Assistant Director (Estates Operations)

APPLICANT PACK

October 2018

Contents

Foreword .........................................................................................................................

Role of Assistant Director................................................................................................

Person Specification ........................................................................................................

Application Process .........................................................................................................

Foreword

Durham University Strategy, 2017-2027 sets out ambitious

goals to deliver world-class research, education and wider

student experience. To deliver the Strategy, the University

needs a world-class estate – and major investments are

planned, in new departmental space, teaching space,

residential accommodation and student facilities, and in

improving the condition of the existing estate.

Key goals

The goals of the Accommodation and Estates Strategy are to:

Deliver an academic estate that will allow the University to deliver world-class

education, research and student experience;

Ensure the long-term availability of suitable residential accommodation;

Ensure the continuing renewal and maintenance of our estate;

Improve the environmental sustainability and ease of travel around our estate and city

locations.

The Role

The Assistant Director (Estates Operations) is a key strategic and operational role that will

provide an opportunity to influence the development and sustainability of our highly diverse

and unique property portfolio. The Estates and Facilities Directorate is driven by a desire to

deliver highly professional value added services to enable our community to thrive and have

the best possible experience at Durham. We are an ambitious Directorate and seek applications

from candidates who are highly motivated team players and wish to make a positive difference.

If you believe that you can fulfil our demanding requirements then, I encourage you to contact

Ray Williamson at Dixon Walter to discuss your suitability.

David W Loudon MCIOB, CBIFM, MBA

Director

Estates and Facilities

Role of Assistant Director (Estates

Operations)

Reporting to the Director of Estates and Facilities, the Assistant Director is responsible for

the Asset Management, Hard Facilities Management, Grounds Maintenance, Space

Planning, Environmental / Sustainability, Minor Capital and Revenue Works.

Salary: Grade 10 (Salary range: £62,219 to £86,857, dependent on experience)

Job Purpose

The primary purpose of the Assistant Director of Estates Operations is to provide highly effective leadership and give direction and management to the Estates Operations Team. The post-holder will be the University’s professional lead in all matters relating to Estates Operations and will play a major role in ensuring that the existing University estate is maintained; ensuring students, staff and visitors of the University enjoy an excellent experience. The post-holder will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team within Estates and Facilities; driving the Estates Operations function. The post-holder will assume accountability for all aspects of the responsibilities noted above.

Duties and Responsibilities

The post-holder will: Leadership

Uphold the stated values of Durham University;

provide professional and strategic leadership and recognise the positive contribution all

employees are able to make to the operational and financial success of the University, placing

significant importance on reward and recognition, communication, absence management and

staff development; provide a leading role, delivering through the delegation and management of others, both within

and, where appropriate, outside of own direct line management areas to ensure the sustainable delivery of Estates Operations;

initiate, lead and develop effective strategic plans, to deliver a range of hard FM services across the University estate;

be accountable for leading the space management team to develop and implement strategies, plans and policies;

be accountable for leading the Greenspace team to develop and implement strategies, plans and policies;

initiate, lead, drive forward and promote a continuous improvement culture, exploring new and efficient ways of delivering services to the University, students, staff and visitors;

develop workforce plans and identify talent priorities to ensure the recruitment and retention of highly competent and professional staff;

Deputise for the Director of Estates and Facilities when required.

Analysis and Reporting

explore ways of improving efficiency and effectiveness and deliver improvement in value for money;

monitor performance within area of responsibility and drive through improvements linked to industry best practice;

maintain a continuous review of quality and external bench marks to deliver the best possible service.

Interpersonal

be focused on delivering the University’s strategy and the impact this role has on significant areas within it, by identifying and forging solid long-term relationships, partnerships and/or business relationships;

chair, service, manage and attend various committees and meetings, as required;

act as the ambassador for driving cultural change within the Estates Operations team and wider directorate structure.

Planning and Organising

with the support of external suppliers, create option appraisals and feasibility analysis of schemes of work, through collaboration with stakeholders;

contribute to the University’s risk management, business continuity and health and safety procedures;

deliver projects in a pre-planned, well-managed and highly coordinated way; positively projecting a professional image of the directorate through integrated and seamless delivery;

provide, to the Director of Estates and Facilities, details on the overall status of the Estates Operations programme to provide them with risk and benefits analysis and report on any major deviations from agreed plans;

ensure compliance with statutory obligations;

provide management reports to the Director of Estates and Facilities, other members of the Senior Leadership Team and to the senior governance structure at Durham University.

Finance and Resource Management

review, assess and consider all resource efficiency opportunities across the Estates Operations team, recommending and/or implementing changes, as appropriate;

be directly responsible for the leadership and management of the Estates Operations team;

ensure that the decision process for the selection of consultants and contractors is robust and compliant with the agreed governance procedures and Standing Financial Instructions;

develop effective working relationships with professional colleagues in Finance, Legal and Procurement to ensure that framework agreements for professional services consultancy and contractual arrangements comply with University and European procurement rules and legislation and are robust, providing effective and efficient services to the University;

indirectly manage outsourced staff, when required;

contribute to the production of accurate and meaningful management information to inform strategic decision making;

be responsible for short, medium and long-term planning of staff and non-staff resources for the Directorate;

ensure that staffing levels are maintained to provide effective, efficient and economic services;

manage planned and reactive maintenance, including external contract management;

ensure that value for money is obtained for all services, whether provided in-house or outsourced. Liaison and Networking

contribute to the University’s Masterplan Strategy to underpin the corporate Strategy 2017-2017;

work with and influence professional services colleagues, for example IT, to ensure efficient, joint planning for all maintenance activities.

People Management

lead and manage diverse senior staff in the directorate and developing them and raising their performance and productivity through mentoring and coaching;

motivate, assess and reward senior employees as required under university policy. Continuous Improvement

lead continuous review of functional quality and of external benchmarks to promote the best possible service.

Communication

undertake day-to-day interaction with people of any level, including internal and external stakeholders, representing the interests of the function / University.

Business Awareness

work with colleagues across the University to ensure that policies, systems, procedures and guidelines are in place to enable compliance with legislative, regulatory and best practice requirements for development works, including health and safety, sustainability and environmental protection; ensuring a high quality of customer service;

contribute to the University’s Major Incident Response Plan;

make recommendations on areas for improvement; influencing the opinion of key stakeholders and taking the lead in driving forward the initiatives;

ensure that all staff members within the Directorate benefit from professional and technical skills development;

undertake CPD to ensure that the business skills and knowledge required to fully discharge the duties of the post are kept up to date.

Service and Policy Development

develop and use appropriate key performance indicators for the team, including financial efficiencies, operational effectiveness and customer satisfaction;

develop, implement, monitor and/or review Service Level Agreements. Health and Safety Responsibilities under health and safety law are placed on both the employer and on all employees. The University Health and Safety policy explains how this is implemented at the University (https://www.dur.ac.uk/healthandsafety/hspolicy/) and within that structure, it is the post-holder’s responsibility to:

take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others;

cooperate with the University’s health and safety arrangements;

familiarise themselves with and follow health and safety procedures and instructions;

not misuse anything provided for health and safety;

report all accidents, incidents and hazards, and suggest improvements; and

attend health and safety training as required. In addition to the general responsibilities placed on all employees, the post-holder has additional health and safety responsibility associated with their senior managerial/supervisory position. This allocation of health and safety responsibilities is explained in the University Health and Safety policy and, within that structure, it is a core responsibility of the post-holder to manage the risks to health and safety arising in their areas of responsibility. The post-holder is accountable to their senior managers for doing so. Specifically, the post-holder is required to:

cooperate fully in the implementation of the ACS and E&F health and safety management system; and

work proactively with managers and staff to establish and maintain a positive health and safety culture.

This list is not exhaustive. The Assistant Director of Estate Operations may be required to undertake additional tasks which fall within competence, as directed by the Director of Estates and Facilities and when appropriate, deputise on behalf of the director. For informal discussions about the post, please contact Ray Williamson, Executive Search Consultant, Dixon Walter or Email: ray@dixonwalter.co.uk.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications

1. Degree in a facilities/construction related discipline and/or recognised Estates related professional qualification e.g. RICS, CIOB, CIBSE, BIFM; or

2. can demonstrate/provide evidence of competency at an equivalent level

Leadership Experience

3. Considerable experience of leadership in a customer-focused service sector

4. Demonstrable experience of leading staff within a complex organisation

5. Experience of operating at a strategic, expert level for a sustained period of time

Management Skills

6. Proven ability to lead and motivate teams to perform at consistently high levels

7. Ability to work within a team

8. Successful track record in developing a customer-focused service culture

9. Excellent communication skills; oral and written

10. Experience of and ability to: contribute to, develop and implement strategic and operational plans

11. Demonstrable experience of the ability to adapt to change due to local, economic, social, governmental and/or technological circumstances

12. Experience of managing and servicing committees and meetings

13. Evidence of strong HR management skills

14. Demonstrable experience of managing substantial budgets

Professional Skills

15. Experience of facilities and/or other service-related contracts

16. Extensive knowledge and experience of ensuring regulatory and organisational compliance to policy and guidelines as well as planning operational hard FM service delivery, statutory and health and safety legislation

17. Understanding of techniques such as: quality management, performance indicators, benchmarking and service level agreements

18. Ability to successfully negotiate with staff associations and contracted service providers

19. Commitment to professional CPD and training, to maintain professional recognition

20. A commitment to excellent customer centric service delivery

IT Skills

21. High standard of IT literacy; including use of Microsoft Office packages such as but not limited to: Word; PowerPoint; and Excel

Personal Skills

22. A professional approach to work coupled with tenacity, diplomacy and the ability to balance and prioritise work within a complex portfolio

23. Strong interpersonal skills, including motivational, negotiating, influencing and networking

24. An ability to identify and introduce innovative and creative approaches to work

25. A commitment to further personal development

26. A commitment to the improvement of others

27. Strong leadership skills with the ability to drive organisational change and motivate and influence colleagues to ensure effective service delivery

28. A commitment to team engagement and excellent listening skills

Desirable Qualifications

29. Management Qualification e.g. MBA

Management Experience

30. Experience of successful working within the Higher Education sector or a similar complex organisation

31. Demonstrable experience of successfully leading change management across a multi-functional team or large service

32. Experience of effective corporate risk management

33. Well-developed knowledge of systems/services for own area and across functions and how they relate to the University Strategy

Professional Skills

34. Knowledge and/or solid understanding of architectural, heritage and conservation issues

IT Skills

35. Experience operating CAFM systems

Personal Skills

36. Commercial acumen and the ability to identify, evaluate and pursue commercial opportunities

37. A proven team player with the ability to operate within complex committee-based decision-making structures and a considered and collegiate approach to management

38. The political insight and influencing skills to deal with sensitivities across a wide range of diverse stakeholders both within and external to the University arising from Durham’s unique architectural heritage and international portfolio

Realising Your Potential Approach

Behavioural indicators describe the most important behaviours for all staff across support services in the University. They help to develop a high quality, service led culture by providing a consistent approach to standards of performance. Along with the key responsibilities and duties of the post and the person specification, behavioural indicators are used to inform the recruitment and selection process, to clarify the requirements of Induction, form the basis of Probation Personal Development Plans and Annual Staff Reviews. The key behavioural indicators for this post are as follows and indicators in the lower levels in the Realising Your Potential Approach should be demonstrated as well.

Grades 9-10 Expected behaviours that will be demonstrated when influencing at University level or when representing the University

Providing Excellent Student Services and Pro-fessional Support: Providing the best quality service to all our stu-dents, customers and stakeholders. Building genuine and long-term relationships, through every day interactions, in order to drive up ser-vice standards and to enhance their experi-ence.

1. Establishing challenging standards to develop services and advance the reputation of the University.

2. Planning effectively by developing quality assurance procedures, to support the achievement of strategic goals.

3. Showing resourcefulness by using knowledge of wider developments and emerging trends to develop exist-ing and new services to achieve strategic goals.

4. Risk assessing external and internal factors that may impede the achievement of strategic objectives and taking action to maximise opportunity and minimise threats.

5. Proactively seeking feedback from students and cus-tomers, developing plans for, and creating, a culture of an outstanding student and customer service.

Providing Leadership and Direction: Seeing the work that you do in the context of the bigger picture and taking a long-term view. Communi-cating vision clearly and enthusiastically to in-spire and motivate others.

1. Simultaneously dealing with complexity, making deci-sions in a climate of uncertainty and bringing col-leagues with them through change.

2. Engaging and well informed communicator

3. Interests audiences with mixed levels of understand-ing.

4. Marshalling information and presenting compelling arguments.

5. Negotiating to achieve satisfactory outcomes when solutions seem impossible.

Embracing Change: Adjusting to unfamiliar situations, demands and changing roles. Seeing change as an oppor-tunity and being receptive to new ideas

1. Establishing and maintaining the confidence and sup-port of staff and peers before, and throughout, peri-ods of significant organisational change, through ex-cellent interpersonal skills.

2. Carefully assessing proposals for change which reflect changes in the wider environment, to see if they are desirable/ possible within the University strategic plan, and adapting the University strategy, where ap-propriate.

3. Adopting a considered approach to potential risk, evolving from change, and ensuring contingencies are in place.

Finding Solutions: Taking a holistic view and working enthusiasti-cally and with creativity to analyse problems and develop innovative and workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation.

1. Developing creative approaches to improve problem resolution processes.

2. Using a variety of processes and the participation of others to develop solutions that are acceptable to those concerned and have benefit for the University.

3. Supporting innovation where potential benefits out-weigh risks.

Working Together: Working co-operatively with others in order to achieve objectives. Applying a wide range of in-terpersonal skills.

1. Evaluating the achievement of plans and providing constructive feedback to support the achievement of the longer term strategy.

2. Involving team members in contingency planning.

3. Leading and building role related external networks to enhance the work of the University.

4. Actively seeking to build productive relationships be-tween external bodies to benefit the University.

Using Resources Effectively: Making effective use of available resources in-cluding people, information, networks and budgets. Being aware of the financial and com-mercial aspects of the University.

1. Demonstrating effective matrix management.

2. Managing substantial resources flexibly, sustainably and imaginatively for the benefit of the whole Univer-sity.

3. Working across team boundaries to build and strengthen working relationships.

4. Liaising effectively in networks to pursue a shared in-terest as a requirement of the role.

5. Actively seeking to build productive and enduring re-lationships between teams to strengthen working re-lationships and foster collaboration.

6. Leading and developing internal networks to pursue a shared interest and influence events or decisions.

Achieving Results: Planning and organising workloads to ensure that deadlines are met within resource con-straints. Consistently meeting objectives and success criteria.

1. Delivering excellent results through others, without necessarily possessing specialist knowledge and skills.

Developing Myself and Others: Showing commitment to own development and supporting and encouraging others to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours to ena-ble them to reach their full potential for the wider benefit of the University.

1. Providing constructive feedback to aid the develop-ment of the team as a whole.

2. Finding ways to improve team performance through learning and development.

3. Demonstrating the value of learning by being involved in development activities.

4. Ensuring that projects and incidents are evaluated and learning from mistakes and success is used.

Respecting others: Embracing diversity by promoting and main-taining an inclusive and supportive work and study environment that enables all members of our University community to achieve their full potential

Strategic Level 1. Leading on relevant Equality and Diversity Charter

recognition/award attainment.

2. Proactively monitoring data regarding the protected characteristics, recognising trends, and putting in place appropriate action.

3. Actively promoting family friendly/flexible working policies.

4. Proactively mentoring and sponsoring under-repre-sented groups to encourage progression.

5. Communicating effectively by developing networking activities across Directorates.

6. Valuing the contributions of all, by publicising success stories, for example: achievements, awards and prizes, role models from under-represented groups, etc.

7. Actively working in partnership with diverse groups.

8. Promoting an open and fair culture throughout the University.

Application Process

For more information, please visit: https://www.dixonwalter.co.uk/opportunities/durham-

estates

The contact details for discussion and to send applications is: Ray Williamson, Executive

Search Consultant, Dixon Walter Ltd, Tel: 0191 500 5500, Email: ray@dixonwalter.co.uk.

Applications should be made online by 12pm on Wednesday 21st November 2018 and must

include:

• a letter of application setting out your interest in the role and details of how you match

the person specification (no more than 2 pages A4)

• a comprehensive curriculum vitae (CV)

• details of three referees

• completion of an Equal Opportunities form downloadable from the campaign microsite

Interviews are scheduled to be held at Durham University week commencing 10th December

2018.

Durham University The Palatine Centre

Stockton Road Durham DH1 3LE

UK

+44 (0)191 334 2000

www.durham.ac.uk