ESTATES DIRECTOR CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
We are entering a revolutionary and exciting new era here at Twycross Zoo. We are seeking to appoint an Estates Director to play a key leadership role in the growth of the Zoo estate over the next decade. Twycross Zoo has existed for 60 years. At the heart of what we do, the reason we exist, is to be an influential conservation and education charity, delivering on our commitments to be visitor obsessed and provide world-class animal environments and levels of husbandry. Alongside this, we strive to be an effective charity with a commercial mindset, putting our people at the heart of the organisation. As the Estate Director, you will hold a key position within our organisation’s senior leadership team. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role leads the provision of estates and facilities operations and health & safety management. Working closely with an external Facilities team, you will work towards achieving seamless coordination to deliver high standards of estates and facilities provision and safety throughout our organisation. You will also be at the forefront of driving forward capital projects and masterplanning initiatives for the charity, with plans for increased investment to support our growth ambitions.
This is an exciting time to join us and help shape the future as part of the senior leadership team in this newly created role.
ABOUT US Twycross Zoo is at the forefront of conservation, education, and research. We have a strong commitment to our award-winning education programme, aiming to increase the level of awareness, knowledge and understanding of visitors about our animals. We aim to inspire visitors to support biodiversity conservation in any way they can. We welcome over 600,000 people every year to our 100-acre rural site near Atherstone, and are home to 400 animals, including one of the largest chimpanzee families in the UK, and our primate collection is up there with the best in the world! We’re the only zoo in the UK to house all four great apes and we care for many other endangered species to the highest welfare standards, including Eastern black rhino, Sumatran tigers, Amur leopards and snow leopards. This is an exciting time to join Twycross Zoo as we have been awarded £20m grant funding to develop the National Science and Conservation Centre (NSCC) on the Twycross Zoo site. The NSCC will support vital work around species conservation. It will bring together experts in conservation science and train the next generation of conservationists, whilst offering researchers from around the world the opportunity to study the four great apes and other endangered species, in naturalistic complex environments. The facilities will include a lecture theatre, classrooms, and laboratories, all planned to open in 2024.
NATIONAL SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION CENTRE
NSCC OUTPUTS: • 90 gross direct jobs and £3.9m GVA per annum. • 18,568 sqft Campus Building with labs, lecture rooms and conference facilities. • 12,368 sqft Residential facility with 30 rooms. • 77,501 sqft of Orangutan Enclosure to expand Zoo. • Increased visitors up to 1 million over 2030 masterplan. • Public realm improvements around the facilities.
NSCC AIMS: • Sustain Twycross Zoo as an important education and tourism asset and focal point in the area. • Strengthen the cultural and leisure offer to stimulate an economic and tourism recovery from Covid-19. • Improve pathways to research and educational facilities for schools and communities. • Provision of world-leading facilities to enable new lines of academic research of international importance for conservation and science business activity.
The National Science and Conservation Centre concept won funding from the LUF based on its attractive proposition to address the lack of further and higher education opportunities and uptake within the HBBC area, to enable pathways to STEM related jobs that help tackle the current biodiversity crisis, and to draw high calibre science and research to the area. The provision of a resource that can be utilised by, and provides benefits to, the local community was key to securing this funding. Alongside the mini campus, the NSCC proposal includes a new orangutan habitat to enable TZ to continue working with this species as part of the European conservation management programme.
ESTATES DIRECTOR ROLE REPORTING TO: CEO DIRECT REPORTS: None WORKING PATTERN: 5 days out of 7 – 37.5 Hours
• Lead sustainability efforts for estates and property, supporting TZ’s net-zero carbon plans and sustainability strategy in collaboration with TZ sustainability leads. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: • Oversee outsourced facilities management, including maintenance and horticultural services, along with subcontractor management. • Drive continuous improvement, leveraging the expertise of our facilities management partner. • Allocate and supervise financial and team resources to effectively manage the estate. • Manage internal and partner budgets, forecasts, and accounts while identifying cost-saving opportunities. • Develop building plans to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and forecast future facility needs. • Maintain open communication with the animal team to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare. • Efficiently manage information sharing and requests between the Zoo and facilities management partner. • Conduct comprehensive inspections of buildings, enclosures, and site equipment to identify essential maintenance and service requirements. • Source and oversee contractors and suppliers for various tasks, from repairs and maintenance to renovations and security. • Lead building projects and renovations to ensure successful execution. • Supervise internal team and contractors for site-related work, ensuring exceptional performance in the TZ way. • Lead estate changes to minimise disruption to core business activity. • Strategically plan and recommend building locations and space utilisation for maximum efficiency. • Lead and coordinate construction teams across multiple areas of responsibility. • Utilise performance management tools to monitor contractors and recommend service improvements.
(08.00-17.00 with 1 hr unpaid lunchbreak)
ABOUT US: Twycross Zoo is a fantastic conservation and education charity and historic organisation that has existed for 60 years. At the heart of what we do, the reason we exist, is to be an influential conservation and education charity, delivering on our commitments to be visitor obsessed and provide world-class animal environments and levels of husbandry. Alongside this, we strive to be an effective charity with a commercial mindset, putting our people at the heart of the organisation. The Zoo estate is quite unique in terms of the blend of animal enclosures, nature reserve space, visitor focused areas and staff buildings so the role will provide a good level of flexibility and challenge. KEY OBJECTIVES: • Responsible for site management throughout the Zoo, including planned and reactive maintenance. • Ensuring the day-to-day operation is running smoothly, safely and efficiently. • Acting as the subject matter expert and overseeing capital projects as they arise. • Ensure strict compliance with all relevant Health & Safety legislation/requirements. • Be a key member of the Leadership Team which creates, implements and drives business strategy and leads the Zoo’s values, supporting the CEO in the delivery of the strategic plans. • Managing the outsourced facilities management contract, ensuring the Twycross values are maintained across all areas of Estate.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
• Align site improvements with sustainability targets, focusing on carbon and energy reduction. • Efficiently manage utilities contracts, review consumption, and reduce costs. • Quickly respond to workplace emergencies and manage them effectively. • Ensure the maintenance of essential facilities like water and heating. • Guarantee compliance with government regulations, health and security standards, and energy efficiency requirements. • Communicate and enforce workplace safety precautions and take ownership of site Health and Safety. • Oversee activities such as waste disposal and building security to maintain order. • Monitor building maintenance and plan for long- and short-term improvements. • Take responsibility for statutory compliance and Health & Safety in all estate and maintenance activities. OVERALL DELIVERY • As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, participate in and drive the strategic direction of the business and master plans whilst ensuring that best practice is shared across the Zoo. • Regularly benchmark own performance against others within the Zoo and competitors to establish best practice and stive to role model our values. • Develop effective relationships with other members of the Leadership Team to ensure a well-integrated and cooperative Leadership Team. • • Maintain/develop a strong knowledge of both local and country specific markets and consumer trends.
• Proven track record of successful facilities and safety management, preferably in a visitor attraction or similar visitor focussed environment. • BSc/BA in facility management, engineering, business administration or relevant field would be an advantage but not essential. • A passion for exceeding expectations and the ability to influence a managed service partner to do the same. • A safety-first approach with knowledge of H&S standards in facilities management. • A collaborative approach, as a member of the Senior Leadership team you will bring ideas and support others in evolving theirs whilst delivering to the overall strategic goals. • Strong financial acumen with experience of managing budgets and looking for efficiencies and cost savings. • Ability to manage projects, find solutions and a values driven, can do approach – you’ll not be afraid to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in when needed. • The ability to communicate at all levels, from frontline host to CEO and stakeholders, you will be able to articulate your vision with passion at all levels. • Innovative mindset with the ability to adapt to the needs of the business. • Unflappable, in an environment where no day is the same, you will be calm and able to respond in a crisis.
BENEFITS
Alongside a competitive salary, we also offer a range of employee benefits such as:
• PERMANENT CONTRACT
• NON-CONTRACTUAL BONUS
• SALARY SACRIFICE ELECTRIC CAR SCHEME
• 34 DAYS ANNUAL LEAVE INCLUSIVE OF BANK HOLIDAYS
• FAMILY PRIVATE HEALTHCARE - UPON COMPLETION OF PROBATION PERIOD
• LIFE ASSURANCE X 4- UPON COMPLETION OF PROBATION PERIOD
• ONSITE RETAIL AND CATERING DISCOUNTS
• FREE ZOO ENTRANCE TICKET FOR YOUR DAYS OFF, PLUS AN ALLOWANCE OF TICKETS TO USE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
HOW TO APPLY For a confidential discussion to learn more about the role and opportunity please contact our appointed recruitment partners of The Management Recruitment Group:
STEPHANIE HOWE stephanie.howe@mrgglobal.com CHARLEY MCCARTHY charley.mccarthy@mrgglobal.com
Applications should consist of a comprehensive CV and supporting cover letter outlining key matching experience and rationale for applying for the post.
Applications should be sent to both Stephanie and Charley.
The closing date for applications is Sunday 28th January 2024. Following the closing date, applications will be reviewed, and The Management Recruitment Group will undertake preliminary meetings with selected applicants.
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