Oundle School - Director of Estate

Summary

Oundle School is seeking a dynamic and customer-focused Director of Estate to lead the delivery of high-quality estate services across our Schools.

Detail

This is a key leadership role - responsible for ensuring that our buildings, grounds, and facilities consistently meet the needs of pupils, staff and visitors, and reflect the high standard of our schools throughout the year. The Director of Estate plays a pivotal strategic role in shaping and maintaining the School's physical environment across both Oundle and Laxton Junior School. Reporting to the Bursar, this position ensures the estate is safe, compliant, and aligned with the School's educational ambitions.

This is a leadership role overseeing a diverse estate that includes Grade I* listed buildings, modern facilities, boarding houses, staff accommodation, and extensive sports grounds. The post-holder leads the Buildings and Grounds & Gardens teams and acts as the School's 'Responsible Person' under DfE and HSE guidance, and as the 'Client' under CDM Regulations.

We are seeking a candidate who is confident working closely with the senior leadership team, governing body and a wide range of stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have experience managing large-scale capital projects, overseeing smaller refurbishment works, and delivering a robust planned and preventive maintenance programme.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a long-term estate strategy that supports the School’s vision
• Lead capital projects from concept to completion, ensuring quality, compliance, and stakeholder engagement
• Maintain a rolling maintenance and refurbishment programme to preserve and enhance estate assets

Operational Oversight

• Ensure effective delivery of planned and reactive maintenance across all buildings and grounds
• Manage digital asset registers and condition surveys to inform investment decisions
• Coordinate internal teams and external contractors to deliver high standards of service

Team & Culture

• Build strong relationships across departments and with external partners
• Provide clear leadership to estates teams, fostering collaboration and accountability
• Promote a culture of professionalism, safety, and continuous improvement

Financial & Compliance Management

• Oversee estate budgets and capital expenditure in partnership with the Director of Finance
• Ensure full compliance with health and safety, housing legislation, and safeguarding standards
• Maintain robust systems for supplier vetting, inspections, and statutory reporting

Candidate Profile

We are seeking a seasoned estates professional with:

• Chartered status (e.g. MRICS, MCIOB, CIBSE, CIH)
• Proven leadership in complex, regulated environments (education, healthcare, defence)
• Strong knowledge of housing legislation, CDM regulations, and heritage asset management
• Experience managing listed buildings and heritage assets whilst delivering new capital projects
• Able to lead and manage a large team
• Proficiency in digital estate tools and project management software
• A management qualification (e.g. DMS), NEBOSH certification, and a valid UK driving licence are desirable

Personal Qualities

• Highly collaborative and adaptable, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Strategic thinker with strong planning and organisational abilities
• Committed to safeguarding, equality, and sustainability

THE SCHOOL

Oundle and Laxton Junior Schools have long been associated with the very best of modern independent education, especially boarding. The Schools take seriously their responsibility to pupils so that they can emerge as decent, open-minded adults; ambitious about what they can go on to achieve and contribute. Over 1400 pupils are on roll at the School, of whom 840 are full boarders. Academic results are steadfastly excellent.

A team of around 800 staff, both academic and support, ensure an education of the highest standard is in place across the Schools with the efforts of the whole team focused on this fundamental aim.

Living in Oundle

We are fortunate in our location at the heart of a beautiful market town. School and town are part of the same community and our pupils take their place within this community, not isolated from it. The town has a spirited cultural life, with an annual international festival, literature festival, and frequent performances of nationally touring shows at the School’s Stahl Theatre.

To apply

Full details of the role, including hours of work and salary, can be found at the "Job Description" link, below. If you are excited by this opportunity, please complete and return an application form and supplement to the application, available from our website, before the closing date. Please note CV submissions cannot be accepted.

Application closing date: 9:00am 27 October 2025

Interview dates: To Be Confirmed

If you have any questions about the role, please contact:

Alex Noble, Director of HR, Oundle School, The Bursary, Church Street, Oundle, Peterborough, PE8 4EE

Email c/o: opportunities@oundleschool.org.uk or Tel: 01832 277193

Oundle School and Laxton Junior School are proud to be equal opportunity employers and we welcome applications from all. We aim to ensure that all applicants are provided with the same opportunities during the recruitment process, and we endeavour to comply with the duties placed upon us to make reasonable adjustments as prescribed by the Equality Act 2010. Should you need to request a particular adjustment to enable you to participate fully in the recruitment process, please ensure that this is made known, to the HR Department

Both Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Recruitment Agencies

The Corporation of Oundle School has an internal recruitment department, but where agency support is required, we will engage our trusted partners. Our adverts are intended to encourage direct interest from potential applicants, not recruitment agencies. Speculative CVs sent from sources other than directly from a candidate, will not be acknowledged or considered.

Documents

• Director of Estate App Pack 10.25 DOCX Document