Head of Service – Property Operations

Grade/Salary: Hay 1 /£74,454– £84,792

Contract Type: Full time, Permanent

Hours: 37 hours

Location: Sandwell Council House, Oldbury (Hybrid)

Lead delivery. Provide assurance. Keep a £1bn estate safe, compliant and working. Sandwell Council manages a complex, operationally critical estate of nearly 4,000 land and building assets – from frontline service buildings and community facilities to commercial property and heritage sites. Every day, those assets must be safe, compliant, functional and fit for purpose.

We are strengthening our senior leadership team to support a clearer Corporate Landlord model, with sharper accountability and stronger operational grip. As part of that, we are creating a new Head of Service – Property Operations role. This is a senior delivery leadership position, designed for someone who thrives on pace, complexity and accountability, and who wants to lead operational property services at scale.

The opportunity

As Head of Service – Property Operations, you will take responsibility for the delivery and day‑to‑day performance of the council’s operational property functions, including:

• Capital programme delivery – ensuring approved schemes are delivered safely, on time, within budget and to quality standards
• Hard FM and statutory compliance – providing senior assurance on fire, asbestos, gas, electrical, water hygiene, lifts and wider building safety
• Soft FM services – ensuring cleaning, caretaking, security and related services support safe, welcoming and well‑managed buildings

Working alongside a complementary Head of Service focused on strategy and performance, you will translate agreed priorities into real‑world outcomes, maintaining grip on risk, compliance, contracts and customer experience. This role is about delivery excellence, not firefighting.

What you’ll be accountable for

• Lead multidisciplinary operational teams and major suppliers across a geographically dispersed and diverse estate
• Maintain clear line‑of‑sight from compliance data to senior assurance, giving confidence to Members and corporate leadership
• Drive strong programme and contract management, intervening early where risks or performance issues emerge
• Embed consistent standards for health, safety, service quality and operational resilience
• Lead continuous improvement across FM and capital delivery models, modernising how services are commissioned and managed
• Act as a visible, accessible senior leader for operational teams, providing clarity, challenge and support

You will not be responsible for defining corporate property strategy, but you will be critical in ensuring that strategy is deliverable, safe and grounded in operational reality.

Why this role is different

• This is a new, senior role, created to strengthen delivery and reduce operational risk
• You’ll have clear ownership of operational performance and compliance with the authority to act
• You’ll operate within a clearer, more mature leadership structure, not a fragmented legacy environment
• You’ll play a central role in supporting wider service change and a future Property Transformation Programme

If you’re motivated by responsibility, visibility and impact, this role offers scale without dilution.

Who we’re looking for

• Senior leadership experience in capital delivery, facilities management or complex operational estates
• A strong grasp of statutory compliance, health and safety and operational risk
• Proven experience managing large budgets, contracts and supplier relationships
• The confidence to give clear assurance and challenge at senior leadership and Member level
• A practical, values‑led leadership style focused on delivery, accountability and continuous improvement
• Public sector experience is welcome, but not essential. What matters is credibility, calm authority and delivery discipline.

We place equality, diversity and inclusion at the core of who we are and how we lead, where every voice matters. At Sandwell, we recognise and value the richness that comes from diverse lived experiences, perspectives, backgrounds and identities. This diversity makes us a stronger and more effective council. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to building a workplace where everyone feels they belong, are treated fairly, and have the opportunity to thrive.

Creating an environment where colleagues feel respected, supported and able to contribute fully is central to our culture and the way we work. We are committed to ensuring that all applicants and employees have equitable access to opportunities. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process and within the workplace so that everyone has the support they need to perform at their best and succeed in their role.

If you have any questions relating to equality, diversity, and inclusion, you can contact the EDI Team at EDI_Team@sandwell.gov.uk. If you wish to apply as a Care Leaver or a Disability Confident candidate, please make sure to state this when submitting your CV. If you have a disability and require assistance in submitting your CV, please contact sukhy_lall@sandwell.gov.uk.