Director of Estates & Facilities

About ARU: 

ARU is a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). 
ARU’s research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields.  We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities.  Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world leading. We are the largest provider of Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Social Care students in the East of England, and we are also among the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the UK. 

About the Role: 

We're committed to creating a vibrant, welcoming environment for our students, staff and communities and are seeking to appoint a Director of Estates and Facilities to play a leading role in the realisation of this commitment. This is an exciting time to join ARU as Director of Estates and Facilities, leading on our strategic and sustainability ambitions for 2026 and beyond.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Estates and Facilities will be responsible for the delivery of a customer centred estates and facilities management service that plays an integral role in supporting the University’s strategic and operational priorities.  You will take strategic leadership responsibility for a broad portfolio with a remit spanning the areas of estate strategy development, space and property management, capital programme delivery, estates maintenance, facilities management, catering, accommodation management and sport.

We are seeking an exceptional leader with a proven track record of developing and implementing estates and facilities management strategies across comparably large scale, diverse and technically complex portfolios. You will possess excellent interpersonal, communication and stakeholder management skills, and will be enthusiastic and passionate about delivering customer-focused estates and facilities services.

The role offers a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious professional to play a leading role in the future success of the University and its wider impact across the region. 

For key information and requirements about the role, and how to apply, please download the Candidate Brief. If you wish to discuss this opportunity, please contact Simon Critchley, at simon@dixonwalter.co.uk.

Find out more about working with us and how we recruit. 

We have an agile working culture and offer an extensive range of benefits including generous holiday entitlement, occupational pension schemes, training and development opportunities, travel to work scheme and a competitive relocation package. Visit our benefits page for full details.