Head of Estate Management Candidate Information Pack
CONTENTS About the GDST
4
The GDST Estate
6
The Estates Vision and the Estates Programme
8
The Capital Investment Programme
10
The Role
12
Person Specification
17
Application process
20
About the GDST
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.
The GDST Estate
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; some since the 1960’s. 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.
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
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
The Estates Vision
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 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.
The Capital Investment Programme
The GDST invests over £30 million 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.
In the last few years, the following works have been undertaken:
A large scale redevelopment of the senior school at Blackheath High School; The redevelopment of the senior school at Newcastle High School; A new pavilion and sports pitches at Howells in Cardiff; A major external refurbishment of the Royal High School Bath;
Significant projects currently underway include:-
A new STEAM tower, dining room and Sixth form centre at Wimbledon High School; A new STEM facility at Putney 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. 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.
Head of Estate Management – The Girls’ Day School Trust
Location:
10 Bressenden Place, Westminster, London, SW1E 5AE
Accountable to:
Director of Estates
Grade: G1 Job Purpose / background
The Estates Department acts on behalf of the Trust 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 lead on all Estate Management issues within the Directorate with regards to the preparation, prioritisation, co-ordination and delivery of assigned projects and programmes, including – Planned works, Long Term Maintenance, one-off projects and compliance work-streams. Key aspects of the role include liaising and working collaboratively with Project Teams, the Infrastructure and Sustainability team, Head of Compliance and others to provide technical advice/support and the development/application of design briefs, technical standards etc. 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 manage, direct and advise a team of Estate Managers providing services primarily, but not exclusively, to designated Schools, departments or geographic zones.
The post holder will follow the GDST Strategic Vision, the Estate Strategy and the school business plans to: • Support the Director of Estates to deliver a professional Estates focussed knowledge base to implement strategic investment for the Trust whilst enhancing best practice. • Support the GDST vision to be leaders in girls education through its charitable objectives, maximising the use of estates assets for the benefit of existing and future students, as well as the local communities in which the schools sit. They will also act as the primary point of contact on property and maintenance issues for all Schools / departments and be seen as a trusted advisor. Accountabilities • The Estate Maintenance & Condition specialist across the GDST estate. • The Property Management specialist across the GDST estate. • Maintaining a level of service and accountability that is in line with the requirements of the GDST. • The key interface for risk management across programmes of work responsible for with Finance, Legal & IT teams within GDST. • Advising on effective procurement, award, administration and management of maintenance programmes and minor works related contracts. • Approach to risk accross projects, programmes and the GDST estate. • Advising on the effective management of external supply chain of consultants and contractors delivering maintenance and minor works to the GDST estate. • Provide the Estate Management business partner function for 2 schools and 2 academies. • Manage the Trust Office facilities management team.
Key Responsibilities • Manage the effective deployment of Estate Managers in line with agreed priorities established via the Asset Management database, regulatory compliance and proactive engagement with the Schools. • Plan, prioritise, coordinate and allocate projects/tasks; liaise closely with other Department Heads, to ensure effective, customer focussed solutions and delivery. • Provide technical expertise and specialist advice to support other Department Heads and other staff within GDST. • Prepare project briefs, budgets, specifications and ensure service standards for minor works and LTM programmes. • Manage service delivery and the performance of service providers including external consultants and contractors as appropriate. • Investigate and resolve complex maintenance/engineering problems, including incident investigation and coordinate appropriate action for remedial works. • Oversee service contracts covering a range of Maintenance works e.g. plant, equipment and building fabric/ infrastructure; • Oversee/undertake inspections, surveys, risk assessments, feasibility studies and diagnostic fault finding and initiate appropriate actions; establish the most practical and effective resolution of problems; • Own condition survey and maintenance data within the Asset Management system. • Manage maintenance projects ensuring compliance with specifications, cost estimates and timescales. • Prepare regular performance information to the Head of PMO using the Asset Management database. • Manage delegated budgets for assigned programmes and service provisions. • Ensure accurate and regular reporting by Estate Management team into the PMO and Estates Director. • Liaise frequently with Project Managers to ensure that maintenance needs (such as ‘Soft Landings Approach’) arising from new construction and major refurbishment are recognised, designed and planned for. • When required, represent Estates at specific assigned committees and engagement forums with the schools with regard to Estate Management service provision.
• Contribute as required in the setting of relevant budgets, managing approved works within budget, identifying, costing development and projection including presentation of business cases. Recommending projects for inclusion in strategic long-term maintenance and improvements to infrastructure. Demonstrate financial and management skills to achieve agreed targets and performance measures in the role. • Contribute positively to maintaining a high standard of Health & Safety across the GDST estate in relation to both projects, minor works and long-term maintenance. • Support the Director of Estates in ensuring that the Trust appropriately manages its portfolio of land in support of the school’s and Trusts strategic needs. o Identifying property assets which may be suitable for disposal and supporting • Drive Contactor management (Financial, Quality, Site management/safety, and Performance) taking ownership as GDST client representative on project works, service delivery within role. • Advise on contracts for Landlord & Tenant compliance activities. • Ensure Estates Management team work closely with, advise and support schools on their reactive maintenance and small improvement works. • Ensure minor works are delivered in collaboration with schools, with relevant technical and budgetary rigor and input. • Ensure capital works requests are escalated to project teams and provide condition related interface as required. • Responsible for managing all property related issues across the Estate including leases and rental agreements, overseeing business rates payments and other property related costs in liaison with the Legal team. • Provide advice on disposals and aquisitions. • Carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job. disposal process to maximise value realised for the Trust. o Maximising income from the investment property portfolio. o Identifying and advising on possible acquisitions of land.
Key Relationships • Director of Estates, Head of Infrastructure and Sustainability, Head of PMO, Head of Compliance.
• Estate Managers. • Project Managers • School Heads, Directors of Finance & Operations (DFOs).
• 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.
Person Specification: Qualification and Experience
Education/ Training (Essential): • Relevant professional qualification and membership of relevant professional body. Desirable: • Educated to degree status. Relevant Experience (Essentia): • Experience of estate planning including estate strategy development, option appraisal, condition assessment and maintenance prioritisation. • Experience of leading the delivery of strategic maintenance programmes, minor works projects and compliance projects across both fabric and infrastructure. • Extensive practical experience and relevant technical knowledge including the management of maintenance operations using contractors and directly employed staff • Thorough knowledge and experience of managing maintenance operations in a large multi-site organisation. • Expertise and understanding of building systems, legislation and service requirements across a diverse portfolio. • Practical knowledge, understanding and application of relevant Health and Safety legislation. • Estate and Property management, contract procurement and contract management; • Budget management experience. • People management. • Experience of managing fabric as well as M&E related maintenance and minor works. • Experience of managing and delivering LTM programmes. • Experience of managing disposal and acquisitions. Desirable: • Fully conversant with developments in sustainability and environmental issues, including energy conservation.
• Experience of working with BIM. • Education related experience.
Person Specification: Skills, Aptitudes and Requirements
Required skills and aptitudes: • Excellent interpersonal and written and oral communication skills. • Strong presentation skills. • Ability to work effectively and flexibly on own initiative under pressure. • Excellent influencing and negotiating skills. • Ability to motivate staff and to manage collaborative and innovative team working. • Strong verbal and numerical reasoning ability. • 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. • Strong analytical and research skills, able to produce technical content and organise material. • Ability to think strategically but still maintain attention to detail in preparation and delivery of management information to a wide audience. • Ability to effectively manage time and meet deadlines whilst under pressure. • Ability to challenge in a constructive manner. • Ability to develop creative solutions to difficult issues. • The ability to balance process with content. • Positive, ‘can-do’ attitude.
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. Essential: • Enhanced DBS check. Cirumstances: • Travel in support of the duties of the role. • Stay overnight in support of the duties of the role. • Work flexibly as required in support of the duties of the role.
For a confidential conversation please contact our advisors Ben Duffill (ben.duffill@mrgpeople.co.uk) and Nick Coppard (nicholas.coppard@mrgpeople.co.uk) of The Management Recruitment Group on 020 3962 9900. 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 ben.duffill@mrgpeople.co.uk and nicholas.coppard@mrgpeople.co.uk.
The closing date for applications is Sunday 21st July 2019.
Regal House 70 London Road Twickenham TW1 3QS +44 20 8 892 0115
52-54 Gracechurch Street London EC3V 0EH +44 20 3962 9900
111 Piccadilly Manchester M1 2HY +44 161 638 0936
www.mrgpeople.co.uk
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