Head of Workplace Operations

We are building the UK's next generation engineering powerhouse, providing critical technology that strengthens national security and resilience. We specialise in turning advances in sensing, AI, and communications into operational capability for the edge, where connectivity may be degraded or denied. Our work focuses on accelerating the deployment of technology, improving decision-making for frontline teams, and protecting people and critical assets in demanding environments.

Rowden is growing fast, and so is our physical footprint. We currently operate two large office units and a warehouse in Bristol, alongside a smaller office in London. We’re also expanding, with a large new site under construction and an additional unit in Bristol about to be brought into use.

With this growth comes the need to bring in a dedicated leader for our facilities. As Head of Workplace Operations, you will own the management of this estate – including the buildings themselves and everything inside that makes them work day-to-day, down to the coffee, the whiteboard pens, and the processes that support how we work. This is a broad, hands-on role with real ownership: your job is to make sure every space enables our people to do their best work and to ensure that they are safe, whether they are at a desk, in the warehouse or out in the field.

There are three key pillars to the role:

• Operation of our current sites: You’ll lead a team that keeps our facilities running smoothly, including our Facilities Manager, Receptionist, and Exec Support & Operations Coordinator. Your job is to bring these individual strands together, set the direction, and be accountable for the effective overall operation of Rowden’s workplaces.
• Facilities planning: You will need to look ahead as our space needs will continue to change. You’ll work closely with our Facilities Programme lead and leadership team to define the requirements of new facilities and ensure we are building to meet those needs.
• Health and safety: You will take responsibility for Health and Safety across Rowden, managing our Health, Safety and Environment systems, policies and risk assessments, and building a culture where safety is everyone’s job.

Rowden is a fast-moving and highly collaborative business. You will need to work with legal, engineering, IT, people, and finance to do your job effectively, so you will need to build strong relationships and coordinate across functions while leading firmly on the areas that are yours. The right person for this role will enjoy taking ownership of a growing estate, keeping people safe, and turning empty units and new sites into spaces where great work happens.

You will work to the COO in this role. This is primarily a site-based role and we expect the successful candidate to spend a minimum of four days a week in our Bristol office.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• Be accountable for the effective operation of Rowden’s workplace estate, partnering closely with the Facilities Manager.
• Lead the workplace operations team, ensuring our workplaces run smoothly and employees, customers and visitors are well supported.
• Lead Health and Safety across every site and for people working off-site or travelling.
• Define requirements for and help shape workplace projects that support Rowden’s continued growth.
• Work closely with IT to ensure our physical environments support the technology our teams rely on.
• Support the physical security of our sites.
• Build strong relationships across legal, engineering, IT, people and finance.

Key skills, experience and behaviours include being genuinely interested in how physical spaces shape the way people work, comfortable holding responsibility for safety, confident coordinating across teams, pragmatic and delivery-focused, and motivated by helping a growing business build the spaces and standards it needs to scale well.

We are committed to building a flexible, inclusive, and enabling company. Our aim is to create a diverse team of talented people with unique skills, experience, and backgrounds. We also recognise the importance of flexible working and support this wherever we can.

Rowden is a Disability Confident Committed company, and we actively encourage people with disabilities and health conditions to apply for our roles.