Overview
Head of Facilities Management and Property Services – Salford, UK
Are you a strategic leader with a passion for creating safe, high-performing, and sustainable environments? We are looking for an exceptional Head of Facilities Management & Property Services to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering outstanding services across our diverse estate.
Reporting to the Deputy Director of Estates & Facilities, you will lead the delivery of facilities and property services that underpin our academic, operational commercial, and community ambitions.
This is a high-impact role where your leadership will directly influence how we enhance the experience of our students and colleagues through the services we deliver and the spaces we create.
You will inspire and lead multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality, customer-focused facilities management (FM) and property services, driving performance, compliance, and continuous improvement.
With responsibility for both hard and soft FM services alongside property management, you will ensure our estate is safe, compliant, sustainable, and future-ready.
What you’ll be doing:
You’ll take ownership of the strategic and operational delivery of facilities services, ensuring everything from maintenance and cleaning to landscaping and helpdesk operations runs seamlessly. You’ll use data and insight to continually improve performance, enhance the customer experience, and deliver value for money.
Working collaboratively across the organisation, you’ll build strong relationships with stakeholders and act as a key link between Facilities, Technical Services, Compliance, and Health & Safety teams. You’ll champion a positive safety culture, ensure full regulatory compliance, and support audit readiness.
You’ll also lead on the management of our property portfolio, overseeing leases, licences, and landlord/tenant matters, while working closely with legal and external partners. In addition, you will manage budgets, procurement, and contracts ensuring high-quality service delivery, strong supplier performance, and identification of efficiencies and cost savings.
Your role will also contribute to wider organisational priorities, including sustainability and carbon reduction, as well as business continuity and emergency preparedness.
About you:
You are a confident, credible leader with significant experience in complex facilities environments. You bring both strategic insight and operational expertise, with a track record of delivering high-quality services across large estates.
With a relevant professional qualification (such as IWFM Level 5), a health and safety certification (NEBOSH/IOSH), and a technical or engineering background, you combine strong technical knowledge with excellent leadership capability.
You’re experienced in managing diverse teams and external contractors, and you’re confident working with budgets, contracts, and performance frameworks. Your understanding of compliance and best practice is matched by your ability to lead change, improve services, and engage stakeholders at all levels.
Above all, you’re a customer-focused, solutions-driven professional who thrives in a dynamic environment and is motivated to make a real impact.
- Competitive salary – and excellent pension scheme
- An impressive 32 days leave – plus bank holidays, additional time off at Christmas and the opportunity to buy even more!
- Flexible working – we support a culture of flexible and agile working to help you find the right balance
- Wellbeing support – all our people are important to us and we have services and facilities dedicated to your mental and physical health, ranging from an Employee Assistance Programme and counselling, to sports and fitness facilities including discounted gym memberships
- Sustainable Salford – we have a commitment to be Net Zero by 2038 and embed sustainability in all aspects of university life.
- Team Salford – join us here in Salford and be part of one of the UK’s fastest growing universities
About Us
Join us here in Salford and be part of one of the UK’s fastest growing universities. At Salford, you’ll find a career that works for you, with flexible working, great benefits, generous annual leave and continuous professional development.
All our people are important to us, and we have services dedicated to your mental and physical wellbeing from an Employee Assistance Programme to discounted gym membership. All of this on either our Peel Park campus or our MediaCity campus, at the heart of a world-renowned digital and media hub.
We value diversity — in backgrounds and in experiences. Our difference makes us stronger, and together we share a passion for improving students’ lives. We have a commitment to be Net Zero by 2038 and embed sustainability in all aspects of university life.
And, most importantly, we offer you a rewarding career. A career where everything you do will make a difference – to the students, our local community and the world around you.
At the University of Salford you’ll join a place to be inspired, connect and thrive. Find out more about a career that works for you at www.salford.ac.uk/jobs.
IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
