Head of Estates Full Time

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Applications will only be considered once they have been submitted via www.nelt.co.uk/careers.

Full job information packs and application forms can be found at www.nelt.co.uk/careers.

• Permanent
• Grade 12 SCP41 – SCP43
• £52,413 – £54,495 per annum
• 37 Hours per week, Full time
• Monday – Friday

At the North East Learning Trust (NELT), we are more than your average multi-academy education trust – we are a tight knit family of schools that support each other and truly embody our region’s renowned spirit of collaboration to make sure that children across the North East get the best start in life. Our vision, along with all schools in the Trust, is that every child experiences excellence every day.

We are looking for an experienced and proactive Head of Estates to lead the Trust’s estates and facilities functions across all schools. This is a key leadership role, ensuring our estate is compliant, well-maintained, and fully supports high-quality education every day.

As a senior estates professional, you will provide strategic and operational leadership, driving excellence in statutory compliance, facilities management, catering, cleaning, fleet, and wider site services and escalate to the Director of Estates where required. Working closely with the Director of Estates, Headteachers, Senior Facilities Managers, and external partners, you will ensure that our estate operates effectively and consistently across all locations. Working closely with senior leaders, Headteachers, and external partners, you will:

• Lead Trust-wide estates operations, ensuring safe, reliable and compliant delivery across maintenance, cleaning, security, catering, and facilities services.

• Implement and manage robust operational systems, standards and contracts, ensuring services are efficient, high-quality, value for money and aligned with Trust

strategy.

• Provide strong leadership across central and school-based estates teams, offering training, guidance and clear direction to embed a positive safety culture and consistent best practice.

• Work in conjunction with the Trust Health & Safety Manager to ensure compliance with H&S standards and support audits and inspections.

The role covers schools across Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, County Durham, and Redcar.

It involves travel to all academy sites as required and offers a flexible, agile approach to

working, with hours and location adapted to the needs of the role and the individual.

The successful candidate will:

• Hold a degree (or equivalent) in Facilities or Construction Management, with proven experience leading estates or FM services.

• Have strong hard and soft FM expertise, including maintenance, catering, cleaning, security, capital project delivery and contract management.

• Demonstrate commercial and project management capability, able to manage budgets, oversee contractors and deliver high-quality, consistent services across all schools.

• Have strong leadership and communication skills, building effective relationships with Headteachers, site teams and external partners while driving high performance across estates functions.

How to apply:

Applications will only be considered once they have been submitted via www.nelt.co.uk/careers.

Full job information packs and application forms can be found at www.nelt.co.uk/careers.

Application forms should be returned to humanresources@nelt.co.uk or by post to Human

Resources, North East Learning Trust, Traynor House, Traynor Way, Whitehouse Business

Park, Peterlee. SR8 2RU. You can if you wish, submit a covering letter to support your

application; please do not submit a CV unless it is to complement your application form.