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 Westmorland
An administrative county from 1889, Westmorland is a historic part of north-west England that became part of Cumbria in 1974, as part of the Local Government Act 1972.
While the county may not be officially recognised as an entity today, there are a number of thriving communities that were once part of the county. These include Kendal, Windermere and Appleby, all of which offer a number of options for anyone looking for Head of Facilities opportunities.
In addition, the beautiful local countryside, which includes the Lake District and the North Pennines, gives those who work in the Westmorland region plenty of outdoor activities for relaxing during the weekends.
Historically, the region was known for producing snuff and other tobacco products, shoes and the delicious Kendal mint cake, which is still a favourite treat today. And while much of the region's modern economy is based on tourism and the service sector, other industries include food manufacture, engineering, IT, design and papermaking.
Just some of the companies that can be found in the region, either with headquarters or other large facilities, include Heinz, James Cropper, pump specialists Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon and Mardix.
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.
Contact us