The Metropolitan Police Service are seeking an exceptional Deputy Director of Workplace Services for a 6 month initial contract to join their Property Services Directorate, providing strategic leadership across one of the UK's largest, most complex and operationally critical estates portfolios.
Reporting to the Property Services Director, this is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of workplace services across a diverse property portfolio that supports frontline policing and public safety across London.
This role will be based in Central London across the Met estate with hybrid working available. The rate for this role is likely to fall between £900 - £1100 per day umbrella.
As the challenge of protecting London evolves, the Metropolitan Police Service continues to transform how its property estate supports operational policing. The Workplace Services function sits at the heart of this transformation, ensuring that buildings, assets, specialist facilities and support services remain safe, compliant, resilient and fit for purpose. This role will play a significant part in delivering the MPS Estate Strategy whilst driving service excellence, value for money and long-term sustainability across the estate.
This is an exciting time to join Property Services. The successful candidate will lead a core function responsible for strategic asset management, hard and soft facilities management, estate management, specialist real estate operations and the management of significant outsourced service contracts. The role also provides leadership for major Public Finance Initiative (PFI) arrangements as they approach key transition milestones over the coming years.
The Team
Property Services is responsible for managing and maintaining a large and diverse estate portfolio that supports operational policing, corporate functions and specialist facilities. The Workplace Services function provides strategic leadership across technical facilities management, soft facilities management, specialist estate services, asset management and outsourced service delivery arrangements. The Deputy Director leads an intelligent client team of approximately 26 FTE and provides oversight of a significant outsourced delivery model, supported by four direct reports at senior management level.
The function oversees supplier contracts valued at approximately £65m per annum, delivering around 175,000 planned maintenance activities, 70,000 reactive repairs and hundreds of proactive estate projects each year. The role also holds responsibility for revenue budgets of £80m-£90m and plays a key role in ensuring continuity of service across a highly complex operational estate.
The Role
As Deputy Director, Workplace Services, you will be responsible for developing and delivering the strategic direction for workplace services across the MPS estate. Working closely with executive stakeholders, operational policing teams and external partners, you will ensure the organisation continues to provide safe, compliant and high-performing workplace environments.
You will provide executive leadership across asset management, facilities management, estate management and supply chain operations, establishing robust governance, performance management and assurance frameworks. This will include acting as the senior intelligent client for outsourced service providers, driving accountability and ensuring services remain customer focused, efficient and resilient.
The role will also lead strategic decision-making on asset investment, maintenance planning and long-term estate stewardship. You will oversee complex commercial contracts, manage strategic supplier relationships and lead preparations for future operating models as existing PFI arrangements near expiry. Working at executive level, you will provide advice and assurance to senior leadership teams whilst contributing to wider organisational transformation programmes and the development of future estate strategies.
This is a highly visible leadership position offering the opportunity to influence how workplace services are delivered across one of the most recognised public sector organisations in the UK.
The MPS can offer a competitive executive-level package, flexible working arrangements, access to excellent pension benefits and the opportunity to play a significant leadership role in shaping the future of policing infrastructure across London.
Essential Criteria
- Extensive leadership and management experience within the property, estates, facilities management or construction sectors.
- Demonstrable experience managing large and complex estates portfolios of a comparable scale, including operational, corporate and specialist facilities.
- Experience overseeing maintenance, compliance and facilities management contracts valued at up to approximately £60m per annum.
- Proven ability to lead complex supply chains, outsourced service providers and multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong commercial acumen, including procurement, contract management, supplier performance and governance.
- Experience leading significant organisational change and transformation programmes.
- Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at executive and board level.
- Experience operating within a public sector, highly regulated or security-sensitive environment.
- Excellent communication, leadership and decision-making capabilities.
- Degree educated or able to demonstrate equivalent senior leadership experience within a large, complex organisation.
Desirable Criteria
- Professional qualification or chartered status in Property, Real Estate, Construction, Facilities Management or a related discipline.
- Experience of Public Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts and outsourced service delivery frameworks.
- Experience acting as a senior intelligent client within complex outsourced operating models.
- Experience leading specialist estate portfolios, including operationally sensitive or secure facilities.
- Experience of data-led estate performance management and digital service delivery environments.
If this sounds like the ideal opportunity for your skills and experience, apply now and help shape the future of workplace services for one of the world's most recognised police organisations.
Deputy Director - Workplace Services in Slough employer: Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service is an exceptional employer, offering a starting salary of over £42,000 and a wealth of benefits including generous leave options and a comprehensive health and wellbeing service. With a commitment to diversity and community representation, employees are supported in their growth through various training programmes and career pathways, all while being part of a unique and supportive network dedicated to making London safer. Join a dynamic team of over 30,000 colleagues and experience the rewarding challenges of policing in one of the world's most vibrant cities.
