Kew - Director of Estates

Kew - Director of Estates

Director of Estates Candidate Information Pack

Welcome

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world-famous scientific organisation, leading visitor attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site, internationally respected for its outstanding living collection of plants and its world-class herbarium. Set in 330 acres, the Kew Gardens site is a beautiful place to work, and employs committed staff who are working to achieve Kew’s mission to understand and protect plants and fungi for the well-being of people and the future of all life on Earth. RBG Kew has a second UK site at Wakehurst, West Sussex. The estates consist of over 380 buildings and structures, 40 plus listed buildings, which are used for visitors, scientific research, storage of national collections and administration. In 2020 RBG Kew published its ambitious new corporate strategy laying out its strategic priorities to 2030 to tackle the twin global challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. The Manifesto for Change is supported by Kew’s Sustainability Strategy – Climate Positive by 2030. The Director of Estates provides leadership for all aspects of our built estate. Reporting to the Director of Resources, it is an exciting time to be joining Kew in this capacity with the opportunity to make a real and lasting difference. We have recently insourced our Estates function, and are making significant investment in our built estate through ongoing maintenance and capital infrastructure projects to deal with many years of under investment. We look forward to discussing your plans on how we can continue to transform our sites both at Kew Gardens and at Wakehurst.

Richard Deverell

Values

Care

We CARE about the future of the planet and its biodiversity

Diversity

We cherish the DIVERSITY of our plant collections and we seek diversity in our workforce and audiences

Values

Our Story

Collaboration

We work in COLLABORATION and build trusting relationships with each other and our partners

Confidence

We have CONFIDENCE and believe we can succeed

Our Story

Excellence

We strive for EXCELLENCE and try to improve continuously

Ambition

We have AMBITION. We will be bold with a strong desire to innovate and inspire

Our mission and strategy

Our mission and strategy Our mission is to understand and protect plants and fungi for the well-being of all life on Earth. Our aspiration is to end the extinction crisis and to help create a world where nature is protected, val - ued by all and managed sustainably.

To deliver our mission we have five priorities. Kew commits to:

• Deliver science-based knowledge and solutions to protect biodiversity and use natural resources sustainably • Inspire people to protect the natural world • Train the next generation of experts • Extend our reach • Influence national and international opinion and policy

Our five strategic priorities are underpinned by a sixth internal priority – to ensure we have the people, financial health and infrastructure to succeed.

Read more about our strategy Here

Organisation Structure

Job Description

Job Title: Directorate:

Director of Estates

Resources

No. of Direct Reports: 5 No. of Indirect Reports: 58 Reports to (Position):

Director of Resources

Job Purpose: The purpose of the Director of Estates role is to ensure that Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has buildings and estates infrastructure to meets its current and future needs, developing and overseeing the implementation of the Estates Strategy, managing infrastructure requirements, and delivering safe and maintained buildings for staff and visitors. The role delivers all aspects of estates management and infrastructure capital projects, ensuring time, cost, and quality standards are met and oversees the development and implantation of Kew’s sustainability strategy Job Context: RBG Kew is a world-famous scientific organisation, leading visitor attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site, internationally respected for its outstanding living collection of plants and its world-class herbarium. Set in 330 acres, the Kew Gardens site is a beautiful place to work, and employs committed staff who are working to achieve Kew’s mission to understand and protect plants and fungi for the well-being of people and the future of all life on Earth. RBG Kew has a second UK site at Wakehurst, West Sussex. The estates consist of over 380 buildings and structures, 40 plus listed buildings, which are used for visitors, scientific research, storage of national collections and administration. In 2020 RBG Kew published its ambitious new corporate strategy laying out its strategic priorities to 2030 to tackle the twin global challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. The Manifesto for Change is supported by Kew’s Sustainability Strategy – Climate Positive by 2030. RBG Kew is both a charity and a non- department public body and is governed by a Board of Trustees, established by the National Heritage Act, 1983. The Director is the Accounting Officer and has executive responsibility for managing RBG Kew and is supported by an Executive Board. He is accountable to the Chair of RBG Kew and to the Board of Trustees who have overall responsibility for RBG Kew, and to Defra, Kew’s sponsor government department.

The Director of Estates reports to the Director of Resources as part of the Resources Directorate, and supports the Executive Board, Director and Trustees to fulfil their responsibilities in relation to the RBG Kew Estates, working collaboratively with stakeholders across all areas of the business, including Science, Horticulture, Visitor Operations and Commercial, to deliver Kew’s strategic aims. The postholder will: • Recruit, develop and motivate the Estates Operational Services, Estates Support Services, Estates Project Services, Estates Business Services and Sustainability teams to ensure the objectives of the Directorate and RBG Kew are achieved, and effective delivery of services takes place. Lead and manage senior direct reports to ensure that they are able to effectively deliver across Kew. • Lead the development and implementation of strategies, operating plans and budgets for each of the functional areas that reflect the strategic plans. • Act as principal technical advisor on all property and estates matters. The role will provide technical advice and guidance on all property requirements. Lead on the delivery of Estates compliance and professional delivery of Estates and Facilities technical services. Provide professional estate management and property services advice in relation to the development of its sites, so that maximum benefit is achieved for the organisation and investment risks are minimised and mitigated. • Lead on the effective use of Kew’s estate, ensuring accurate and current records on the use of the estate, and the location of assets and individuals. Lead the development of departmental goals, objectives and systems and establish departmental measures that support the accomplishment of strategic goals. • Develop open and productive relationships with Executive Board Directors and senior management colleagues, participating fully in the corporate management of RBG Kew, delivering operational solutions from all estates functions and contributing to the development and delivery of corporate and directorate strategies. • Lead on the delivery of capital infrastructure projects across both sites, delivery of technical solutions, and improving resilience of Kew infrastructure. Work closely with stakeholders to ensure the greatest value and efficiency is gained from space across the estate. Deliver robust management of the infrastructure programme of projects across both sites that meet business cases, stakeholder, financial, operational and maintenance requirements, and alignment with Kew’s governance policies. Work with the Director of Resources, Head of Finance and fundraising on funding plans and opportunities.

Job Description

• Lead and develop Kew’s energy management, waste management and water management strategies to meet Kew’s sustainability agenda, Government carbon reduction standards, and to minimise operational costs. • Lead on the procurement strategy for delivering all estates contracts (projects, maintenance) and ensure it complies with applicable legislation and Kew’s governance. Responsible for ensuring that all Estates and Facilities providers are properly procured and managed, achieving high levels of service and delivery. Accountabilities: • Be accountable for ensuring buildings and infrastructure across both sites meet all statutory standards as applied to all building services. To ensure continuous business continuity and preserve and protect national scientific collections. To develop and implement a maintenance strategy and services to meet the needs of the business and provide value for money and management of risk. To develop and maintain an accurate and current view of all estate buildings and infrastructure with a ten-year plan. 40% • Responsible for ensuring that RBG Kew’s infrastructure capital projects and programmes meet all relevant standards and are delivered on time and on budget, in the best way to minimise disruption and operational risk to the business, meet stakeholder requirements, provide operational flexibility and optimal costs for the future and in line with Kew’s Sustainability Strategy, and can respond to unforeseen operational opportunities and changes. 30% • Responsible for ensuring Health, Safety, and Environment is an integral part of all department activities and work programmes from planning through to implementation. Ensure all staff, consultants, advisors, and contractors operate in a safe, efficient way, and adhere to Kew’s standards, expectations, and policies at all times. This is done in collaboration with the Health, Safety and Business Risk Team, and leading by example. 10% • Responsible for ensuring new and refurbished buildings meet all legislation, standards, and Kew policies, particularly in terms of health, safety, access, energy management and sustainable operations. The post holder is expected to continually look to improve the standards in particular regarding RBG Kew becoming Climate Positive, and operations and environment are fully sustainable. The post holder will also lead relationships with the local authority planning teams, obtaining planning advice where required, and maintain other key stakeholder relationships in association with the Kew Garden’s UNESCO World

Heritage Site status and with Defra, Kew’s government sponsor department, and other funders where appropriate. 10% • Lead, manage and develop the Estates & Facilities team and external contractors, ensuring optimal use of resources whilst managing performance and ensuring their continuing development. Active member of the Resources Directorate senior management team. Engage with the Board of Trustees as required. 10%

Person Specification

Experience and Education (Essential)

• Member of a recognised building/construction related professional body: IHBC, CIOB, CEng, RIBA, RICS or CIBSE, or equivalent significant experience. • A technical manager with significant experience in HVAC, BMS, HV/LV, building water systems, ventilation, lifts, and building fire safety systems. • Hold a recognised H&S qualification such as IOSH Directing Safely or IOSH Managing Safely. Working knowledge of the CDM regulations with proven understanding of duty holder’s roles and responsibilities. Extensive and successful construction based working knowledge, and experience of Health, Safety, & Environmental management. • Extensive, in-depth experience of formulating long term, organisation-wide strategic plans and development of projects resulting in positive value for money outcomes, adjusting plans and strategies in anticipation of complex environmental and political changes. • Track record of successfully leading and delivering Estates and Facilities services across similar size organisations. Adopting appropriate risk management strategies, and client and stakeholder management. • Proven experience of leading and managing estates management teams and project management teams involved in a variety of operational maintenance, and infrastructure capital projects. • Track record of managing and delivering significant operational and capital budgets and of consistent delivery against time, cost, and quality targets. The basis of this experience should have been obtained from delivering operational estates management from £5m to £10m and infrastructure projects and programmes from £1m to £20m. • Well-developed awareness of customer needs and a commitment to continually improve service delivery. • Proven experience and knowledge of leading and successfully delivering significant building projects, using Best Practice project management and programme management. This experience needs to be based upon its use of at least three significant projects, each involving various construction disciplines or of work programmes in excess of £10m in overall value. • Knowledge of Construction methodology, Contracts (professional services and construction), The Public Contracts Regulation, and RIBA plan of works.

• Extensive experience of developing, influencing and maintaining excellent customer relationships. • Proven experience and knowledge of procurement and engagement of construction design professionals, in support of major capital projects and work programmes. Experience and knowledge of engineering contracts and in particular experience resolving significant contractual/cost disputes. Desirable • Experience and knowledge of leading and managing estates departments on significant historic buildings. • Experience and knowledge of leading and managing major projects on significant historic buildings. • It is desirable for the post holder to hold a NEBOSH Certificate or a NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent H&S Professional Management qualification. • Experience acting as any Duty Holder other than Client under CDM Regulation 2015. • Sound understanding of environmental requirements such as Waste Duty of Care, development of pollution prevention strategies and ecological considerations. Job Specific Competencies – skills and abilities specific to the job (Essential) • Successfully leads and manages operational estates and delivers all infrastructure projects using the principles of Best Practice project management methodology. • Negotiates, using logic and reason, to persuade and influence others to find the solutions that everyone will accept. • Ability to interpret and explain complex information with clarity and confidence supported by excellent listening and influencing skills. • Ability to build effective teams that deliver high standards, collaborative working and integrated solutions to complex and challenging problems. • Skilled at both the strategic and operational levels relating to both the “big picture” and the detail. • Detailed knowledge of life cycle maintenance and delivery of maintenance to SFG20.

• Ability to work under pressure, organise and prioritise own work and that of other team members, ensuring agreed programmes and project requirements are met and customer demands are accommodated. • Actively promote good communication and employee engagement throughout the workforce, exemplifying RBG Kew values and behaviours. • Deliver services that are flexible and adaptable. • Engages key stakeholders at all levels. • Works co-operatively with customers/stakeholders, maintaining regular, consistent, and clear communications to produce innovative solutions. • Demonstrates leadership and management skills to motivate, coach and mentor team. Establish an outcome focused department. • Proactively and continuously seek to improve service delivery. • Understands how to plan financially and manage a budget. • Researches, writes, and presents robust and comprehensive business cases. • Fully and inclusively engage all staff in the delivery of services, demonstrating leadership values and competencies. • Demonstrates ability to manage and deliver significant maintenance and project budgets. • Represents Estates & Facilities Department at a directorate level. • Keeps abreast of latest changes and development in areas relevant to post (e.g., CDM legislation, project management, energy management, H&S, etc.)

Kew Competency Framework:

The Framework identifies behaviours required for roles at different levels. Competency (E)

1. Leading and Influencing 2. Developing High Performance 3. Collaboration 4. Thinking with Vision 5. Making Effective Decisions 6. Delivering Value for money 7. Making things happen 8. Delivering in Partnership 9. Changing with Pace

Position within the Team

Benefits

The following benefits apply to RBG Kew and not RBG Kew Enterprises or RBG Kew Enterprises (Foundation).

Annual Leave Entitlement for staff working a full time standard week (36 hours across 5 days) is 30 days, excluding bank holidays, on entry rising to a maximum of 33 days after 5 years service. Entitlement for staff who works a non standard week (e.g. part-time, condensed hours, annualised hours) is calculated in hours on a pro rata basis. Family Friendly RBG Kew supports its employees in achieving a work-life balance and we have a range of schemes and policies in place to support well-being and wider needs: • Flexi-time system: RBG Kew operates flexible working hours subject to the operational needs of the business and Head of Department agreement. • Generous and comprehensive family friendly policies: maternity, paternity and adoption leave, career break. • Employee Assistance Programme: The Employee Assistance Programme offers advice and counselling via a confidential phone line and an extensive website with help sheets. Advice subjects include everything from addictions to work-life balance. • Family pass: RBG Kew Enterprises employees are entitled to free admission to the Gardens at Kew and Wakehurst for two accompanying adults and two children on presentation of their staff pass. • Civil Service Sports Club (CSSC): Employment at Kew provides the opportunity to join CSSC, a not for profit organisation aimed at public sector workers positively promoting health and wellbeing in the workplace. CSSC aims to help you to have fun, get active, try out new hobbies or activities and experience the great diversity of the Civil Service. CSSC organise hundreds of events, activities and special offers for you every year. • Vodafone Employee scheme: RBG Kew Enterprises member of staff and up to 5 of their family and friends are entitled to a discount on any vodafone tariff. Pension Benefits RBG Kew offer a Group Personal Pension Scheme through Royal London, with an employer contribution of 8% of salary. This is a non-contributory unless you decide to make a voluntary contribution as a % of salary. If you do decide to make a contribution, RBG Kew will match your contribution up to a further 2%, making the total possible employer contribution 10%.

Training & Development We provide comprehensive and continual training throughout your career, across all levels of the organisation.

Access to Flexible Benefits Portal All employees have access to a flexible benefits portal, mylifestyle, which allows you to select a number of flexible benefits to suit your lifestyle. Through the website you can also access discounts at hundreds of different retailers. Season Ticket Loans An interest free Season Ticket Loan is available for all employees on permanent and fixed term appointments. The loan is paid back via monthly payments deducted from your salary. Cycle-to-work Scheme The salary sacrifice cycle-to-work scheme is part of Kew’s flexible benefits package and gives you the opportunity to purchase a bike for cycling to work at little over half the normal cost. The scheme is open to all permeant employees and those on fixed term contracts for at least 1 year. Payroll Giving – Tax Efficient Charitable Donations Payroll giving is part of Kew’s flexible benefits package and you could make tax efficient charitable donations direct from your pay. Eye Care Scheme If you use a computer or other display screen equipment for a significant portion of your job, you are eligible to participate in the eye care scheme. This scheme provides self-service vouchers that can be used as payment for eye tests, and where eligible a free pair of frames or discount from the optician’s range. Free access to museums, galleries and gardens National museums, galleries and gardens that offer free admission to Kew staff members on presentation of a staff pass.

Local Business Offers Some local businesses offer discounts to Kew employees. Information is available on KewNet.

Discount on items purchased in the Kew Shops and Restaurants and Cafes RBG Kew Enterprises offers a 50% lunch discount across all its restaurants and 20% discount on Retail products.

Along with a competitive salary there is a range of excellent benefits which includes an annual leave allowance of 30 days, plus bank holidays, rising to a maximum of 33 days after 5 years service, flexible working options, childcare vouchers and a range of other generous and comprehensive family friendly policies, memberships and discounts. An important part of the pay and reward package RBG Kew

offer a Group Personal Pension Scheme through Royal London (details of the full range of benefits are available on request).

For a confidential discussion to learn more about the role and opportunity please contact Kew’s appointed recruitment partners Michael Hewlett and Ben Duffill of The Management Recruitment Group.

Michael Hewlett M: 07972 579 938 E: [email protected] Ben Duffill M: 07976 125 010 E: [email protected]

Applications should consist of a comprehensive CV and supporting cover letter outlining key matching experience and rationale for applying for the post. Applications should be sent to michael.hewlett@ mrgpeople.co.uk.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 21st August 2022.

Following the closing date, applications will be reviewed and The Management Recruitment Group will undertake preliminary meetings with selected applicants over w/c 22nd August.

Interviews will take place at Kew from w/c 12th September

15 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 3AR +44 203 962 9900 www.mrgpeople.co.uk