Director of Estates and Facilities

ARU is a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
ARU’s research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields. We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world leading. We are the largest provider of Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Social Care students in the East of England, and we are also among the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the UK.

About the Role:

We’re committed to creating a vibrant, welcoming environment for our students, staff and communities and are seeking to appoint a Director of Estates and Facilities to play a leading role in the realisation of this commitment. This is an exciting time to join ARU as Director of Estates and Facilities, leading on our strategic and sustainability ambitions for 2026 and beyond.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Estates and Facilities will be responsible for the delivery of a customer centred estates and facilities management service that plays an integral role in supporting the University’s strategic and operational priorities. You will take strategic leadership responsibility for a broad portfolio with a remit spanning the areas of estate strategy development, space and property management, capital programme delivery, estates maintenance, facilities management, catering, accommodation management and sport.

We are seeking an exceptional leader with a proven track record of developing and implementing estates and facilities management strategies across comparably large scale, diverse and technically complex portfolios. You will possess excellent interpersonal, communication and stakeholder management skills, and will be enthusiastic and passionate about delivering customer-focused estates and facilities services.

The role offers a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious professional to play a leading role in the future success of the University and its wider impact across the region.

Application Requirements:

• A letter of application setting out your interest in the role and details of how you match the person specification
• A comprehensive curriculum vitae (CV)
• Details of three referees and notice period (referees will not be contacted without your permission)
• A completed Personal Details Form (available above)

Closing date for applications is Thursday 5th December 2023.

Longlist interviews will be held with Dixon Walter via Microsoft Teams late December 2024 and / or early January 2025.

Final interviews are expected to take place in person on a date to be confirmed in late January / early February 2025.