Deputy Head Of Estates

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated professional to join DHU Healthcare as Deputy Head of Estates, Facilities and Health & Safety.

Working closely with the Head of Service, the post-holder will provide expert leadership and operational oversight to ensure full compliance with statutory legislation, NHS guidance, and CQC standards. The role includes leading on Health & Safety strategy, managing risk, and supporting safe and effective service delivery across multiple DHU locations.

Work Pattern: 37.5 hours

Main duties of the job

What your typical day looks like:

• Support the Head of Service in overseeing estates, facilities, and health & safety operations across multiple DHU sites.
• Lead on the development, implementation, and monitoring of health & safety strategies, policies, and improvement plans.
• Manage planned preventative maintenance, facilities projects, and compliance with relevant legislation.
• Provide expert advice and lead investigations into health & safety incidents, ensuring reporting and regulatory compliance (e.g., RIDDOR, CQC).
• Maintain strong working relationships with internal departments and external partners to ensure safe, effective site management.
• Monitor non-clinical risk assessments and support a proactive culture of health & safety awareness across the organisation.
• Line-manage and support the development of a small team, ensuring performance management and training compliance.
• Contribute to the development and communication of service policies, ensuring audit readiness and consistent implementation.
• Support the preparation of reports for leadership and regulatory bodies, highlighting health & safety performance and service improvements.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, customer service excellence, and compliance across all estates and health & safety functions.

About us

DHU Healthcare is a not-for-profit community interest company providing a diverse range of services to the NHS frontline, including urgent and emergency care, primary care, out of hours services, and NHS111. We care for patients across the West and East Midlands, serving a population of around 14 million. As a socially conscious organisation, we provide compassionate, high-quality care to our patients and offer a supportive work environment to our 2,500 DHU employees. To learn more about us, visit our website.

Job responsibilities

• Provide support to the Head of Estates, Facilities and Health & Safety to ensure operational efficiency.
• Plan and implement planned preventative maintenance for DHU sites, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and proper site maintenance.
• Provide project management support and lead on facilities and estates projects when required.
• Support and develop departmental policies and processes related to facilities and estates.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure smooth running of sites through active contractor management, service contracts, and service level agreements.
• Support a culture of continuous improvement within the team and with key stakeholders.
• Ensure teams deliver excellent customer support and services.

Person Specification Qualifications

• Level 6 Health & Safety qualification (e.g., NEBOSH Diploma) and Level 4+ in Facilities Management.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years experience in health & safety and facilities management within the NHS, healthcare, or a large complex organisation.
• Strong leadership background, including formal leadership training and experience managing high-performing teams.
• In-depth knowledge of health & safety legislation, risk management, and HSG65 safety management principles.
• Experience leading complex estates and facilities projects, with technical understanding of building services.
• Proven ability to develop, implement, and monitor policies, procedures, and guidance aligned with NHS/governance frameworks.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) and confident producing professional reports and presentations.
• Strong organisational, time management, and problem-solving skills, able to manage multiple demands effectively.
• Full driving licence and willingness to travel between sites across a large geographical area, including out-of-hours locations.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. A disclosure check will be required to ensure suitability for the role.