We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes. 

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

About the College/Department

The University of Derby Estates Department is dedicated to cultivating a vibrant, innovative, and sustainable campus environment, that supports our passion for delivering world class education and ground-breaking research. 

The Estates team has over 250 colleagues, working across all of our sites on everything from the refurbishment of buildings to catering. 

About the Team

The Estates Compliance and Risk team sits within the wider Estates function and plays a critical role in ensuring the University’s buildings, infrastructure and activities are safe, resilient and fully compliant with statutory and regulatory requirements.

The team leads on the development and delivery of compliance and risk strategy across Estates, providing both strategic oversight and hands-on operational support. This includes assurance of corporate, statutory and legislative compliance, coordination of Estates risk management processes, and delivery of integrated audit and assurance programmes that support institutional governance and executive decision-making.

Working closely with colleagues across the University, the team drives a proactive compliance culture moving from reactive assurance to preventative risk management through training, guidance and capability building. Key operational responsibilities include asbestos and radon management, statutory building engineering services compliance, contractor management and permit-to-work systems, business continuity planning, and health and safety assurance relating to construction and property activities.

The team also provides specialist advice, reporting and assurance to senior leaders and governance committees, helping to strengthen organisational resilience and continuously improve compliance performance across the estate.

About the Role

The Head of Compliance and Risk provides strategic and operational leadership for Estates compliance and risk management, ensuring statutory, legislative and corporate requirements are met across the University estate.

Reporting to the Head of Group Sustainability, Health, Safety and Compliance, the post holder leads the development of Estates compliance and risk strategy, embeds assurance and audit frameworks, and supports institutional governance through high-quality reporting and executive engagement. The role acts as the senior subject matter expert for Estates compliance, advising on emerging risks and regulatory change.

The role includes hands-on operational leadership, with responsibility for asbestos and radon management, statutory building engineering services compliance, contractor management and permit-to-work systems, and health and safety assurance relating to construction and property activities. The post holder will provide cover for key technical roles when required to maintain statutory compliance.

You will lead a specialist team, including line management of the Fire Safety Manager and Asbestos Manager, and lead on the Safe Place University Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee. Key objectives include strengthening compliance assurance, embedding preventative risk management, improving governance visibility, and building organisational capability across Estates.

Flexibility is required to respond to urgent compliance matters. This senior role offers the opportunity to shape compliance strategy, influence executive decision-making and drive continuous improvement across a complex estate.

The anticipated interview date will be W/C 27th April 2026.

About You

You will be an experienced compliance and risk professional with a strong background in estates or property environments, combining strategic oversight with hands-on operational delivery. You will bring demonstrable experience of risk management, compliance assurance and business continuity, alongside a proven ability to develop and embed policies, frameworks and audit programmes that drive continuous improvement.

You will have comprehensive knowledge of property-related statutory and legislative requirements, with experience managing contractor compliance, permit-to-work systems and statutory inspection regimes. You will be comfortable providing operational cover for senior technical roles when required and ensuring continuity of critical compliance activities.

A proactive, collaborative team player, you will have experience managing high-performing teams and working in partnership across departments to achieve shared objectives. You will be confident engaging and influencing at senior level, building strong stakeholder relationships, and producing clear executive-level reports that support informed decision-making. You will actively seek opportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency and move the organisation towards a more preventative, solutions-focused approach to compliance and risk.

Essential requirements for this role include significant experience in estates compliance, contractor management, and integrated health & safety systems, alongside a strong track record of managing and mitigating risk. You will be confident challenging established ways of working, while maintaining a supportive and collaborative approach that brings others with you.

Benefits

• Generous annual leave entitlement of 42 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
• Discounted onsite gym
• Access to employer-funded Private Health Insurance
• Holiday purchase
• Cycle to Work scheme
• A flexible working environment
• A commitment to personal and professional development

Key Contact

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Adam Gomes Head of Group Sustainability, Health, Safety and Compliance via a.gomes@derby.ac.uk

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk

Important Information

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and is therefore subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post.

To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.

This role is eligible for sponsorship by the University, however, your individual circumstances must meet the criteria set out by UKVI; this includes meeting the English Language requirement and earning a salary that meets the highest of either the going rate for the SOC code or the minimum salary threshold for the Skilled Worker route (£41,700 per annum, as of 22^nd July 2025).

If the role is eligible, but the offered salary is less that the going rate for the role, you may still be able to apply for a Skilled Worker visa if:

• Your job is on the Immigration Skills List
• You’re under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training
• You have a PhD level qualification that’s relevant to your job
• You have a postdoctoral position in science or higher education

Please note that the University cannot confirm your eligibility for sponsorship until an offer is made and your individual circumstances have been considered.

For more information, visit our website.

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.

Please find our Safeguarding pages including our Safeguarding Policy here.

Closing Date: 19 Apr 2026

Area: Senior Management

Salary: £50,832 to £63,540 per annum
(For exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £73,071 per annum)

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes. 

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

About the College/Department

About the Role

Working in close partnership with the Director of IoES and senior colleagues, you will provide strategic leadership across our FE & Skills provision, driving exceptional student experiences and outcomes. You will lead and develop high-performing teams, championing excellence in teaching, curriculum innovation, industry engagement and scholarly activity.

With a strong focus on impact and continuous improvement, you will oversee performance, inspire professional growth and ensure provision meets - and exceeds - sector-leading standards. You will also play a key role in strengthening external partnerships, supporting academic enterprise and identifying new opportunities for growth and innovation.

This is a unique opportunity to lead change, influence practice and make a lasting contribution to FE & Skills at a progressive, values-led university.

Interview date – Thursday 7^th May 2026.

About You

Benefits

• Generous annual leave entitlement of 42 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
• Teacher’s Pension Scheme
• Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
• Discounted onsite gym
• Access to employer-funded Private Health Insurance
• Holiday purchase
• Cycle to Work scheme
• A flexible working environment
• A commitment to personal and professional development

Key Contact

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Dr Sarah Charles, Director of the Institute of Education &Skills via S.charles@derby.ac.uk

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk

Important Information

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and is therefore subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post.

To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.

The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

Please visit our website for more information.

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.

Please find our Safeguarding pages including our Safeguarding Policy here.

Closing Date: 22 Apr 2026

Area: Senior Management

Salary: £59,688 to £74,610 per annum
(for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £85,802 per annum).