At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead facilities services across multiple campuses, ensuring high-quality delivery and compliance.
- Company: Progressive educational establishment with a focus on enhancing student experience.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous package, and potential for permanent position.
- Other info: Opportunity to work in a dynamic environment with significant career growth.
- Why this job: Shape services and improve campus experiences in a visible leadership role.
- Qualifications: Senior-level experience in facilities management and strong stakeholder engagement skills.
The predicted salary is between 42000 - 63000 £ per year.
Maxwell Stephens is partnering with an educational establishment to appoint a Head of Facilities Management for an initial 6 Month contract, a senior leadership role within a complex, multi-campus estate. This position leads all facilities services, including outsourced soft services, catering, porterage and front-of-house operations, ensuring high-quality, compliant, and cost-effective delivery that directly supports the student experience. You will take full ownership of performance, budgets, service improvement and stakeholder engagement, ensuring safe, compliant and well-maintained environments for students, staff and visitors. This role has every opportunity to progress into a long term permanent position.
Key responsibilities include:
- Providing strategic leadership for the facilities function, ensuring best practice, innovation and continuous improvement
- Leading, motivating and developing multi-disciplinary teams and senior managers
- Managing and optimising outsourced service contracts, including procurement, tendering and performance management
- Developing and controlling significant operational budgets, including identifying income-generation opportunities
- Producing robust management information, KPI reporting and service reviews to support informed decision-making
- Ensuring full compliance with health & safety, food safety, environmental and statutory legislation
- Building strong relationships with internal stakeholders across Estates and the wider University
- Deputising for the Director
- Representing on committees, working groups and professional networks
This role requires regular travel between campuses and occasional out-of-hours and weekend working in response to operational needs and emergencies.
The Person
We are seeking a confident, credible and commercially astute facilities leader with experience operating at scale. You will ideally bring:
- Significant senior-level experience managing facilities services within a large, multi-site organisation
- Proven experience of strategic planning and service transformation
- Strong background in contract procurement and management, including frameworks
- Demonstrable experience managing and setting substantial budgets
- Experience leading and developing high-performing teams
- Strong analytical capability, with experience reporting against KPIs
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
Qualifications / Professional Standing:
- Degree or relevant professional qualification
- Membership of IWFM (formerly BIFM)
- NEBOSH General Certificate (or equivalent)
- MSc Facilities Management (desirable)
- Higher education sector experience (desirable, not essential)
Why This Role?
This is not a maintenance-led FM role. It is a visible, influential leadership position within a progressive educational environment, offering genuine scope to shape services, improve performance and enhance the campus experience. If you are a strategic FM leader who thrives in complex environments and wants to operate at senior level within education, this role will stretch and reward you. For further details or a confidential discussion, please contact Maxwell Stephens.
Head of Facilities Management employer: Maxwell Stephens Recruitment
Joining our organisation as a Facilities Manager means becoming part of a dedicated team that prioritises safety, compliance, and operational excellence. We offer competitive salaries, a generous bonus structure, and a supportive work culture that fosters professional growth and development. With a focus on continuous improvement and collaboration across multiple locations, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a respected charity committed to making a difference.
Contact Details:
Maxwell Stephens Recruitment Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Facilities Management
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the facilities management sector. Attend industry events or webinars, and don’t be shy about introducing yourself. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation thoroughly. Understand their values, recent projects, and challenges they face. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in making a positive impact in their facilities management.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've led teams, managed budgets, and improved services in previous roles. Use metrics and KPIs to back up your achievements – numbers speak volumes!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our platform. Let’s get you that Head of Facilities Management role!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Facilities Management
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the key responsibilities and skills mentioned in the job description. Highlight your experience in facilities management, especially in multi-site organisations, to show us you’re the right fit for this role.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about facilities management and how your strategic leadership can enhance the student experience. Keep it engaging and relevant to the role.
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your duties; showcase your achievements! Use specific examples of how you’ve improved services, managed budgets, or led teams. We want to see the impact you’ve made in your previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates!
How to prepare for a job interview at Maxwell Stephens Recruitment
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the key responsibilities of the Head of Facilities Management role. Brush up on your knowledge of facilities services, budget management, and stakeholder engagement. Being able to discuss specific examples from your past experience will show that you’re not just familiar with the concepts but have successfully implemented them.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership, so be prepared to talk about how you've motivated and developed teams in the past. Think of specific instances where you’ve led a team through challenges or implemented service improvements. Highlighting your ability to inspire others will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask how you would handle specific situations, such as managing outsourced contracts or ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. Practise articulating your thought process and decision-making strategies, as this will demonstrate your analytical capabilities and strategic planning skills.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Since stakeholder management is crucial for this role, think about how you’ve built relationships in previous positions. Be ready to discuss your communication style and how you’ve navigated complex environments. Showing that you can effectively engage with various stakeholders will highlight your suitability for this senior leadership position.
