University of Southampton

The Client and Brief

In 2024, the University of Southampton appointed MRG to support the delivery of its ambitious estate masterplan. With a diverse estate encompassing several campuses, the University has committed to a £1 billion investment over the next decade to create a sustainable and inclusive estate that enhances its global standing.

Following the appointment of Kevin Argent as Executive Director of Estates & Facilities and the development of the estate masterplan, there was a need to form an industry-leading Estate Development team capable of delivering the capital programme. Phase 1 involved the appointments of a Director of Estate Development, Director of Estates PMO, Business and Support Services and Associate Directors. Phase 2 (due to launch in January 2025) will see the appointment of Senior Project Managers and Project Managers to strengthen the team.

The brief was to identify and secure top-tier talent capable of delivering complex estate development projects and programmes across the Southampton campus estate portfolio.

Our Process

Working closely with the University team through the process, the campaign involved extensive briefing and design around role profiles and the development of a marketing strategy before moving into the marketing and proactive search phase. We then went on to identify and engage with potential candidates across various sectors, leveraging industry networks, databases, and targeted outreach to attract a diverse pool of candidates. A comprehensive marketing campaign was launched to raise awareness about the role, including an online candidate pack, website and social media advertising, and direct marketing.
The campaign included:

  • Development of job and person specifications with key selection criteria
  • Targeted outreach
  • A multi-channel marketing campaign
  • Longlist to shortlist process including candidate interviewing and shortlist reports
  • Facilitation of the interview process including provision of interview presentation topics and a suite of interview questions for each role

Over the course of the campaign, MRG facilitated a meticulous selection process to secure individuals with the required motivation, personal attributes and industry experience to deliver the University’s master plan.

The Outcome

MRG successfully appointed a team of outstanding professionals to lead and form the Estate Development leadership team:

  • Jason Pior – Director of Estates Development
  • Philippa Patterson – Director of Estates PMO, Business and Support Services
  • Peter Moore – Associate Director of Estates Development
  • Gilly Haskey – Associate Director of Estates Development
  • Katie Woodward – Associate Director of Engineering

The Campaign in Numbers

966
CANDIDATES APPROACHED
269
Applications
19
CANDIDATES SHORTLISTed
3446
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Uni of Southampton – Director of Estates Development