Facilities Management Operations Manager

Andy File Associates Limited is working as a Recruitment Agency on behalf of our client with regards this permanent position.

This is an exciting chance to join our client's team, a thriving FM business in Doncaster as Operations Manager.

Hours of work 40 per week Monday - Friday between the hours of 8.00am and 5.00pm

Purpose of the role

The Operations Manager will take day-to-day ownership of the operational delivery of our client's planned, reactive, statutory compliance and project works.

Working within a small, growing facilities management business, this is a hands-on management position requiring someone who is equally comfortable managing engineers and subcontractors, communicating with clients, reviewing RAMS, resolving operational problems and ensuring information is accurately maintained within the CAFM system.

The Operations Manager will work closely with the Managing Director and office-based team to ensure works are appropriately resourced, delivered safely, completed within agreed SLAs and budgets, and provide the high level of customer service expected by our client.

A key part of the role will be creating operational structure and accountability across the business, ensuring that engineers, subcontractors and office-based employees understand priorities, responsibilities and required standards.

Key responsibilities

Operational management

• Take day-to-day ownership of planned, reactive, compliance and project work from instruction through to completion.
• Coordinate operational resources across directly employed engineers and subcontractors.
• Ensure work is correctly prioritised, scheduled and delivered within contractual SLAs and agreed client timescales.
• Proactively identify potential delays, resource constraints and operational issues and take action to resolve them.
• Ensure jobs are progressed through the CAFM system and do not remain unnecessarily outstanding.
• Work closely with office-based staff to ensure quotations, purchase orders, service documentation and client updates are progressed efficiently.
• Review operational performance, outstanding works, compliance dates and workload and report exceptions to the Managing Director.
• Support mobilisation of new contracts and clients.

Team management

Provide clear day-to-day leadership to mobile engineers and relevant office-based operational staff.

Set expectations, allocate responsibilities and hold team members accountable for delivery.

Conduct regular one-to-ones, performance discussions and development reviews.

Coach and support employees to improve performance and capability.

Manage absence, conduct and performance issues appropriately in conjunction with the Managing Director.

Promote effective communication between the office and mobile workforce.

Develop a positive, practical and solutions-focused working culture.

Subcontractor and supply-chain management

Develop and maintain a reliable network of competent subcontractors across the disciplines required by the business.

Source and engage subcontractors to meet operational requirements.

Ensure subcontractors are appropriately approved before appointment and that required competency, insurance and health and safety documentation is maintained.

Communicate scopes, standards, deadlines and client requirements clearly to subcontractors.

Review subcontractor RAMS and supporting documentation before work commences.

Monitor subcontractor performance in relation to safety, quality, cost, responsiveness and customer service.

Carry out site audits and quality checks where appropriate.

Address poor performance and develop alternative supply-chain capacity where necessary.

Health, safety and compliance

Promote and maintain a strong health and safety culture across the business.

Prepare, review and approve suitable and sufficient risk assessments and method statements.

Review subcontractor RAMS and challenge inadequate documentation before work is authorised.

Ensure hazards associated with works are properly identified and appropriate control measures implemented.

Support the management of permits to work and other safe systems of work.

Carry out site safety inspections and operational audits.

Deliver or coordinate toolbox talks and safety briefings.

Support incident and near-miss investigation and implementation of corrective actions.

Maintain a practical working knowledge of relevant health and safety and building-services legislation and statutory compliance requirements.

Client and commercial management

Develop strong working relationships with clients and act as a senior operational point of contact.

Communicate clearly and proactively regarding progress, delays, defects and remedial requirements.

Attend client review and operational meetings as required.

Ensure contractual KPIs and SLAs are understood and achieved.

Support preparation of quotations and scopes for additional and remedial works.

Identify additional works arising from maintenance visits and client requirements and ensure opportunities are appropriately progressed.

Monitor operational delivery against budget and challenge avoidable costs or inefficiencies.

Support the Managing Director with contract performance information and operational reporting.

CAFM, systems and administration

Use the company's CAFM/job-management system as a core operational management tool.

Ensure job records, service documentation, statutory records, quotations and completion information are accurate and current.

Monitor outstanding jobs, overdue actions and compliance activities through the system.

Ensure engineers and office-based employees use systems consistently and accurately.

Maintain visibility of operational KPIs and provide appropriate management information.

Look for opportunities to improve processes, workflows and use of technology.

Person specification

Essential

• Proven experience within facilities management, building maintenance or hard FM.
• Experience managing a combination of direct labour/mobile engineers and subcontractors.
• Strong understanding of planned and reactive maintenance and statutory compliance.
• NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent/higher qualification.
• Demonstrable experience of writing, reviewing and challenging risk assessments and method statements.
• Experience managing subcontractor competence and performance.
• Strong people-management skills with experience managing performance and holding people accountable.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Confident communicating with clients, engineers, subcontractors and senior stakeholders.
• Experience using a CAFM, job-management or similar operational system.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing operational priorities.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of the relationship between operational decisions, labour/subcontractor costs and profitability.
• Good IT skills.
• Full UK driving licence.

Highly desirable

Experience within an SME facilities-management business.

Knowledge of SFG20.

Experience working with statutory compliance disciplines including electrical, mechanical, fire, water hygiene, gas and HVAC.

Experience of contract mobilisation.

Experience of auditing contractors and service delivery.

Additional relevant technical/building-services qualifications.

Working approach

This role suits a practical, visible and accountable manager who is comfortable working close to service delivery. The successful candidate will be expected to make sound operational decisions, communicate them clearly and follow through to completion, while knowing when matters require escalation to the Managing Director.

Additional requirements

Be flexible to work outside core hours from time to time where operational circumstances require.

Complete mandatory and role-specific training as required.

Work in accordance with Company policies, procedures and relevant legislation.

Maintain professional relationships with colleagues, clients, contractors, suppliers and partner organisations.

Undertake other duties reasonably commensurate with the responsibilities of the role.