Capital Projects Manager

About the role: Leigh Academies Trust is a medium-sized multi-academy trust situated in Kent and South-East London.  Within our Central Services function, based at our Head Office in Strood, Rochester, we have built a highly qualified and experienced Estates Services Team. The LAT Estates Team is looking to appoint an outstanding individual with the overarching responsibility for planning and delivery of all capital and maintenance projects across its 31 academies.

The Capital Projects Manager will play a key role, alongside colleagues from the wider Estates Team, in ensuring each academy is maintained and developed to support the Trust's educational vision. They will work across the estate on the delivery of projects focussing on capital works across a wide spectrum of deliverables from refurbishments, space repurposing, lifecycle replacement of building services, roof replacements, extensions and new build projects... to name a few.

Key responsibilities include the following:  

• Capital work delivery - Deliver the LAT capital work programme as directed by the Deputy Estates Director from concept to completion  
• Condition survey management - Support the Deputy Director in the specifying and delivery of Academy condition surveys  
• Technical support - Responsible for technical advice to the central team and Cluster Estates Managers on building fabric & civil engineering maintenance and repair requirements  
• Bid writing - Identify and bid for funding to develop and improve the academy buildings and infrastructure
  

Key projects/targets for the Lead Estates Project Manager in the next 12-24 months include:  

• Delivery of a new SEN centre at Hundred of Hoo  
• Delivery of a new SEN nursery building at Cherry Orchard Primary Academy  
• Projects related to the carbon reduction measure across the estates i.e. PV installation.  
• Delivery of condition led lifecycle programme.
  

Working within our team: Based in Strood and led by Phil Whittall, Estates Director (click here to view Phil’s LinkedIn profile), the central team consisting of Faciliti es management professionals, Project Managers and a Health and Safety lead support the trust by delivering a wide range of services including catering, cleaning, portage, maintenance and health and safety management as well as delivering capital projects.

The Estates team also  supports academy educational budgets with the commercialisation of the estate outside of academy hours by letting our facilities to community and professional groups through our subsidiary LAT Enterprises. 

This highly skilled, professional and empowered team are focused on ensuring our facilities provide the best possible environment for a positive pupil experience. As the Lead Project Manager you will be pivotal in supporting our academies deliver on their educational vision by providing built environments conducive to learning.

Click here to view the Estates Services team structure, and where this role is positioned.
 

Salary and benefits package:  

• This is a full time, permanent opportunity offering a salary of circa £50,000 per annum, commensurate with experience  
• Generous pension contribution via Local Government Pension Scheme  
• 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), increasing to 30 days with length of service  
• The chance to work within an innovative team and collaborative work environment  
• Personal and career development opportunities, including educational sponsorship and courses

Being part of Leigh Academies Trust: As of 1st September 2021, our Trust will comprise 32 geographically organised academies (15 secondaries, 14 primaries and 2 special) educating 20,000 students, and employing 2,500 talented staff. The Trust is establishing four ‘clusters’ of academies: North West Kent; Central Kent; South East London; Medway. In addition, the Trust is responsible for one of the region’s biggest initial teaching training organisations, a large teaching school hub and is an accredited apprenticeship provider. Click here to view our future plans in our Vision 2025 document. 

As part of Leigh Academies Trust you will have ample opportunity to collaborate with your peers both within the academy and across the whole Trust. This is an important part of our vision as we know through experience that we perform better when we work together. You are supported to undertake regular self-development to continue your professional development and hopefully progress further within the organisation.

Our commitment to safeguarding: Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.  

Our commitment to equality and diversity: As a Trust we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals, we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not to discriminate on any grounds.

Based on the quality and quantity of applications received, Leigh Academies Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy sooner than the specified closing date.  Applicants will be notified of this where possible. Therefore, early applications are encouraged.