Head of Mechanical and Electrical Compliance

The Head ofmechanical and ElectricalCompliance is the Trust's strategic and corporate lead forengineeringcompliance, statutoryassuranceand infrastructure risk management across all Trust-owned sites.

The post holder holds corporate responsibility for ensuring compliance with statutory,regulatoryand mandatory requirements relating to Mechanical and Electrical systems, engineering safety, infrastructureresilienceand healthcare technical standards, and forprovidingexpert advice on risk acceptance,derogationsand mitigation.

Operating at senior management level, the role provides strategic leadership, technical policy ownership, delegated financial accountability and expert assurance to Executive Directors and Board-level committees, including leadership of formal audit and inspection programmes and reporting of compliance performance, keyrisksand residual risk.

The post holder develops and delivers the Trust's Engineering Compliance Strategy and annual compliance plan, ensuring safe, resilientand legally compliant estate infrastructure that supports clinical services and patient safety, and driving continuous improvement through risk-based investment, performancemanagementand assurance.

Main duties of the job

Strategic Leadership & AssuranceLead the Mechanical & Electrical compliance function, setting strategy, standards and priorities to maintain a safe, resilient and legally compliant estate.

Statutory Compliance & GovernanceResponsibility for statutory engineering compliance, ensuring robust governance, policies and assurance systems aligned to legislation and HTMs.

Risk Management & ReportingLead infrastructure risk management, including assessment, mitigation and risk acceptance. Provide clear compliance reporting, KPIs and assurance to senior leaders and Board committees.

Engineering Strategy & PlanningDevelop and deliver long-term engineering and infrastructure strategies to support clinical services, patient safety and organisational objectives.

Financial & Resource ManagementManage compliance budgets and contract performance, ensuring value for money and risk-based prioritisation.

Capital & Infrastructure OversightProvide technical leadership on capital projects and major maintenance, ensuring compliance and resilience from design to operation.

Leadership & Workforce DevelopmentDevelop engineering teams, ensuring competence, training, authorisation and performance management.

Emergency Preparedness & ResilienceProvide senior support during incidents and lead infrastructure resilience and business continuity planning.

Stakeholder AdvisoryAct as senior technical advisor to executives, clinicians and partners, influencing decisions through clear risk communication.

Person specification

Education and Training

Essential

• Recognised craft apprenticeship or equivalent training and relevant certification
• Degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering (or equivalent experience at Masters-level standard). HNC, HND or equivalent in electrical engineering
• Chartered Engineer status or working towards (or equivalent professional standing.
• Recognised H&S qualification

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification in engineering, estates management or leadership.
• Corporate membership of an appropriate body

Authorised person for specialist NHS HTM disciplines

Healthcare/Facilities management degree

Experience

Essential

• Significant senior-level experience leading engineering compliance within a complex healthcare estate.
• Experience in devising and managing maintenance systems, establishing and implementing workmanship quality and financial assurance for contracted out maintenance services/in-house estates team/external contractors
• Working within a quality environment
• Experience in the development and management of budgets
• Experience of working in the NHS or similar background
• Experience of working with people from a variety of disciplines

Desirable

• Experience of strategic infrastructure planning within healthcare.
• Experience leading multi-site estates functions.
• PFI Experience
• Undertaking Tenders
• Responsible person water
• Appointed Person electrical LV/HV

Skills

Essential

• Ability to lead through others, work collaboratively at senior level, and operate with a high degree of autonomy and accountability.
• Advanced report writing and assurance skills, including the ability to synthesise complex evidence into clear recommendations and actions.
• Digitally competent, able to specify and use performance and assurance information systems (e.g., CAFM, audit tools, reporting dashboards) to support governance and decision-making.
• Ability to make high-impact decisions under uncertainty, balancing patient safety, service continuity, regulatory compliance and financial constraints, and escalating appropriately.
• High standards of integrity and professionalism, including the ability to provide objective technical challenge and evidence-based recommendations.
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, including Executive/Board committees and with external auditors/inspectors, translating technical risk into clear options and decisions.
• Ability to lead technical investigations and assurance reviews of complex system failures/incidents, identify root causes and commission corrective actions.
• Ability to specify, procure and manage complex contracts and service level agreements, holding internal and external providers to account for delivery and compliance.
• Ability to interpret, quality assure and present complex performance and risk data (dashboards, audit outcomes, incidents, compliance trajectories) to inform executive decisions.

Ability to chair governance meetings and lead performance reviews with contractors and internal teams, providing robust challenge and agreement of remedial actions.

Strategic problem-solving skills, including options appraisal and recommendation of proportionate solutions in a complex risk environment.

Resilient leader, able to remain effective under pressure, including during incidents and periods of heightened regulatory scrutiny.

Ability to manage a complex portfolio of work, prioritising based on risk and organisational impact, and ensuring appropriate governance and documentation.

Desirable

• Surveying (M&E, Construction) skills.
• In depth knowledge and understanding of DoH technical guidance, statutory instruments and industry best practice in regard to healthcare estates services.
• Excellent project management skills including an ability to lead on projects which may be uncertain and subject to constant change.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Commitment to Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• Values and respects others, treats everyone as an individual, is non judgemental.
• Motivated to be genuinely kind and caring.

Helps and co-operates with colleagues.

Pro-active and takes responsibility.

Willing to learn open to change.

Motivated to make a difference in whatever way they can.

Takes pride in themselves, their appearance, their role and where they work.

Actively supports the Trust's values.

Desirable

• Willing to travel occasionally between Trust community sites

About the employer

Sponsorship - We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship.You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.