Benenden School, Cranbrook
Head of Property & Capital Investment Programmes
Full time year round position, site based
Salary £77,846 per annum
The Head of Property & Capital Investment Programmes is responsible to the Chief Operating Officer for the Benenden family of schools, and ultimately to the Headmistress and Estates Sub Committee of the Governing Council.
The Position
The Head of Property & Capital Investment Programmes will be a group role, leading on estates across the Benenden family of schools, with direct accountability to the Chief Operating Officer and thereby to the Headmistress and senior leadership team and governing council for the strategic development of the facilities and environment of both schools, inline with the school’s strategy and development plans.
Benenden School is planning for significant investment in coming years to further develop the estate in support of the aim to deliver ‘A Complete Education’ to all girls. The successful candidate will be tasked with developing the Estates Master Plan which, in conjunction with the Environmental Master Plan, will inform the investment plan for the next 15-20 years.
The Master Plan will be a multiphase, site wide development of the School estate, including, but not limited to, refurbishment of boarding houses, refurbishment of SPLASH (sports centre and swimming pool) and additional staff housing. Other major refurbishment projects will be necessary for existing, heritage and listed buildings, including the main Hemsted building.
Orwell Park School requires similar investment in the boarding and school facilities and will also require a master plan that informs investments for the next 15-20 years.
Both schools require the development of an environmental master plan that protects and enhances our combined 360 acres of parkland, woodland, meadows, lakes and gills and places our extraordinary environmental heritage at the centre of our students’ lived experience and education.
This position offers the successful candidate an opportunity to leave their mark on our historic landscape and the opportunity to shape and deliver an exciting range of projects over the next 15 to 20 years, for the benefit of the Schools and the experience of its pupils.
The Estates Team
Our Estates teams are responsible for providing a broad range of services to the Schools which include capital projects, planned, preventive and reactive maintenance, major and minor projects, estates compliance (including Health and Safety), contractor management and oversight and direction of the grounds management (outsourced).
The Head of Property and Capital Investment Programmes will have two direct reports in Benenden School and an [indirect] report at OPS. At Benenden, there will be a Head of Estates, with accountability for the running of the facilities and associated capital projects; and a Head of Environmental Estates, who is expert in grounds and parkland management.
At OPS, the Head of Estates reports directly into the schools deputy head for operations, and will have dotted line indirect report into the Strategic Head of Estates.
About Benenden School
Benenden is one of the leading day and boarding schools in Britain. We were founded in 1923 and are situated in 250 acres of attractive parkland in Kent. There are 550 girls in the school, aged 11-18, with 190 of those in the Sixth Form. Benenden is at the forefront of girls’ education in the UK, with recent innovations including the Benenden Diploma, a bespoke curriculum for our youngest two-year groups, and the Professional Skills Programme, teaching the Sixth Form skills for the workplace. We are an ambitious school, with recent developments including a state-of-the-art Science Centre and All-Weather Sports Pitch, and the newly established Centenary Hall and Sir David K.P. Li Music School.
Benefits
Benenden offers its own generous pay structure, responsibility allowances and benefits. Staff are provided with meals whilst on duty. The school’s leisure facilities, including wonderful grounds, a fitness gym and swimming pool are also free for staff to use, when available.
At Benenden we know that everyone brings a unique perspective that adds to our community. We want to attract, retain and develop diverse talent, so that we are a great school, this means recruiting from the widest possible pool of talent.
For a full job description and to apply, please visit our website: https://www.benenden.school/working-at-benenden/
Completed applications should received by Midnight on Wednesday 13 May 2026. Interviews likely to be held week commencing 18 May 2026.
Please note that applications will be considered on submission, and we reserve the right to close and interview early if sufficient suitable applications have been received.
CV’s are not accepted in isolation.
The post-holder will be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children with whom they come into contact. They must ensure compliance with the School’s Child Protection Policy Statement at all times, this appointment will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks. Benenden School is committed to equal opportunities and equal pay for all employees.
https://www.benenden.school/working-at-benenden/
