Director, Capital Delivery, Education Estates Directorate

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the delivery of multi-billion-pound construction programmes, improving the outcomes for learners throughout the country. Education Estates is one of the largest public sector construction clients in England, with a capital budget of £38billion until 2030. We have a ten-year strategy that focuses on proactive management, long term strategic maintenance and renewal which prioritises condition need, risk and resilience alongside delivering high quality new buildings where they are needed. This post is fundamental to the delivery of these strategic aims. In particular, as Director you will be responsible for leading the team to deliver the School Rebuilding Programme, rebuilding over 750 schools and sixth form colleges across England, alongside permanently removing Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) from the School Estate by 2029.

This is a key leadership role and is professionally accountable for successful delivery of high-profile building programmes and projects within the Department for Education.

Job description

You will be responsible for leading and co-ordinating a portfolio of high-profile capital delivery programmes, having overall responsibility for leading an internal team of project professionals, external consultants, contractors and suppliers. You will be the Senior Responsible Owner for the School Rebuilding Programme and accountable for the capital aspects of the Department’s centrally delivered building programmes, including our Free Schools pipeline and Further Education and Skills Transformation Programmes.

You will lead a diverse team of approximately 300 people, supported by a high-performing senior management team of 7 Deputy Directors (4 of them regional delivery teams). You will work in collaboration with key senior stakeholders within Education Estates Directorate, wider Department and externally to monitor progress, manage risks, and prioritise activity and resources across the portfolio to ensure delivery.

You will drive and promote delivery excellence, reporting to the Director of Education Estates, ensuring continuous improvement of our operating model and supporting our aims to fully utilise modern methods of construction and move towards net zero carbon in the education estate. Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Provide clear leadership and strategic direction to multi-disciplinary teams to successfully deliver the intended benefits and outcomes across the portfolio of school and Higher and Further Education capital programmes.
• Maintain effective oversight of portfolio progress, including chairing governance boards for taking decisions on portfolio activity and development in response to escalated risks or opportunities.
• Create an environment where our people can succeed, effectively leading and developing your senior management team through clear delegation of responsibilities and agreement of performance criteria.
• Influence and manage our operating environment, including relationships with key senior stakeholders and customers, including Ministers, to ensure that goals and objectives are established and achieved.
• Effect positive changes to the way we work, securing commitment and buy-in and promoting a positive long-term vision to improve the delivery of capital programmes.
• Collaborate with fellow property and project leaders across government, making an impact on the wider function through innovation and thought leadership

Person specification

Applicants will be assessed against the following Essential Criteria..

It is important that, through your CV and Statement of Suitability, you provide evidence and examples of proven experience for each of the selection criteria detailed.

• Proven senior leadership experience and results, inspiring confidence and high performance whilst leading through complexity and ambiguity. Experience of supporting, motivating and developing diverse, geographically dispersed teams, with a strong track record of building capability and developing people.
• Able to evidence successful delivery in terms of complexity and challenge of directing large-scale programmes in a complex environment. Note that we are looking here for experience of leading programmes of work at a senior level.
• Ability to think strategically and respond quickly to complex changing circumstances and challenging situations, maintaining a clear view of overall project priorities. Comfortable making decisions and setting direction without having the full picture and can re-focus as details emerge.
• Ability to successfully engage and influence senior stakeholders, including relationships at Managing Directors, CEO, Local Authority Leaders, Local Planning Authorities, Ministerial and Director General level, demonstrating resilience and ability to challenge where needed.
• Excellent change management skills, and demonstrable experience of steering an organisation through substantial and ongoing change.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of public sector infrastructure delivery.
• Has or willingness to work towards MPLA (Major Projects Leadership Academy) qualification.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed at interview in the event of a tie break situation to make an informed decision

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £150,000, Department for Education contributes £43,455 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances, but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths and Experience.

Candidate Information Session

On Wednesday 10th of June at 4.30pm we shall be holding a MS Teams virtual candidate information session, where you can meet the Director for Education Estates, Jane Balderstone, and learn more about the role. This will be an opportunity to ask questions about the role and the department. You will be able to ask questions anonymously as part of this session.

If you would like to attend, please log in using this link - https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/374138642248618?p=8X0MqvhAYq32YR3M5G

Application

To apply for this role, you need to complete an online application via the Civil Service Jobs portal. Applications will be accepted until 25th of June at 23:55

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years
2. A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 2 sides or 1,000 words) detailing ‘why should we consider you for this role’ and how you meet the essential criteria.
3. Undertake the Civil Service verbal and numerical tests.

Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

Please note the CS Jobs system at the point of application states not to insert information that will identify you. As this is a Senior Civil Servant role so that we can understand your experience for this role please provide this information in the CV and Supporting Statement specifying your employment history.

If you are unable to apply online, please contact scs.recruitment@education.gov.uk in the first instance. Please visit our career site for further information on the Civil Service application process.

Selection Process

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to:

1. A series of assessments which may include in a virtual Staff Engagement Panel (which typically takes up to 1 hour to complete), to be held week commencing 6th of July. Reports will be shared with the interview panel.
2. A formal panel interview will be held 20th July face to face in our London office. Candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation for the interview (further information will be shared with shortlisted candidates) and they will be asked questions to further assess their Experience against the Essential Criteria as outlined on slide 9 of the attached candidate pack, and above in the person specification section above. We will also assess Strengths using the Civil Service Strengths Dictionary.

Department for Education does not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment.

Please note that at interview stage we may ask if you have any conflicts of interest to declare and social media checks maybe conducted prior to appointment.

For an accessible version of the candidate pack, please contact scs.recruitment@education.gov.uk

Other Information

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Department of Education via scs.recruitment@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SCS Recruitment Team
• Email : SCS.Recruitment@education.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : SCS.Recruitment@education.gov.uk

Further information

The Department for Education’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via CentralRecruitment.Operations@education.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages

Attachments

EED Capital Director Candidate Pack May 2026 (002) AFV Opens in new window (pdf, 1413kB)DFE Terms & Conditions - accessible version Opens in new window (pdf, 215kB)SCS OGD Transfer Supplementary Information - accessible version Opens in new window (pdf, 325kB)Reasonable Adjustments guide 05_2025 - accessible version Opens in new window (pdf, 723kB)