills / Aptitudes:
Essential: • Excellent communication and influencing skills at all levels, particularly with senior management and academic staff – oral and written. • Strategic management and strong leadership skills. • A natural collaborator, working cross functionally and at all levels, internally and externally. • Ability to think strategically but still maintain attention to detail in preparation and delivery of management information to a wide audience.
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General Requirements All staff are expected to: • Work towards and support the Trust vision and current objectives outlined in the GDST Strategic Development Plan. • Work within the Trust’s health and safety policy to ensure a safe working environment for staff and visitors. • Work within the GDST’s Diversity Policy to promote equality of opportunity for all staff, both current and prospective. • Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, appearance, conduct and positive, courteous relations with Trust Office colleagues, schools staff, external contacts and visitors. • Engage actively in the performance review process, and training and development opportunities available. • Adhere to policies as set out in the GDST Council Regulations, Notes of Guidance and GDST circulars. • Undertake other reasonable duties related to the job purpose required from time to time. Other Requirements Essential: • Enhanced DBS check. Circumstances • Travel in support of the duties of the role • Ability to speak at internal conferences and events • Stay overnight in support of the duties of the role • Work flexibly as required in support of the duties of the role Review and Amendment This job description should be seen as enabling rather than restrictive and will be subject to regular review.
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For a confidential conversation please contact our advisors Craig Douglas (07355 093 394) and Ben Duffill (07976 125 010) of The Management Recruitment Group. Applications should consist of a comprehensive CV (of not more than 4 pages) and a covering letter (of not more than 2 pages). Applications should be sent to craig.douglas@mrgglobal.com and ben.duffill@mrgglobal.com Interviews will be held on w/c 30th October 2023.
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