Head of Property & facilities

Our client is seeking an experienced Head of Property & Facilities to lead the national property and facilities function across approximately 43 UK operational sites, including a major head office and associated vacant properties.

The role is responsible for ensuring the estate remains safe, compliant, cost-effective and operationally effective, covering maintenance, property projects, CAPEX, suppliers, budgets, utilities, sustainability and property lifecycle activities.

You will lead a team of Regional Property Managers, Facilities Management and CAFM professionals, acting as the senior property subject matter expert and key adviser to the wider business.

Reporting Structure

Reports to: Senior Director – Infrastructure, Engineering & Real Estate

Direct Reports:

• 4 Regional Property Managers
• 1 Facilities Manager
• CAFM Supervisor
• 1 Property Support Administrator

Key Responsibilities

Property & Facilities Leadership

• Develop and lead the national property and facilities strategy.
• Establish property standards, policies and governance.
• Ensure all sites remain safe, compliant and fit for operational purpose.
• Act as the senior escalation point for property-related issues.
• Lead and develop the national property and facilities team.

Financial & Commercial Management

• Manage an annual operational property budget of approximately £8 million.
• Lead budget planning, forecasting and financial control.
• Identify cost-saving and efficiency opportunities.
• Manage contractor and supplier performance.
• Support contract negotiations and commercial reviews.

Maintenance & Contractor Management

• Oversee planned preventative and reactive maintenance across the estate.
• Manage a network of 100+ specialist contractors and service providers.
• Ensure delivery of more than 4,000 planned and reactive service visits annually.
• Oversee an outsourced 24/7 property helpdesk and utilities consultancy.
• Ensure maintenance supports operational resilience and business continuity.

Compliance, Risk & Assurance

• Ensure statutory and regulatory compliance across the property portfolio.
• Lead property-related safety, audit and compliance activities.
• Manage property risk and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
• Maintain effective compliance records and reporting.

Sustainability & Utilities

• Lead the property utilities strategy and performance.
• Oversee utility consumption, expenditure and efficiency.
• Lead carbon reporting in partnership with relevant corporate teams.
• Support wider ESG and sustainability objectives.

Property Projects & Real Estate

• Support acquisitions, relocations, expansions and other property initiatives.
• Lead dilapidations, site exits and closure activities.
• Oversee leasehold improvements and CAPEX projects.
• Provide technical property expertise across the business.

Systems & Digital Management

• Own and develop the CAFM platform.
• Ensure accurate asset and property data.
• Improve management information and reporting.
• Drive digital and process improvements across property management.

Qualifications

Essential

Relevant degree, professional qualification or equivalent experience in:

• MRICS
• MCIOB
• Building Surveying
• Construction
• Property or Facilities Management

Desirable

• IOSH Managing Safely
• NEBOSH Certificate

Experience Required

Essential

• Senior leadership experience within a UK-wide, multi-site property or facilities environment.
• Experience managing professional teams and budgets of £5m+.
• Strong senior stakeholder management skills.
• Experience managing national contractor and supplier networks.
• Strong knowledge of property compliance, statutory maintenance and risk.
• Proven commercial and financial management capability.

Desirable

• Logistics, industrial, warehousing or distribution experience.
• Corporate real estate experience.
• CAFM implementation or optimisation experience.
• Sustainability, utilities and carbon reporting experience.
• Experience managing property improvement or CAPEX programmes.

Key Skills & Competencies

Leadership: Strategic planning, team development, change management and communication.

Commercial: Budget management, contract negotiation, supplier performance, cost optimisation and business cases.

Technical: Property and facilities management, statutory compliance, risk management, asset management, CAFM, sustainability and lifecycle management.

Behavioural: Leadership, influencing, negotiation, decision-making, problem-solving and stakeholder management.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be a strategic, commercially astute property professional with significant experience managing complex, geographically dispersed estates.

You will combine strong technical property knowledge with proven leadership, financial and stakeholder management skills. Experience within a logistics, industrial, distribution or similarly operationally critical environment would be advantageous.