Joint Force Alba is delighted to be supporting this defence related organisation to recruit a Head of Estates. Property and facilities management is one of the most significant functions of our client as they look after hundreds of individual assets, spread across 130+ sites in southern Scotland. Our client maintains the Estate to the required legal standard, ensuring that all sites are kept in good condition, fit for purpose and secure.
Our client works with approved contractors and consultants to provide a professional service and an attractive environment which supports the recruitment and training needs of their customers as well as the hire out of some venues on an ad hoc basis. This service includes:
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Planned maintenance – Based on a comprehensive Forward Maintenance Register, a managed programme of works provides for the replacement of key building elements and a rolling schedule of redecoration and repair of internal and external finishes.
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Reactive maintenance – prompt response to storm and accidental damage.
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Statutory and mandatory inspection and testing, as laid down by statute and MOD regulation – including control of asbestos, inspection and testing of boilers, electrical equipment and wiring, plant and lifting equipment together with the prevention of Legionella within hot and cold water systems.
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Utilities and facilities management – control of the use of energy on the estate, monitoring consumption and promoting energy saving best practice.
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Project design and management – design and project management is provided in-house. External design teams are appointed for large capital projects, and are overseen by our client's estates team.
About the role
Based in their Glasgow office, the Head of Estates leads a focused estates team of 8 people to maintain the built estate and to develop sites to meet the changing needs of our client's immediate customers (Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force) and Defence. This is supported by consultants and contractors.
The Head of Estates reports to the Chief Executive, providing technical direction, advice and assistance on all matters relating to the estate and to ensure the effective delivery of estates services - hard FM and soft FM. The Head of Estates will use their extensive leadership and professional skills to plan, cost and supervise the effective delivery of the full range of estate and facilities management tasks, liaising with customers, service providers, professional advisers and businesses as necessary. You will plan, supervise and deliver the annual maintenance, refurbishment and reprovision programmes, and facilities management for 30 principal sites across southern Scotland, each of varying complexity, in accordance with customer Service Level Agreements (SLAs), within pre agreed budgets, and to safe and compliant standards. You will constantly evaluate the opportunities for estate optimisation, rationalisation and improvement as well as the best methods for the Estates Team to provide a quality service.
A significant amount of travel is involved therefore candidates must be prepared to travel and, periodically, spend nights away from home.
This is full-time post based on a 37 hour working week.
About you
Our client want to recruit someone with a proven record of successfully delivering middle management or above roles within an estates or property management organisation/function. You should have strong financial management skills including experience and understanding of profiling and monitoring expenditure, reconciling accounts and authorizing invoices from contractors and consultants. Applicants must have a clean driving licence and should live within reasonable commuting distance of Glasgow.
Ideally our client would like applicants to be educated to degree level in a building surveying or construction related discipline and perhaps already be members of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors or the Chartered Institute of Building, or be able to demonstrate relevant experience in a similar role.
You should be comfortable working with a wide range of IT software including MS Office suite. Knowledge of CAD or other Estates management software would be helpful. Also an IOSH Managing Safely certificate would be advantageous.
Annual leave, excluding public holidays, is 25 days rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service. Previous service in the public sector will count towards qualifying years’ service. A company car will be provided.
This role would suite someone who has perhaps worked in a C/S/RQMS or QM role previously or has related civilian experience since leaving the Armed Forces.