Head of Mechanical and Electrical Compliance

Overview The Head of Mechanical and Electrical Compliance is the Trust's strategic and corporate lead for engineering compliance, statutory assurance and infrastructure risk management across all Trust-owned sites.

The post holder holds corporate responsibility for ensuring compliance with statutory, regulatory and mandatory requirements relating to Mechanical and Electrical systems, engineering safety, infrastructure resilience and healthcare technical standards, and for providing expert advice on risk acceptance, derogations and mitigation.

Operating at senior management level, the role provides strategic leadership, technical policy ownership, delegated financial accountability and expert assurance to Executive Directors and Board-level committees, including leadership of formal audit and inspection programmes and reporting of compliance performance, key risks and residual risk.

The post holder develops and delivers the Trust's Engineering Compliance Strategy and annual compliance plan, ensuring safe, resilient and legally compliant estate infrastructure that supports clinical services and patient safety, and driving continuous improvement through risk-based investment, performance management and assurance.

Main duties of the job Strategic Leadership & Assurance Lead the Mechanical & Electrical compliance function, setting strategy, standards and priorities to maintain a safe, resilient and legally compliant estate.

Statutory Compliance & Governance Responsibility for statutory engineering compliance, ensuring robust governance, policies and assurance systems aligned to legislation and HTMs.

Risk Management & Reporting Lead infrastructure risk management, including assessment, mitigation and risk acceptance. Provide clear compliance reporting, KPIs and assurance to senior leaders and Board committees.

Engineering Strategy & Planning Develop and deliver long-term engineering and infrastructure strategies to support clinical services, patient safety and organisational objectives.

Financial & Resource Management Manage compliance budgets and contract performance, ensuring value for money and risk-based prioritisation.

Capital & Infrastructure Oversight Provide technical leadership on capital projects and major maintenance, ensuring compliance and resilience from design to operation.

Leadership & Workforce Development Develop engineering teams, ensuring competence, training, authorisation and performance management.

Emergency Preparedness & Resilience Provide senior support during incidents and lead infrastructure resilience and business continuity planning.

Stakeholder Advisory Act as senior technical advisor to executives, clinicians and partners, influencing decisions through clear risk communication.

About us Sponsorship We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.

Job responsibilities Band 8b

Job Purpose The Head of Mechanical and Electrical Compliance is the Trust's senior lead for engineering compliance, statutory assurance, and infrastructure risk management across all Trust sites.

This role holds corporate responsibility for ensuring that all mechanical and electrical systems meet statutory, regulatory and mandatory requirements. The postholder will lead the development and delivery of the Trust's engineering compliance strategy, ensuring safe, resilient, and fully compliant estate infrastructure that supports clinical services and patient safety.

Operating at senior management level, the role provides expert assurance to Executive Directors and Board-level committees, leading audit and inspection programmes, managing risk, and driving continuous improvement across engineering services.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Engineering Compliance and Assurance function across all Trust sites.
• Develop and deliver a 35 year Engineering Compliance and Infrastructure Strategy aligned to organisational priorities.
• Set standards, priorities, and performance expectations for engineering compliance and infrastructure resilience.
• Ensure service structures, workforce capability, and succession planning support safe and compliant delivery.

Corporate Governance and Compliance

• Hold corporate responsibility for statutory compliance relating to mechanical and electrical systems.
• Ensure effective governance, authorising arrangements, and safe systems of work are in place.
• Develop and maintain Trust-wide policies, technical standards, and compliance frameworks.
• Lead a risk-based audit and inspection programme aligned with national guidance and legislation.
• Provide formal assurance reporting to senior leadership, including KPIs, compliance dashboards, and risk updates.
• Manage engineering risk processes, including mitigation, escalation, and recommendations on risk acceptance or derogation.

Financial and Resource Management

• Manage delegated engineering compliance budgets, ensuring value for money and alignment to risk priorities.
• Oversee contractor performance, expenditure, and delivery of compliance programmes.
• Lead engineering input into capital programmes, including business cases, technical approvals, and governance.
• Develop long-term lifecycle investment plans based on asset condition, compliance gaps, and risk.

Leadership and Workforce

• Provide senior leadership to engineering teams and specialist advisors.
• Ensure robust competence, authorisation, and training frameworks across engineering disciplines.
• Lead recruitment, performance management, and professional development.
• Manage complex organisational change within the engineering compliance portfolio.

Capital Projects and Infrastructure

• Provide technical oversight and assurance across capital schemes and major maintenance programmes.
• Ensure compliance and resilience requirements are embedded from design through to operation.
• Lead engineering input into estate planning, refurbishments, and service developments.
• Oversee commissioning, testing, and handover processes, ensuring operational readiness and compliance.

Emergency Preparedness and Resilience

• Lead engineering response to major incidents, supporting clinical continuity and escalation to Executive teams.
• Oversee resilience planning for critical systems including power, water, ventilation, and medical gases.
• Ensure governance arrangements for planned outages and business continuity are robust.

Communication and Leadership Skills

• Ability to lead, influence, and engage senior stakeholders across clinical, operational, and technical areas.
• Skilled in presenting complex technical and risk information to Executive and Board-level audiences.
• Strong negotiation skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and achieve consensus.
• High standards of professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality.

Analytical and Organisational Skills

• Ability to interpret complex technical, financial, and regulatory information.
• Strong data analysis capability, including compliance KPIs, audit outcomes, and incident trends.
• Effective programme and portfolio management across multiple competing priorities.
• Highly organised, with the ability to adapt in a fast-paced and complex environment.

Additional Information

• The role requires occasional travel between Trust sites.
• The postholder will be expected to comply with all organisational policies, governance requirements, and statutory obligations.

Summary This is a senior leadership role responsible for ensuring that engineering systems and infrastructure are safe, compliant, and resilient. The postholder will play a critical part in safeguarding patient care by managing risk, driving compliance, and shaping long-term engineering strategy across the Trust estate.

Person Specification Education and Training

• Recognised craft apprenticeship or equivalent training and relevant certification
• Degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering (or equivalent experience at Masters-level standard). HNC, HND or equivalent in electrical engineering
• Chartered Engineer status or working towards (or equivalent professional standing)
• Recognised H&S qualification
• Postgraduate qualification in engineering, estates management or leadership.
• Corporate membership of an appropriate body
• Authorised person for specialist NHS HTM disciplines

Experience

• Significant senior-level experience leading engineering compliance within a complex healthcare estate.
• Experience in devising and managing maintenance systems, establishing and implementing workmanship quality and financial assurance for contracted out maintenance services/in-house estates team/external contractors
• Working within a quality environment
• Experience in the development and management of budgets
• Experience of working in the NHS or similar background
• Experience of working with people from a variety of disciplines
• Experience of strategic infrastructure planning within healthcare.
• PFI Experience
• Responsible person water
• Appointed Person electrical LV/HV

Skills

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