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 York
Known for its towering cathedral and tiny medieval streets that weave through the centre, York may seem old-fashioned in some places, but it offers a wealth of modern-day opportunities for those seeking Head of Facilities vacancies.
Of course, behind York's modern charm lies a city with a long history dating back thousands of years. Archaeological evidence has been found of a Mesolithic settlement from around 8000 BC, while there are also ruins of Roman and Anglo buildings.
Until the Industrial Revolution, York was a prominent trading town, although this dwindled in the 17th century as the city's main competitors, Leeds and Hull, began to take over.
However, the railway made it to York in 1839 and the city once again became a prominent location for the British economy. Indeed, companies like the North Eastern Railway, Rowntrees and Terry's were all based in the region during this time - and continued to be throughout the 20th century.
These days, much of York's business is in the service industry, including finance, IT and tourism. Some of the top employers in the region include Aviva, Shepherd Building Group and British Telecom.
Much of the confectionary industry has disappeared from York in the recent past, with a significant portion of production being moved abroad. However, Nestle still has headquarters and a large manufacturing and distribution facility in the city, making tasty treats like KitKats and Yorkie bars.
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