Head of Facilities Management

Sulzer is a leading engineering company with a proud heritage of innovation. Join our global team to grow your expertise and develop innovative solutions that enable a prosperous and more sustainable society.

About the role

This is an opportunity to shape and lead a significant transformation in how Facilities Management is delivered across our UK & Ireland operations.

Reporting to the Head of ESH, the Head of Facilities Management will lead the development of a more strategic, consistent and mature approach to FM across a complex, multi-site engineering organisation.

We are bringing together Facilities Management activity across different divisions and legal entities and transitioning towards a first-generation outsourced FM model. This is therefore much more than a traditional FM leadership role. You will help establish the operating model, bring stakeholders together around a common approach and build a strong, collaborative partnership between our business and our chosen FM provider.

Our ambition is to move beyond reactive facilities management and create a function that actively supports statutory compliance, operational performance, asset lifecycle planning, capital investment and the long-term development of our estate.

Success will depend as much on people and relationships as it does on technical FM expertise. You will work with stakeholders across different businesses and locations, some of whom will be working together in this way for the first time. We are looking for an engaging leader who can listen, influence, build trust and bring people with them through change.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the UK & Ireland Facilities Management strategy, aligned with wider business objectives.
• Line Management of a team of two Facilities Managers, working cross-divisionally to manage stakeholders
• Lead the transition to a first-generation outsourced FM operating model, ensuring the business is effectively prepared for and supported through the change.
• Establish a strong and collaborative relationship with our outsourced FM partner, creating a true business partnership rather than a transactional client/contractor relationship.
• Bring together stakeholders from across different divisions, legal entities and locations, creating alignment around common FM standards, priorities, responsibilities and ways of working.
• Establish clear governance, KPIs and reporting mechanisms that provide visibility of compliance, performance, risk, cost and improvement opportunities.
• Lead the strategic approach to statutory and regulatory facilities compliance across the estate, ensuring clear ownership, effective assurance and timely management of remedial actions.
• Develop a multi-year FM and asset lifecycle roadmap, covering planned maintenance, asset condition, compliance, CAPEX requirements, sustainability and workplace improvements.
• Help the business move from reactive maintenance towards a more planned, risk-based and data-led approach to managing its buildings and assets.
• Work closely with business and site leaders to understand operational requirements and identify opportunities for estate optimisation, efficiency and future investment.
• Ensure FM insight informs CAPEX and longer-term business planning, enabling investment decisions to be based on asset condition, lifecycle, compliance risk and operational need.
• Oversee planned and reactive maintenance programmes across manufacturing, engineering and office environments.
• Manage FM operational budgets and capital expenditure programmes, ensuring appropriate commercial control and long-term value.
• Drive continuous improvement across the FM model, using performance data, stakeholder feedback and supplier expertise to continually improve service delivery.

What We’re Looking For

We are particularly interested in candidates who have personally led or played a significant leadership role in a first-generation FM outsourcing programme. Experience of managing an established outsourced FM contract alone is unlikely to provide the breadth of experience required for this role.

You will ideally bring:

• Significant senior Facilities Management leadership experience within a complex, multi-site organisation.
• Demonstrable experience of first-generation FM outsourcing, including transition, mobilisation and development of the client/provider operating model.
• Experience of bringing together previously separate teams, businesses or stakeholders and establishing consistent ways of working.
• A strong understanding of outsourced FM contracts, supplier governance, performance management and continuous improvement.
• A strategic understanding of how effective FM contributes to the wider performance of a business, rather than viewing FM solely as a support service.
• Strong knowledge of statutory compliance, building systems, facilities risk and asset management.
• Experience developing asset lifecycle plans and multi-year CAPEX/investment strategies.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing significant operational and capital budgets.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively from site level through to senior leadership.
• A highly collaborative and people-focused leadership style, with the ability to build trust and navigate organisational change.
• IWFM membership or another relevant professional accreditation would be advantageous.
• Experience within manufacturing, engineering, industrial or technical environments would be highly beneficial.

What we offer you

• Ideally based in Leeds, with the option to work from another one of our office locations with regular travel throughout the UK & Ireland.
• Competitive basic salary.
• Annual personal bonus scheme based on company and personal performance.
• Company car or allowance.
• Aviva private medical insurance for you and your partner.
• 33 days’ annual leave
• Defined pension contributions.
• Access to Medicash, supporting everyday health costs including dental, optical and physiotherapy, alongside a range of wellbeing benefits.
• Confidential support through our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Employee discounts across shopping, entertainment and lifestyle, plus the opportunity to apply for Costco membership.
• Discounted personal car leasing for you, your family and friends.·       Long Service Awards.
• Continuous learning opportunities through Sulzer Learning Pathways.
• As a Silver Award holder of the MoD Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, we welcome and support veterans, reservists and Cadet Adult Volunteers.

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