Operational Estates Manager
Job summary
Do you enjoy leading teams and making a real difference in a busy operational environment? We're looking for an experienced and motivated Operational Estates Manager to lead estates services at Horton General Hospital, Banbury, Oxfordshire. This is a varied and rewarding role where you'll oversee the safe, reliable and efficient operation of our buildings, infrastructure and engineering systems.
You'll lead maintenance and improvement programmes, manage operational priorities and help ensure our estate supports outstanding patient care every day. Working with colleagues across the Trust, you'll provide expert advice, build strong working relationships and drive continuous improvements that enhance the experience of patients, visitors and staff.
We're looking for a proactive leader who can solve complex challenges, inspire teams and deliver high-quality services. Whether your experience comes from healthcare or another large, complex organisation, you'll bring the expertise and ambition to help shape a safe, sustainable and future-ready estate. If you're passionate about delivering excellent services and leading positive change, we'd love to hear from you. Advert Code: EF15QP
Main duties of the job
As Operational Estates Manager, you will lead the delivery of safe, compliant and reliable estate services, ensuring our buildings and infrastructure support outstanding patient care across our sites. Key responsibilities include: Lead operational estates engineering services, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, NHS standards and Trust policies.
Manage the safety, reliability and performance of mechanical and electrical systems across the estate. Provide expert technical advice and support to teams, stakeholders and project groups. Oversee maintenance contracts and service agreements, ensuring quality, value for money and high performance. Lead maintenance, improvement and capital projects in partnership with internal and external teams.
Monitor compliance, performance and risk, driving continuous improvement and maintaining accurate records. Support emergency response arrangements, business continuity planning and the estates on-call service. Champion sustainability, energy efficiency and environmental improvement initiatives. Manage budgets, resources and workforce development to deliver effective and efficient services.
Support audits, inspections and investigations, deputising for the Senior Estates Engineering Manager when required.
About us
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and most respected NHS teaching trusts, providing world-class healthcare across four hospitals: the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and Horton General Hospital and over one hundred satellite sites.
Find out more information here OUH at a Glance 2026/27 You'll become part of an organisation at the forefront of patient care, research, education and innovation. You'll have access to excellent learning and development opportunities, work alongside highly skilled multidisciplinary teams, and contribute to services that make a real difference. Our commitment toDelivering Compassionate Excellence is at the heart of everything we do.
Guided by our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence, we strive to create an environment where staff feel supported, valued and empowered to thrive. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel and the OneTeamOneOUH - LIVING OUR VALUES video. We are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and safe workplace for everyone.
As signatories to the NHS Sexual Safety Charter, we have a zero-tolerance approach to inappropriate behaviour and are dedicated to fostering a culture where all colleagues feel welcomed, respected and able to be themselves. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to theten core principles.
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the full Job description and person specification for more information Job Summary: To manage and support the provision and maintenance of NHS OUH (National Health Service) Estates buildings, mechanical and electrical plant and equipment and services to ensure a safe and suitable environment for the care of patients, visitors, and staff.
Provide technical and specialist advice to managers and staff in mechanical and electrical systems and mechanical and electrical disciplines. To specify and manage all mechanical and electrical systems contracts across multiple sites. Travel between Trust sites as required.
Key Result Areas: To provide evidence based efficient, cost effective and robust mechanical and electrical engineering contracts to ensure full compliance with statutory instruments, Department of Health guidance and industry best practice. To ensure all Hospital mechanical and electrical engineering systems are maintained in a safe condition and are fit for purpose.
Key Responsibilities Site based Estate Services: Learning, Respect, Delivery, Excellence, Compassion, Improvement Responsible for monitoring and ensuring that the operation and maintenance of Estates services, buildings and building services installations comply with health service requirements and statutory instruments. Directing, encouraging, and motivating contractors to achieve financial and key performance targets.
Provide long term maintenance planning, short term project planning and emergency/contingency planning for critical services. To co-ordinate and liaise with other staff within the Estates Directorate ensuring efficiency in service provision.
Communicate with Divisional Managers, Ward Managers, Heads of Department and service managers on the status and progression of remedial works, maintenance, and other associated Estates services of service problems. Deputies when required for the Senior Estates Engineering Manager during periods of absence or when dealing with specific projects or attending meetings.
To act as Authorised person for specialist duties, including legionella management, medical gas systems, asbestos control, HV, LV and Lifts etc. as directed by the Senior Estates Engineering Manager. Ensure that all insurance and safety inspections are carried out as required by statutory requirement and in compliance with Department of Health guidance.
To interpret and implement changes to statutory and regulatory requirements as required within the scope of this role and to disseminate these changes to others within the Trust, in conjunction with the non-clinical Risk Advisors and Operational Estates Manager where necessary. Liaising with architects, engineering consultants and contractors of Estates related assets.
Plan, implement and manage essential maintenance, repair and enabling works to eliminate/minimise interruptions to the Horton General Hospital, or other departmental services. Work with Senior Estates Engineering Manager to develop policies and strategic planning. Responsible for delegated budgets raising orders and invoice certification. Providing financial reports as required by the Senior Estates Engineering Manager.
Ensure value for money, product suitability and compliance with the Trust standing financial instructions Work with Trust Energy Manager to manage the Trust buildings and engineering services, ensuring that they are being run in an energy-efficient manner.
Make recommendations for energy conservation including payback times, financial and other consequences Support the Trusts ISO50001 Energy Management System (EnMS), ISO50001 acting as a local advocate for good energy management practices at Horton General Hospital Ratify risk assessments and method statements supplied by contractors and develop risk assessment and method statements for specific projects, as necessary.
Investigate estates related incidents, complete incident reporting procedures and author appropriate reports as required and to ensure that all necessary actions are carried out to resolve the problem.
Monitoring/repairing systems to ensure that the operation and maintenance of Estates Services, buildings and building services installations comply with Health Service requirements and statutory instruments, to be involved in the re-design of systems as required.
Person Specification
Meeting JD and Person Spec
Essential
NC/HNC/HND in Electrical/Mechanical or Building Engineering or equivalent knowledge and experience Recognised and registered EITB, City & Guilds, modern apprenticeship, NVQ level 4 or approved equivalent training in Electrical/Engineering Experience working in the NHS
Desirable
Degree in Hospital Engineering IOSH/NEBOSH Qualifications Member of relevant healthcare or engineering institutes, i.e. IHEEM, HEFMA, CIBSE, IET etc Experience across several of the HTM's acting as either a CP or AP Experience or qualification in Ventilation and Heating Authorised Person qualification in HTM discipline Knowledge of HTM's, HBN's and Estates specific legislation (3) Specialist knowledge gained from working in a health care engineering
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) . From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .
