Thank you for your interest in joining Anthem. We are a dynamic organisation committed to supporting thousands of children and young people to achieve great things through one of our schools.

Anthem is one of the most established school trusts in the country, serving nearly 8,000 students across primary and secondary schools in the East Midlands, London and the Thames Valley. As a multi-academy trust, Anthem is first and foremost a school improvement organisation, committed to creating ambitious and successful schools where everyone thrives, guided by our values of integrity, collaboration and excellence.

Role purpose 

The Regional Estates Manager holds regional operational accountability for a defined cluster of schools.  The postholder is responsible for a defined region of 4–6 schools (primary and secondary) and is accountable on behalf of the Trust for the safe, compliant, and effective management of all estates and facilities functions across that region.  The role is central to ensuring that responsibilities, accountabilities and decision-making authority for estates management, health & safety and statutory compliance are discharged effectively across the Trust. 

A core element of this role is to develop an intimate understanding of each school site and the unique context it operates within to ensure robust and targeted estates support, relieving operational burden from our headteachers. The role provides a visible, local and tangible presence within our schools through routine visits, systematic application of process and clarity of communication. 

Importantly, the Regional Estates Manager is the key point of contact for all estates matters raised by Headteachers and Senior Leaders. As such, they are rapid and responsive, readily able to problem solve and immediately available as Estates Incident Leads in any emergency.

Main duties and responsibilities 

To provide regional operational leadership and accountability for all estates, health & safety, and statutory compliance matters across a cluster of Trust schools, ensuring all premises are safe, compliant, well-maintained, and fit for purpose in accordance with the Trust's estates strategy, policies and statutory obligations.

Working closely together, the Regional Estates Managers will ensure a comprehensive shared picture of our trust-wide estate, identifying trends and opportunities for improvement. Activities will be efficiently coordinated across the region and economies of scale maximised alongside a local knowledge of key suppliers to maximise value for money.

Health & Safety and Statutory Compliance

• Take day-to-day management responsibility for health & safety and statutory compliance across the region. 

• Monitor and provide assurance of statutory checks across the region, including fire safety, water hygiene, asbestos management, electrical testing, and gas safety etc. 

• Ensure that all statutory inspections, testing schedules, and certification requirements are completed on time and that records are properly maintained and readily accessible.

• Implement Trust estates policies and standards across all schools within the region. 

• Carry out and review risk assessments across regional sites, ensuring appropriate controls are in place and documented.

• Promote and ensure the health and safety of pupils, staff and visitors in accordance with appropriate health & safety legislation at all times. 

• Respond to health & safety incidents, near-misses and emergencies, ensuring appropriate investigation, reporting and remedial action.

• Ensure all sites within the region comply with statutory obligations relating to fire safety, including the maintenance of fire safety equipment and oversight of fire evacuation procedures.

• Lead internal and external health & safety audit, developing and delivering relevant action plans in response.

Estates and Facilities Management

• Maintain oversight of the physical condition of all buildings and grounds across the regional cluster, ensuring sites are safe, secure, and maintained to a high standard.

• Be responsible for routine inspections of buildings and planned preventative maintenance programmes for fixtures, fittings, furniture, premises and grounds, assessing for minor works or repairs required to maintain safe and satisfactory conditions. 

• Ensure that building defects, maintenance needs and risks are identified promptly and addressed within appropriate timescales or escalated as necessary.

• Oversee the operation and maintenance of heating plant, lighting, and mechanical and electrical systems across regional sites.

• Oversee and monitor the electrical testing of portable electrical appliances and maintain appropriate records. 

• Coordinate planned and reactive maintenance activity across the regional cluster, ensuring value for money and minimal disruption to school operations.

• Advise on matters relating to energy control and conservation. 

Contractor Management

• Manage the performance of regional contractors and service providers. 

• Monitor performance of service contracts and record performance against specified standards. 

• Procure works, goods and services in accordance with the Trust's financial regulations and delegation limits.

• Ensure contractors working on Trust sites comply with all relevant health & safety requirements, including the maintenance of appropriate risk assessments and method statements.

• Liaise with the Head of Estates regarding Trust-wide contractor frameworks and ensure regional delivery aligns with those arrangements.

Capital Projects and Estates Improvement

• Deliver estates projects within delegated limits. 

• Support the Head of Estates in the development of capital programmes, providing regional intelligence on condition, need and prioritisation.

• Contribute to capital planning and prioritisation, including School Condition Allocations (SCA), Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) applications, and Trust capital investment. 

• Project manage smaller capital and improvement works on behalf of the Trust, ensuring delivery on time, within budget, and to the required standard.

• Maintain and update condition records and asset registers for regional schools.

Risk Management and Reporting

• Manage estates-related risks across the region and escalate issues appropriately. 

• Maintain and update regional risk registers, ensuring all estates risks are accurately recorded and mitigated.

• Ensure risk assessments are developed (with effective mitigations) and adopted by all schools consistently.

• Contribute to reporting on estates risk and compliance to support the Head of Estates in reporting to Trustees and the Audit & Risk Committee. 

• Be responsible for maintaining rigorous and accurate records, information and data, and producing reports as required. 

• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of incidents, near-misses, compliance concerns and estates risks to the Head of Estates.

• Ensure the requirements of our insurers are met raising and tracking any insurance claims.

• Respond immediately to provide emergency support and oversight as Estates Incident Leads with delegated decision-making authority.

People Management

• Provide line management to Premises Supervisors in secondary schools across the region. 

• Provide direct or functional management to Premises Assistants in primary schools, depending on local arrangements. 

• Set clear performance expectations, conduct regular one-to-one supervision, and undertake annual performance reviews for all line-managed staff.

• Assist in the supervision, training and development of staff. 

• Identify training needs and development opportunities for regional estates staff, ensuring competency in all statutory and compliance-related matters.

• Provide high quality supervision, training and support to Premises Supervisors and Premises Assistants. 

• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional conduct across the regional estates team.

• Arrange and / or provide additional capacity to cover temporary capacity needs in the absence of other Regional Estates Managers or key estates staff within schools.

General Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver Estates Development Plans for each school, tracking and communicating progress to key stakeholders.

• Evaluate and distribute time and resource allocated to each school based on regular needs analysis and identified priorities ensuring equity and quality of service across all schools.

• Take responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare and protection of children and young people within the school. 

• Work within school policies and procedures, including safeguarding, child protection and health and safety. 

• Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security and confidentiality, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person. 

• Participate in training and other learning activities as required. 

• Establish constructive relationships with contractors and other professionals. 

• Attend and participate in regular meetings. 

• Hold an up-to-date Enhanced DBS Disclosure. 

Scope and Limitations

• The postholder does not hold authority to set Trust-wide policy. 

• The postholder does not hold authority to approve major capital investment beyond delegated limits. 

• Delegation is formal, written, and revocable if risks are not effectively managed. 

These duties and responsibilities should be regarded as neither exhaustive nor exclusive as the post holder may be required to undertake other reasonably determined duties and responsibilities commensurate with the grading of the post. 

The successful candidate will have a right to work in the UK.