Job vacancy: Group Director of Estates and Facilities, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich

Job summary

Main area: Group Management
Grade: VSM
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 234-26-GROUP-DEF

Employer: Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group
Town: Norwich
Closing: 03/07/2026 23:59
Interview date: 06/08/2026

Group Director of Estates and Facilities

VSM

Join us at the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group.
The Group was formed in 2025 to bring the three Acute Trusts in Norfolk and Waveney together into one system with a one purpose – better care for patients. It has unified leadership with one Chair, one Chief Executive and one Board, which includes Executive Managing Directors for all three Trusts.

The Group has clearly defined aims to

Provide great care.
Nurture a skilled, engaged workforce.
Enable service modernisation expanding digital use and services.
Plan the right services and environments and support the development of integrated neighbourhood services.
Stabilise finances and live within our means.
Leverage our network and strengthen collaboration with system partners.
Shape future roles of our hospitals and the pattern of Clinical Services necessary to support them- starting with the needs of our population.

It also has an ambition to build, with its partners in health sciences, education and research, a world class University Hospitals System.

Taken together, our three Acute Trusts – The James Paget University Hospital NHS Trust in Gorleston, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in Norwich (including the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital and Cromer Hospital), have a combined workforce of circa 18,000 people.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The estates and facilities portfolio you would inherit is large, complex, and transformationally important. It spans three acute hospital sites and a growing number of community and diagnostic facilities, covering over 200,000 square metres of clinical and non-clinical space.

The NNUH is home to a first-generation PFI contract that will require expert contract stewardship through to its first break clause in 2037. At JPUH and QEH, both hospitals are among the seven nationally prioritised Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) sites in the New Hospital Programme, making this one of the most consequential estate briefs in the NHS today.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Educated to Degree level and with equivalent senior level experience.
Specialist communications qualification or equivalent professional knowledge

Experience

Essential criteria

Significant experience advising Boards in large, complex organisations (NHS, public sector or equivalent).
Extensive experience developing and delivering communications and engagement strategies.
Strong background in crisis communications and media handling.
Experience working across organisations and systems.

Skills

Essential criteria

Expertise in high profile media issues, public/patient engagement and formal consultations.
Politically astute with strong judgement.
Able to work under pressure and manage competing priorities.

Behaviours & Values

Essential criteria

Positive, confident and collaborative approach.
Commitment to the NHS and Group values.

The Job Description and Person Specification outline the full scope of responsibilities and essential criteria for this role. In your supporting statement, please clearly demonstrate how your skills, experience, and leadership capabilities align with the requirements detailed in the Person Specification.

Please note this is an application led process and CVs are not accepted.

Visa and Immigration

Applicants requiring sponsorship—including those currently sponsored and seeking a change of employer—should review the eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker Visa, available at:
https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job.

Travel to Work

On-site parking at Group Head office, Norwich, may be available at the time of appointment; if required, please discuss this during the onboarding process.

Group Head office is well served by several public transport routes, and staff benefit from discounted monthly travel passes with First Bus and Konect. Secure bicycle storage is available, and employees can access our Cycle to Work salary sacrifice scheme. A Beryl bike station is also located on site.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Roles involving work with children or adults will require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Applicants will be asked to declare relevant information regarding previous convictions during the application process.

NHS Service Verification

If appointed, we will verify any previous NHS service via the ESR Inter‑Authority Transfer (IAT) process. Submission of your application will be taken as agreement to this.
For VSM (Very Senior Manager) posts, applicants must also declare any redundancy payments received within the 12 months prior to re‑employment within the NHS.

Professional Registration

Where professional registration is an essential requirement of the role, candidates must hold current UK registration at the point of application.

Application Correspondence

To support our commitment to reducing paper usage, all correspondence regarding your application will be issued by email. Please ensure that you check your inbox (including spam/junk folders) regularly.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We value diversity at all levels of the organisation and welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Applicants with a disability who meet the minimum essential criteria may request consideration under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme by indicating this on their application form.

Flexible Working

While recruitment will be undertaken in line with the advertised post, we recognise the importance of flexible working. Alternative working patterns or contract types (e.g., part‑time arrangements or secondments) may be considered. If you wish to propose a different working pattern, please indicate this within your supporting statement.