Director of Operations - UK & Ireland

At aparto, we are more than just student accommodation; we are a community that acts as a home-away-from-home for students across the UK and Ireland. We strive to make aparto not just a place to stay, but a vibrant, supportive environment where students can make lifelong friends, discover new possibilities, and have experiences that will shape their futures.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for oversight of the UK and Ireland aparto business, currently comprising 10 properties across the UK and 6 in Dublin, with further growth anticipated.
• Maintain responsibility for financial performance and achievement of performance goals across all properties.
• Ensure successful administration of talent management, operations, quality control, governance, procurement, and supporting investor/owner/client communication activities for UK and Ireland.
• Ensure that our buildings operate safely, efficiently, and profitably, while delivering an outstanding resident experience.
• Lead a team to drive continuous improvement and partner closely with asset management, marketing, and finance to ensure the portfolio meets commercial objectives.

Operational Leadership

• Lead the sales and operational strategy for the UK & Ireland portfolio, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery across all properties.
• Oversee day-to-day operations, including health and safety, compliance, facilities management, guest experience, and community engagement.
• Ensure all buildings operate in line with brand standards, legal requirements, and investor expectations.
• Oversee third-party client relationships and develop an industry-wide network.

Commercial Performance

• Work closely with Asset Management to deliver annual budgets, operating plans, and financial targets.
• Collaborate with Marketing Managers to develop and deliver marketing strategy.
• Oversee the sales function including agent strategy.
• Monitor occupancy, revenue, cost control, and financial performance across the portfolio.
• Identify opportunities to enhance income, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency.

Property & Facilities Management

• Partner with the Facilities Management team to ensure buildings are well-maintained, safe, and aligned with lifecycle plans.
• Support mobilisation of new developments and refurbishments, ensuring smooth handover into operations.
• Oversee procurement and contractor performance to ensure value for money and service quality.
• Manage new mobilisations and oversee refurbishments.
• Deliver environmental goals and ensure compliance.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with statutory and brand standards across all buildings.
• Oversee risk management, incident reporting, and audit processes.
• Drive a proactive safety culture across the operational teams.
• Ensure strict adherence to local market standards, laws, and regulations.

Team Management & Culture

• Lead, coach, and develop Regional Operations Managers and central support teams.
• Build a culture of accountability, empowerment, and hospitality-led service.
• Ensure staffing models, recruitment, and training programmes support operational excellence.
• Champion the aparto brand and ensure a consistently exceptional resident journey.
• Use resident feedback, NPS, and data insights to drive continuous improvement.

Strategic Projects & Innovation

• Support initiatives to improve systems, processes, and resident experience.
• Support digital transformation across operations, including CRM, FM systems, and resident engagement platforms.
• Benchmark aparto against competitors and wider hospitality sectors to maintain market-leading standards.

Qualifications

Essential

• Experience in a similar Director of Operations role within student accommodation.
• Proven track record of managing multi-site operations.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience overseeing sales, delivering budgets, and improving financial performance.
• Deep understanding of health and safety, compliance, and property operations.
• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to inspire, influence, and develop teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable

• Experience mobilising new developments or large refurbishments.
• Experience working with private equity or institutional investors.
• Knowledge of UK and Irish regulatory frameworks for residential accommodation.
• Experience with summer lettings and/or hostel operations.
• Demonstrated success with new business pursuits and third-party business.

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about delivering exceptional service.
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on, solutions-focused approach.
• Calm under pressure, resilient, and adaptable.
• Collaborative, transparent, and commercially minded.
• A natural leader who builds trust and drives performance.

At Hines, we strive for excellence as a leading global real estate investment manager, driven by our belief that real estate is fundamentally about people. Our diverse portfolio spans $93.2 billion of assets across various property types, designed to enhance value, connection, and inspiration. We prioritise investing in our people, offering comprehensive training, competitive compensation, robust benefits, and generous vacation packages. By centring our focus on the growth and wellbeing of our team, we cultivate an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Hines is proud to be named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2024. We are an equal opportunity employer and support workforce diversity.