Head of Facilities
When a business has just one location, there’s always going to be a person whose job it is to ensure the building itself and all its functions are running properly. It might be an office manager, plant manager or such like. But businesses with multiple locations need a more strategic, joined-up and budgeted way to run the properties, and that task is fulfilled by the head of facilities.
The role will be a blend of planning the facilities for future needs, ensuring the books are balanced for all the locations and planning maintenance, cleaning, services, safety and so on – in summary, keeping the facilities functional, profitable, legal and sustainable.
Under the head of facilities, management usually acts on a hierarchical basis, more so in larger operations with multiple plants, offices, depots and storage facilities. That means the head of facilities will often be based in the head office and will delegate tasks and goals to facility managers at the locations, but there will also be regular attendance on-site within the region covered.
The skills required
Head of facilities jobs usually demand experience in overseeing multiple locations of an organisation, and successful candidates will be able to demonstrate a strong aptitude for delegation to, and communication with, the various location managers. The job will be a blend of strategic planning and more urgent decision-making – you could be where the buck stops when a location manager needs to troubleshoot a pressing issue and a potentially costly decision has to be made and then justified to the board.
For some positions, however, experience managing a single facility will be a sufficient qualification, as many of the budgetary and management skills scale up straightforwardly.
Head of Facilities Jobs in Chelmsford
Located in Essex, Chelmsford was granted city status in 2012 and is the only city in the county. It is situated on the River Can, around 32 miles from Charing Cross and is considered to be part of the London commuter belt, meaning it offers a range of options for those seeking Head of Facilities positions.
Chelmsford's history can be traced far back in time and evidence of Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements have been found. In 1199, the town was granted a royal charter and the market is still held in the centre today.
During the Middle Ages, Chelmsford was named the county town of Essex and its population continued to grow in size. The railway arrived in the middle of the 19th century, leading to further economic growth and by the late 1800s, it had become known for its manufacturing industry, particularly electrical equipment.
In 1899, the world's first radio factory was opened in Chelmsford and during the second world war, the region produced machinery and light engineering.
During the end of the 20th century, Chelmsford declined economically. However, the city has gone through major regeneration over the last 30 years and these days it is an important location for administration and distribution.
Chelmsford is currently home to a number of large companies, including investment managers the M&G Group, electric motor manufacturer ebm-papst UK Ltd and e2v Technologies, which is known for its high-tech engineering products for the medical, science, aerospace and industrial markets.
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Heads of facilities use Cast UK
At Cast UK, we only deal with high calibre people and positions, so if you’re looking for a head of facilities for your business, please reach out, as we’ll be able to shortlist a superb selection of candidates for your role. If you want us to be your recruitment partner, call us on 0333 121 3345 and speak to one of our consultants.
If you’re looking to take a step up the ladder as a facilities manager and you’ve got the skills and experience, why not click the link below and register with us? We could have just the role for you.
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