Job Description:

Director of Residential Buildings

Location: Central London
Salary: £85,000–£120,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent, Full-Time
Working Arrangement: Onsite

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Director of Residential Buildings to lead the strategy, management and performance of a complex residential estate, including student accommodation, within a higher education environment.

This senior leadership position carries overall responsibility for developing and delivering the residential buildings strategy, ensuring buildings are safe, compliant, well maintained, financially sustainable and aligned with the institution’s long-term objectives.

The successful candidate will have substantial senior-level experience within higher education, with direct responsibility for student accommodation and a proven track record of leading residential estates, building safety, statutory compliance, facilities management and capital investment programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the overall residential buildings and student accommodation strategy, aligned with institutional objectives.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of residential estates, facilities management, maintenance and building operations.
• Ensure compliance with the Building Safety Act 2022, Higher-Risk Building requirements and wider statutory obligations.
• Lead building safety governance, risk management, compliance assurance and regulatory reporting.
• Oversee planned maintenance, major refurbishments, capital projects and long-term asset investment strategies.
• Manage budgets, financial performance, procurement and resource allocation across the residential portfolio.
• Lead and develop professional teams, contractors and external consultants, driving accountability and operational excellence.
• Work closely with executive leadership, academic departments and student services to enhance accommodation standards and the student experience.

Essential Experience

• Significant senior leadership or director-level experience in residential estates, property management or facilities management.
• Essential: Experience working within the higher education sector.
• Essential: Direct responsibility for managing student accommodation.
• Proven experience owning and delivering a comprehensive residential buildings or estate strategy.
• Strong knowledge of the Building Safety Act 2022, Higher-Risk Building requirements and statutory compliance.
• Experience managing complex, multi-building estates, maintenance programmes, capital investment and budgets.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, manage significant risks and engage effectively with senior stakeholders.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a strategic and commercially astute leader with the technical expertise and executive presence to take full ownership of a complex residential estate.

They will combine strong knowledge of higher education and student accommodation with the ability to drive long-term strategy, building safety, regulatory compliance, financial performance and continuous improvement.

This is an opportunity to shape the future of a significant residential portfolio, with full strategic responsibility for residential buildings and student accommodation.

Salary: £85,000–£120,000 per annum
Location: Central London | Permanent | Onsite