Building Manager Merlin Place in Cambridge

Are you a Building Manager who takes ownership of the day-to-day operation of a technically complex life sciences building in Cambridge? For our new Merlin Place location in Cambridge North, we are looking for a Building Manager who will oversee the building as it completes and prepares for its first tenants. Merlin Place is a newly completed life sciences building combining laboratory, cleanroom, and office space within the Cambridge North Science & Business Cluster.

The building will be completed in May this year and will shortly welcome its first tenants. As Building Manager, you will be involved from the moment the building becomes operational, helping to set up services, coordinate contractors and prepare the building for occupation. You coordinate service providers, oversee contractors on site, and ensure the building is ready for viewings, technical queries, and tenant fit-outs. You are a visible presence on site and play an important role in preparing the building for its first occupants.

In this role, the focus is on operational building management and during the first phase of the building you will work closely with internal teams, suppliers, and prospective tenants, combining day-to-day building oversight with the preparation for tenant occupation.

You are responsible for the operational preparedness of the building, including hard and soft services. You support the mobilisation of external service providers such as security, cleaning, and reception, and monitor performance against agreed KPIs. You coordinate contractors following completion of the building and during the preparation for occupation. You organise and support building tours and viewings for prospective tenants together with the commercial team. You respond to technical queries from prospective tenants and support the preparation of tenant fit-outs. You oversee planned preventative maintenance programmes and ensure maintenance contracts are correctly in place. You ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and support the preparation of operational procedures and documentation.

The role is fully based on site at Merlin Place in Cambridge. Merlin Place is located within the Cambridge North Science & Business Cluster and offers purpose-built laboratory, cleanroom, and office space for organisations active in life sciences, data, deep tech, and sustainable innovation. The building provides flexible laboratory environments including CL2 wet labs, chemistry laboratories and technical spaces designed for start-ups, scale-ups, and established companies. Shared amenities are available throughout the building, including central meeting rooms, an on-site café, and communal areas for tenants. Facilities also include showers and changing rooms, accessible spaces, parking for cars and bicycles on site and private balconies for tenants. The building forms part of the wider Cambridge science cluster, with research organisations, technology companies, and university spin-outs located nearby.

As Building Manager, you will play an important role in preparing the building for its first tenants and supporting the early operational phase of the asset. The position sits within the property management team and reports directly to the Senior Operations Lead. You will work directly for Kadans as owner and operator of the building. Daily presence on site and close collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders are essential.

Kadans Science Partner develops, owns, and operates specialised real estate for organisations active in Life Sciences and Health, Agri and Food, Chemistry and Energy, and High-Tech Systems and Materials. Across Europe, we deliver technically advanced buildings that form part of established science clusters. Our portfolio includes laboratories, GMP facilities, research space and offices designed to support research and innovation. Within our buildings and clusters, organisations of different sizes work alongside each other. This creates opportunities for collaboration and access to talent, research, and capital. Kadans works in long-term partnership with its tenants, with a strong focus on quality and reliability.