NERC: Natural Environment Research Council
Head of Estates (Campus Development)
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NERC Head of Estates Transformation
Natural Environment Research Council
Salary: £58,868 per annum
Band: UKRI Band F
Contract Type: Open Ended
Hours: Full-time
Location: Polaris House, Swindon - Hybrid working available
Closing Date: Friday 16th October 2026
The Head of Estate Transformation provides leadership of the entire estate transformation programme, ensuring effective delivery of the NERC Estates Strategy. The role is responsible for programme governance and budgeting, strategic planning, risk management assurance, stakeholder engagement, and oversight of delivery through others. The postholder will work closely with NERC Head of Estates and Centre leads to ensure a ‘one team’ approach which ensures seamless delivery of BAU and transformation activities.
Key Responsibilities
- Providing leadership and oversight for the entire estates transformation programme ensuring clear alignment with the NERC Estates Strategy.
- Translating organisational objectives into structured programme with clear deliverables schedules, dependencies and resource requirements.
- Advocating for the programme and its benefits within UKRI and beyond. Oversight of programme governance, strategic risk management and assurance activities.
- Budgeting and close financial tracking/assurance for the programme.
- Owning and maintaining programme documentation, including plans, risk registers, dashboards, decision logs and benefits information.
- Senior level engagement and stakeholder management including across Centres and within UKRI.
- Ensure all building safety information is collected, verified and handed over accurately to statutory duty holders, supporting the Golden Thread requirements.
- Harmonising project interfaces with other estate-related workstreams to ensure alignment, avoid duplication and identify shared opportunities.
- Promoting data-driven decision making and continuous improvement across all project activity.
- Preparing detailed executive level reports, briefing papers and updates for senior leaders and internal/external stakeholders.
- Deputising for the Associate Director for Estates and Sustainability where needed.
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Personal Specification
- Proven experience in an estates leadership role.
- Experience in leading and managing complex estates or capital programmes, delivering high quality outcomes within defined time, cost and scope parameters.
- NEC, APM, RICS or IWFM accreditation.
- Strong financial oversight capability, including budget setting, cost control, forecasting and ensuring transparent financial reporting.
- Experience in producing, maintaining and governing programmes control documentation, ensuring robust planning, tracking and decision making.
- Demonstrable strength in project & programme governance, applying structured oversight, assurance processes and compliance with organisational standards.
- Proven ability to identify, assess and manage project risks and opportunities.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Experience of decarbonisation activity within the built environment.
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Benefits
We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!
A list of benefits below:
- An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
- 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
- Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
- Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
- Flexible working options.
Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!
For further information on our benefits please see: Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
How to apply:
For full details, please visit our careers site. Please submit an application including your CV and a Cover Letter that showcases how your skills and experience align to the requirements of the role.
A well thought through application providing evidence and examples of how you meet the advertised essential and desirable criteria for the post will be considered far more favourably than a generic covering letter and CV.
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