The University of Manchester
Associate Director of Estates Property
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Associate Director of Property
We are seeking a motivated and collaborative individual to join our team as Associate Director of Property. This senior role offers an exciting opportunity to provide strategic leadership of the University’s property portfolio, transforming land and buildings into active, value-generating assets that support long-term institutional objectives.
Operating within a dynamic and inclusive environment, you will contribute to the University’s strategic priorities, place ambitions and financial sustainability.
Key Responsibilities
Reporting to the Director of Estates (Partnering), you will act as:
- The University’s senior property and commercial adviser
- A key interface with external partners, investors, and public-sector stakeholders
The role plays a critical part in delivering the University’s Integrated Infrastructure Plan and 2035 Vision, including leading large-scale, innovation-led estate developments and joint ventures.
Your core responsibilities include:
- Providing senior-level oversight of:
- Complex estate developments
- Acquisitions
- Disposals
- Joint ventures
- Ensuring long-term value creation and compliance
- Leading the development and delivery of the University’s property strategy, aligned with institutional priorities and the Integrated Infrastructure Plan
- Implementing a portfolio-based approach to asset management, including recommendations to:
- Retain
- Invest
- Repurpose
- Develop
- Dispose of assets
- Providing strategic leadership for:
- Space planning
- Utilisation
- Rationalisation
- Governance, data, and digital tools
- Leading, managing, and developing the Property Team and specialist consultants, fostering a high-performing and collaborative culture
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We welcome candidates with diverse perspectives, diverse experiences, and diverse approaches to work.
About You
Essential Criteria
- A first degree (or equivalent) and full membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
- Extensive experience of client-side property and estate management within a large, complex organisation
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, including:
- Experience with valuations
- Income/outgoings analysis
- Business case development
- Proven experience of:
- Strategic space planning
- Estate optimisation
- Major property-related projects
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder-influencing skills
Desirable Criteria
- Experience leading:
- Innovation-led developments
- Public/private partnerships
- Knowledge of:
- Digital estate systems
- CAD/BIM
- Space management technologies
- Familiarity with working in a complex, matrix organisational environment
We value transferable skills, professional judgement, and collaborative leadership as much as formal qualifications.
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Why Join Us
We offer:
- A fantastic market-leading pension scheme
- Excellent employee health and wellbeing services, including:
- An Employee Assistance Programme
- Exceptional annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
- Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
- Local and national discounts at major retailers
For more information about benefits and working conditions: Benefits and Working Here
For flexible and hybrid working options: Manchester Staffnet – Flexible and Hybrid Working
Our Values and Culture
We are an open place of enquiry and challenge, embracing and celebrating difference, diversity, and debate. We pride ourselves on being:
- A place of education
- A community built on freedom of speech
Read our Freedom of Speech Policy for more details: Freedom of Speech Policy
Next Steps
- Closing Date: Applications must be submitted before midnight on the specified deadline.
For job-related queries: 📧 talent.attraction@manchester.ac.uk
For general recruitment support: 📧 recruitmentservices.people@manchester.ac.uk
Job Portal Support: Support Page
Full Role Details (includes person specification).
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