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 East Anglia
Situated on the North Sea, East Anglia is a region that includes counties like Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, as well as the city of Peterborough.
Up until the 17th century, most of the region was marshland. A network of river diversions and drainage systems built in the 1600s allowed the area to be converted to arable land and the population began to increase.
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, East Anglia was known for its textile production, but much of this industry moved north to the Midlands during the 18th and 19th centuries.
One of the most famous institutions in the region is the University of Cambridge, which is one of the world's oldest educational establishments. A near-by cluster of tech businesses - the so-called Silicon Fen - comprises a number of start-up companies, most of which can be linked to the university.
Much of East Anglia's economy is based in agriculture and food production and offers a broad range of opportunities for those seeking Head of Facilities vacancies.
Colman's mustard is manufactured in the region, as is Robinsons squash. A Bernard Matthews turkey farm is located near Weston Longville and Aunt Bessie's roast potatoes are made in Westwick. Meanwhile, Premier Foods manufactures Hartley's Jam, Smash instant potatoes and Rose's Marmalade. In addition, Bird's Eye has two factories in the region.
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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