Operations and Estates Director

Operations and Estates Director

Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge

Since its founding in 1965, Lucy Cavendish College has been a trailblazer at Cambridge University, committed to serving and supporting exceptional students from historically under-represented backgrounds. In 2019, the College decided to admit men to its Fellowship and to open a second chapter in its history, accepting students from the age of 18, regardless of gender. Through the ensuing and ongoing growth, the community of staff and students at Lucy Cavendish has continued to strengthen its core mission.  

In an exciting period of development, Lucy Cavendish is looking to appoint an outstanding individual as Operations and Estates Director. A key member of the Bursarial team, the post-holder will lead and manage the operational functions of the College, spanning: Estates, Catering, Conferencing, Accommodation, Gardens, Housekeeping, Maintenance, health and safety and Security.   

They will have a data-driven approach and ensure that the College’s operations are run efficiently and profitably. The post-holder will develop innovative programmes and will engender in their teams a service improvement mentality. They will make sure that their teams are well trained, developed and motivated. A key dimension of their role will be the leadership and development of the sustainability programme for the College across the estate and all service areas for which they are responsible. This will involve setting targets for reduction of carbon emissions and measuring and monitoring the success of initiatives.

Candidates should demonstrate excellent leadership and interpersonal and communication skills. They will have experience of managing a range of operational functions, staff and resources. The appointee should be able to evidence success in planning and implementation and enjoy playing their part in day-to-day operational delivery as required. They must be successful relationship-builders, skilled at engaging with staff, students and contractors. The successful candidate must support the College’s aims and be committed to its core values. They will demonstrate flexibility, creativity and teamwork in problem-solving in pursuit of the College’s mission.

Lucy Cavendish is collegiate, ambitious, and welcoming, and the new Operations and Estates Director will play a pivotal role in leading the operational delivery of its strategies.

For more information, including how to apply, please visit: https://www.minervasearch.com/diropslucy

The closing date for applications, which should be in the form of a CV and cover letter, is 31 March 2023. Applications should be sent to DirOpslucy@minervasearch.com