Assistant Head of Estates(Operations)

Job details

• Job reference: 257478
• Salary: Band 8A (£65,125 - £70,303)
• Job closing date: 04/09/2026
• Job Type: Ambulance Services
• Location: See below
• Employment type: Permanent
• Hours Per Week: 36
• Job posted date: 21/08/2026
• Employer (NHS Board): Scottish Ambulance Service
• Department: Estates

Estates Department

Assistant Head of Estates (Operations)

Location/Base: Paisley DRC / Hybrid Working

About the role

The Scottish Ambulance Service is seeking an enthusiastic and self-motivated Assistant Head of Estates (Operations) to join the Estates Department.

Qualifications and specialist knowledge

Applicants should be educated to degree level and hold a professional engineering qualification in electrical engineering. Chartered membership of an appropriate professional institute, such as the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers or the Institute of Electrical Engineers, is desirable. Candidates should also be able to demonstrate specialist knowledge gained through postgraduate study and experience to master’s-equivalent level, including highly developed technical knowledge of complex plant, equipment and services, as well as environmental management.

Key responsibilities

• Provide direction for the development of the Service’s operational estate.
• Lead the implementation of the property asset management strategy.
• Ensure the Service has a high-quality, value-for-money portfolio of non-clinical services that supports organisational objectives.
• Oversee the effective management of the Service’s owned and leased estate.
• Lead the operational business development function within Estates Services, ensuring new business aligns with the Service’s strategic vision and values.
• Provide senior management and leadership for Scottish Ambulance Service Estates Operational Team.

Skills and experience

The successful candidate will have a proven track record of delivering complex programmes or projects and will be able to manage competing priorities while maintaining high standards of quality.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential. The postholder will work with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels, including senior management, operational and support staff, trade unions, Scottish Government, NHS Boards, emergency services and third-party suppliers. Regular reporting to Executive level will also form part of the role, so candidates must be able to present complex information clearly and meaningfully to a range of audiences.

Candidates should be well organised, self-motivated and confident working autonomously to deliver the programmes and projects assigned to them. The role includes line management responsibility for staff within the Estates Department and will make an important contribution to the continued development of Estates as a department.

Location and travel

The post location is Paisley DRC but may include home working, office working or a hybrid arrangement. Travel throughout Scotland will be required, so applicants must be willing to travel and hold a current driving licence.

For any informal enquiries please contact Lorraine McAffer, lorraine.mcaffer@nhs.scot

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.

As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here.

Please note that SAS is NOT licensed to issue certificates of sponsorship under current UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) regulations. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship to work with us.