Head of Facilities in Blackburn

Job purpose

Lead and organise the Club’s facilities department, ensuring stadium and all other BRFC sites infrastructure and services are maintained and operationally ready.

Duties and responsibilities

• To be committed to ensuring the safeguarding and welfare of all staff, customers and clients of the Club;
• To coordinate and allocate work to the facilities department employees on a daily, weekly and monthly basis;
• Develop and maintain a facilities-management system and deliver emergency, planned and preventative maintenance using both internal staff and external providers;
• Set and review staff KPIs covering workload, productivity and quality;
• Maintain a robust facilities-management system covering assets, planned and reactive maintenance, statutory inspections and projects;
• Log, prioritise, assign and track all requests through to verified completion;
• Plan and coordinate close-season and pre-season works, including scope, cost, approvals, access, resources and contractor availability;
• Schedule works around fixtures, training, commercial events and departmental requirements;
• Plan and coordinate facilities projects from initial scope through completion and handover;
• Agree objectives, budgets, responsibilities and programmes with relevant stakeholders;
• Prepare and manage operational and capital expenditure budgets with Finance and senior management.
• Report regularly on expenditure, committed costs, forecast outturn and significant variances;
• Identify future financial requirements and elevate potential overspends or unplanned expenditure;
• Review suppliers, purchasing arrangements and contracts to ensure quality, reliability and value for money;
• Procure materials, equipment and services in line with planned works and operational requirements;
• Schedule, deliver and record statutory inspections, testing, servicing and remedial works for buildings, plant and facilities;
• Maintain a compliance schedule with named responsibilities, deadlines and completion evidence;
• Coordinate pre-event checks and provide appropriate maintenance support;
• To identify and recommend efficiency and sustainability improvements;
• Work with Ground Safety, Operations, Grounds, Football, IT and Commercial departments on shared requirements;
• Any other duties as reasonably required by the CEO or Board of Directors.

Skills required

• Strong organisational skills and experience coordinating work across multiple sites.
• Experience using facilities or maintenance-management systems;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• The ability to work as part of a team and to use own initiative;
• To ensure compliance with all relevant legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements;
• To be adaptable to different situations and arising issues;
• The ability to make decisions using available resources and sound judgement;
• IT literate;
• To maintain confidentiality and discretion;
• Excellent organisation and time management skills;
• To plan and implement change effectively;
• The ability to motivate staff towards goal attainment;
• Flexible approach to working; and
• The ability to build constructive professional relationships between all staff and team members.

Knowledge and experience required

• Proven experience managing a multidisciplinary facilities or maintenance team;
• Sound knowledge of building maintenance, health and safety, services and facilities-related statutory compliance;
• Experience managing operational budgets, capital expenditure and financial reporting;
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures and protocols;
• A sound knowledge of the building and construction industry with particular experience of building regulations;
• Experience of using a variety of Building Management Systems (BMS);
• Working knowledge of energy conservation and sustainability matters;
• Previous experience of access audit requirements;
• Experience of managing and delivering budgets;
• A broad knowledge of current legislation relating to waste management, health and safety and utility conservation;
• Experience and understanding of building and construction trades, maintenance processes and equipment; and
• Experience of football stadia maintenance programmes

Qualifications required

• IWFM (or equivalent experience)
• NEBOSH (desirable)
• Project management related qualifications (desirable)
• Recognised skilled trade