Director of Estates Operations and Capital Projects

Durham University is seeking a strong strategic leader for the role of Director of Estates Operations and Capital Projects. This senior position plays a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the University's estate strategy, supporting world-class research, education, and student experience.

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham offers a unique and historic setting, a global outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, and a warm and inclusive community. Our refreshed sets ambitious goals for delivering transformative education and research, supported by a world-class estate.

Durham’s estate is central to achieving our strategic goals. This post will lead the Estates Operations, and Projects and Infrastructure teams, (approximately 130 staff), and manage a diverse estate portfolio of around 344 buildings, including over 70 listed buildings. Areas of responsibility include property assets and space management, building and engineering maintenance, energy, and capital projects and infrastructure delivery. The role is accountable for a revenue budget of £18m and a capital budget between £20-50m per annum.

Strategic leadership and operational management are required across several key initiatives, including management of the capital plan, development of the strategic asset management plan, providing premises assurance and enabling digital campus transformation. This is an exciting time to be joining the Estates and Facilities Senior Leadership Team as custodians of such a high quality and diverse property portfolio. This post will require strong emotional intelligence qualities and excellent communication skills to successfully work with internal and external stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker with senior leadership experience in estates operations and capital project management ideally with experience of leading change in operational service and capital project delivery models.

The closing date for applications is, midnight on Tuesday 16 September 2025.

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