Director of Estates – North East London NHS Foundation Trust

As one of the largest mental health and community health Trusts in the country, North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) is at an exciting and ambitious point in its journey. We are now seeking an exceptional Director of Estates to join us in delivering exceptional care to our community of 4.7 million people across Waltham Forest, Havering, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Mid and South Essex, and Kent. Our new Trust strategy, shaped in collaboration with our residents and service users, sets out a bold vision for the future, and the estates function will play a crucial role in enabling that vision.

We operate across a diverse and complex estate, including a mixture of owned, leased, and PFI properties. The incumbent will contribute to impactful initiatives such as the planned redevelopment of Goodmayes Hospital, driving forward our Green Plan in line with NHS net zero goals, and collaborating with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and system partners to develop estate solutions that respond to the needs of local communities. You will be joining the Trust at a pivotal moment to help us address long-standing challenges, modernise our infrastructure, and embed sustainability and equity into the heart of our built environment.

Our Director of Estates will provide strategic and operational leadership to our estates infrastructure and facilities services and play a key and visible role within the Trust’s senior management team. This role will be central to delivering safe, compliant, responsive, and cost-effective services ensuring our buildings are fit for purpose, not just now but also in the future. You will lead on the development and delivery of the estates strategy in alignment with our Trust-wide strategic goals while using the estate as an enabler for high-quality, equitable care. You will also work in close partnership with colleagues across the NHS, local authorities, and the private sector to deliver integrated, value-adding solutions.

We are seeking a strategic and emotionally intelligent estates leader, with substantial operational experience across complex estates portfolios. You will have a track record of delivering modern, effective estates services across diverse sites, and possess the ability to lead through influence and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.

Above all, we are looking for someone who reflects our values. You will be kind and respectful in your leadership and approach, committed to inclusion and equity, and passionate about working with communities, understanding the critical role estates play in access and experience.

For further information or a confidential conversation, please contact our search partners at Hunter Healthcare via Brendan Davies, Head of Executive Search, on 07585 356985 or bdavies@hunter-healthcare.com 

Candidate Information Pack