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 Watford
A town located in Hertfordshire, Watford is just 18 miles from London and is a busy area with many opportunities for those seeking Head of Facilities roles.
It also boasts easy access to the capital - via overground trains or the Metropolitan underground line - making it perfect for those who want to work in London, but live away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Situated on the River Colne, Watford is thought to have originated during the Saxon period and was mainly an agricultural area until the Industrial Revolution. Thanks to the completion of the Grand Union Canal in 1798 and the London and Birmingham Railway in 1837, the city quickly began to expand.
During this period, manufacturing became an important part of the local economy, particularly paper-making, printing and brewing.
For most of the 20th century, a Rolls-Royce factory was located in Watford, which was responsible for manufacturing jet engines. This site was shut down in the early 1990s and re-born as the world-famous Leavesden Film Studios, which has been used for work on blockbuster franchises like James Bond, Star Wars and Harry Potter.
In line with the rest of the country, the service sector has taken over in Watford during the last 20 years and the city is now home to various multimedia companies. What's more, a number of large companies have the headquarters here - including Mothercare, Hilton and JD Wetherspoons.
Popular locations
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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