Estates Graduate Management Training Programme

Job overview

UHS Estates Limited (UEL) is excited to offer a dynamic and hands-on opportunity to join our Graduate Management Training Scheme, which kicks off in September 2025.

Please note that UEL does not hold a Home Office Workers Licence, so we are unable to offer sponsorship.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for graduates who thrive in a fast-paced, values-driven environment and are eager to roll up their sleeves and get involved in the real-world challenges of Estates, Facilities, and Capital Development (EFCD). This isn't your typical behind-the-desk administrative job—this is a highly interactive, hands-on role where you will actively contribute to the planning, design, and management of facilities that directly impact patient care and the smooth running of one of the largest NHS Trusts in the UK.

UEL, a wholly owned subsidiary of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS), is offering an exciting career path in the design, construction, and management of critical NHS facilities. You’ll gain firsthand experience across engineering, facilities management, and capital development while working on-site with your colleagues to deliver high-quality services that support the Trust's mission.

Your role will be far from desk-bound—expect to be out in the field, interacting with multiple teams, solving problems in real-time, and actively participating in project delivery and service improvement.

Working for our organisation

As a wholly owned subsidiary of UHS, UEL is responsible for the design and construction of new buildings, and the ongoing provision of services, including estates maintenance, soft facilities management and the management of equipment, consumables and materials, in support of one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England.

Specific details and flexible working options can be discussed during the interview process. UEL employees can access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

Our previous graduates have praised our development approach and the wealth of opportunities available to them, alongside the vast networking possibilities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

At UEL, we believe in creating opportunities for growth, as we know that developing our people is key to supporting world-class care. That's why a career here is an exciting and evolving journey with endless opportunities to learn and thrive.

Our two-year Graduate Programme involves various placements within our EFCD department, learning how it works as well as understanding how the wider hospital functions, and the two are co-dependent.

During this time you will gain hands-on experience within the NHS, developing essential competencies, including:

• Leadership skills
• Communication and collaboration within a complex organisation
• Operational and performance management
• Financial management
• Strategic planning
• Staff management
• Change management, project management, and service improvement

You’ll receive mentorship from a senior leader at UEL who will guide you through the programme. In addition to the work-based experience, you will also complete a formal Estates management apprenticeship qualification and leadership programme with one of our national training partners.

During your recruitment journey, we will be evaluating your ability to:

• Foster and maintain collaborative relationships with diverse teams across the Trust, with a strong emphasis on communication
• Work effectively under pressure, supported by an encouraging and motivated team
• Analyse problems and develop practical, workable solutions

Essential Application Criteria:

• You will have, or be predicted to achieve, a 2:2 or higher in a degree subject relevant to Estates, Facilities and Capital Development
• You will demonstrate UEL’s core values of Working Together, Patients First, and Always Improving

These roles are funded by the Government Apprenticeship Scheme and do not offer visa sponsorship. To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:

• You should have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the past 3 years
• You must have permission from the UK government to live in the UK (for non-educational purposes) or hold pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

Key dates for our Graduate Recruitment and Assessment Programme:

• Application deadline: 10 March 2025 (Please attach your CV and provide evidence of how you demonstrate our values)
• Online testing deadline: 2 April 2025
• Pre-screening interview deadline: 18 April 2025
• Virtual Assessment Centre: 2 May 2025
• Final Interview Panel and UEL visit: 7 May 2025
• Programme Start Date: w/c 1 September 2025

Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications. We will not accept any applications or queries via agencies, under any circumstances.

Person specification

Qualifications, Knowledge & Experience

• Degree in Engineering or Surveying
• Working on and towards continued professional development and professional registration in field
• Accurate with high attention to detail
• Experience of working to demanding timetables and exacting standards
• Excellent communication skills ability to communicate with staff at all levels and external bodies
• To be dependable, reliable, flexible with a willingness to learn, maintain high standards of confidentiality
• Ability to effectively prioritise own workload
• Ability to always remain calm and professional
• Excellent written and presentation skills
• Committed to continuing professional development
• Able to analyse problems and develop solutions

• Experience of working in an Estates /Property environment
• Operational experience drawing and design systems, (i.e., MICAD and CAD)
• Experience of managing complex property transactions
• Experience of leading successful projects on time and within budgets

Skills & Competencies

• Ability to learn and assimilate information quickly
• Attention to detail
• Budget management
• Diplomacy
• Database management
• Microsoft Office skills
• Organisational skills
• Project management
• Self-motivated
• Working under pressure
• Problem solving
• Negotiation skills
• Communication

Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications. We will not accept any applications or queries via agencies, under any circumstances.

Getting to work - our travel promise

Eligibility for on-site parking is dependent on the nature and requirement of the role. All staff can also access a range of discounted benefits relating to travel including reduced price bus tickets, purchase of salary sacrifice bikes and ultra-low emission cars.

Our commitment to equality

Equality remains at the centre of our policymaking, service delivery, and employment practice, giving all employees equal opportunity to develop, apply for promotions, and have working arrangements that enable them to achieve a manageable work-life balance.

UEL actively promotes a work environment free from harassment and discrimination and provides training for managers and staff to ensure this happens. We also closely monitor recruitment activity, training, development, and employment practices to ensure equality of practice with regard to race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and age.

How and why we use your information

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