Job Description

Salary - £77,869 to £82,637
Fully onsite in Wallingford with occasional homeworking
Permanent, full-time (37 hours per week)
Closing date for applications, Friday 1 May 2026. We reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidate, so we encourage you to apply early.

UKCEH is looking for an experienced Head of Estates and Workplace to join our team of talented individuals, contributing to scientificdiscoveryand generating the data,insightsand solutions that researchers, businesses and governments need to solve complex environmental challenges.

Joining our lively Workplace Team,you’lllead the development and delivery of all estates and facilitiesservicesacross UKCEH’s four sites.You’llwork closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure all estate and facilities matters are considered as part of any business/services reconfiguration and in the development of any new services.

To be successful in this role, we are looking for someone with experience in estate strategy, management and planning, hard and soft facilities compliance, commercial awareness, project management, stakeholder engagement andbea strong and confident people leader.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Workingwith the Executive Director for People and Operations on the Future Estates Strategy
• Contributingto the development of the strategic direction of UKCEH and the annual planning cycles
• Attendingand contributingtoBoard committees and subcommittees, deputising on behalf of the director at senior leadership meetings whenrequired
• Integratinga number ofrelated activity streams, with a requirement to co-ordinate and workcollaborativelyacross thewhole ofUKCEH
• Workingwith leadership team colleagues to continuously improveourworkplace experience for all our people
• Proactively leadinga diverse team over four UK sites
• Leadingon preparing,tenderingand managing capital program budgets and delivering schemes to deadlines
• Managing and deliveringproposals, costings and business cases for all new estates and facilities development schemes
• Developing,managingand evaluatingoperational plans to support the achievement of strategic goals and team objectives
• Leadingour pre acquisition due diligence (reviewing building and M&E surveys)
• Proactively leadingthe estates and facilities service to ensure the delivery of a high-quality service in line with relevant policies,proceduresand practices
• Ensuringcontractors are managed appropriately so they adhere to all relevant policies,proceduresand practices
• Leadingonappropriate ISOand other standards, providing assurance to the Board and the estates and facilities services
• Liaisingwith key stakeholders across the organisation, providing advice and guidance within area of expertise
• Having oversight and responsibility for mitigation of significant risk areas
• Keepingup to date with external developments in the field

For the role ofHead of Estates and Workplace,we’relooking for somebody who has:

• Proven success in leading estates strategy
• Experience leading an estates and workplace team, understanding the needs of both estates planning and hard and soft facilities management
• Working collaboratively with experienced and expert colleagues to deliver anexcellent service
• A track recordof successfully influencing organisation strategy and of developing and leading the implementation of strategies,policiesand processes across complex organisations
• A clear understanding ofservice delivery and collaborative working witha continuous improvement mindset
• Excellent stakeholder management skills
• Demonstrable people leadership skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience at presenting and contributing atseniorlevel
• A membership with the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (https://www.iwfm.org.uk/)
• Must be able to travel regularly to all four UK sites

You’llbe joining a leading independent, not-for-profit research institutethat’scommitted to recruiting talented people like you, progressing your career and giving you the support you need to thrive at UKCEH. Our science makes a real difference, enabling people and the environment to prosper, and enriching society. We are the custodians of a wealth of environmental data, collected by UKCEH and its predecessors over the course of more than 60 years.

Working for UKCEH is rewarding

We appreciate the continuous dedication and contributions of our staff, which is why we provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes financial incentives and wellbeing-orientedperks, such as:

• 27 days annual leave (rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service) plus 3 days for Christmas closure
• 10% employer pension contribution 
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (role dependant)
• Peer reward and recognition scheme
• Dental insurance, gym/fitness discounts, retail discount portal
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave  
• 24-hour, 365-day support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues and much more... 

Apply today!

If this opportunity resonates with you and aligns with your personal career goals, the team would love to receive your application. Please apply bysubmittingyour CV along with a supportingletter that highlightshow you meet the expectations of the role and you would deliver an excellent service at UKCEH

Our Commitment to Inclusion

At UKCEH, we are committed to creating an inclusive andequitableworkplace where everyonehas the opportunity tothrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, and circumstances. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and people with disabilities, andwe’rehappy to provide adjustments or support at any stage of the recruitment process - just let us know. Ifyou’reexcited about this role but your experiencedoesn’talign perfectly with every requirement,we’dlove to hear from you anyway. You may be just the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.

Please note:Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this roleand this does not qualify for endorsement to support a Global Talent Visa application. If you are considering pursuing self-sponsorship, pleaseindicatethis in your application so we can take it into account during the recruitment process.