Facilities Management Director

CBRE Global Workplace Solutions is a leading global provider of integrated facilities and corporate real estate management. We are recruiting a Facilities Management Director for one of our clients in the technology sector to join the team leading the UK Portfolio and a significant HQ Trophy Asset in the Centre of London, the successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing all operational and financial activities associated with running expansive portfolio of upwards of 2 million square feet with a P&L of $45m+.

The role will ensure the operational proficiency in managing sites and the account across the portfolio delivering a full range of FM services: soft and hard services, assignments, optional services, energy & sustainability and projects.

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Facilities Management Director to lead the Workplace Experience strategy and execution for our prestigious, large-scale London Headquarters. This role is pivotal in ensuring our Headquarter environment reflects our innovative culture and provides a world-class experience for all employees and visitors.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in creating and delivering five-star, luxury service environments, specifically drawing from the hospitality sector, such as high-end hotels or globally recognised venues. This role demands a proactive, strategic leader who can merge high-level service standards with corporate operational efficiency to create a truly exceptional workplace.

Key Accountabilities

• 5-Star Workplace Experience Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive Workplace Experience strategy, leveraging best practices from the luxury 5-star hotel industry to ensure all touchpoints exceed expectations.

• Lead, mentor, and inspire the Workplace Experience and facilities team to consistently deliver service levels comparable to a leading luxury hotel.

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) focused on employee satisfaction, service quality, and operational efficiency.

• Design and execute bespoke service protocols for VIP guests, executives, and large internal events, ensuring flawless delivery every time.

• Proven experience of standing up and mobilising a trophy asset and leading the team to a successful 'Industry Recognised' launch

Operational Excellence

• Oversee all aspects of facility management, including maintenance, space planning, security, and cleaning services, ensuring operational effectiveness and compliance.

• Manage a multi-million-pound operational budget, driving cost efficiencies without compromising the quality of the workplace experience.

• Develop and manage vendor relationships, ensuring all external service providers adhere to the highest standards of quality and service professionalism.

• Implement a continuous improvement program, regularly soliciting feedback and using data analytics to refine service offerings and improve the physical environment.

Stakeholder Management and Communication

• Serve as the primary point of contact for executive leadership regarding the Headquarters physical environment and workplace experience.

• Collaborate with People Teams, IT, and other internal departments/Service Pillars to ensure the workplace supports business objectives and employee well-being initiatives.

• Effectively communicate strategy, updates, and performance metrics to all stakeholders, including through regular review meetings and reports.

• Create a customer responsive culture providing solutions

• Customer facing and presentation skills essential

• To provide best practices along with an effective and efficient service in response to changing customer needs. Customer satisfaction is to be maintained at the highest level by providing a high quality and proactive service

• Ensure account savings glidepath is achieved

• Manage and implement an account strategic development plan.

• Create and develop account succession plan & innovation charter

Commercial Acumen

• Commercially astute to oversee all financial activities associated with running a $40M+ account

• Be responsible for the P&L performance and all associated cost controls for the account.

• Ensure the planning arrangements are in line with forecast/s and profit targets

• Be responsible for the generation of cross selling business of other lines of CBRE business

• Able to challenge and improve all aspects of cost and performance of the business

• Demonstrate strategic planning ability

• Ongoing development of the relationship with client and their teams to ensure full understanding of the clients' needs, through effective relationship management.

• Utilising strong communication skills, establish a proactive communication, reporting and working style in line with client requirements.

• Identify growth opportunities and realise these.

• Ownership and ongoing development of the account financial / commercial plan

• Enabling supply chain consistency within the operating region

• Adopt a "one team approach" by integrating supply partner management

• Maintain open, professional relationships with the client's supply partners

• Demonstrate excellent influencing techniques at a senior level. Be a strong negotiator and demonstrate excellent networking skills

• Represent account and within local regional division

• Meet KPIs and contractual obligations

Experience Required

• Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in senior operational and management roles within large-scale, high-end service environments.

• Demonstrable and extensive experience in a 5-star or luxury hotel environment (General Manager, Director of Operations, or similar) is a mandatory requirement. Experience must include strategic input on guest experience and service design.

• Hands on experience of launching a trophy asset or major revenue from fi t out to Launch

• Proven track record of managing a large, complex physical facility (e.g., a large hotel, corporate campus, or luxury residential tower).

• Experience managing substantial operational budgets and capital improvement projects.

• Networked in the Hospitality Industry or Workplace Experience sectors

Skills and Competencies

• Exceptional leadership and people management skills with a passion for service excellence managing upwards of 100 direct staff members

• Superior communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all organizational levels.

• Strategic thinker with a hands-on, detail-oriented approach to execution.

• Deep understanding of health, safety, and compliance regulations relevant to large commercial properties in the UK.

• Proven leader of people, business and operations who motivates teams to effectively deliver operational targets

• Enthusiastic and confident professional with excellent ability to set deliverables, lead people through influence, demonstrate organizational and leadership skills

• Hands-on general management experience in delivering services and profitability in a FM arena, responsible for 100 - 150 staff and having been responsible for P&L circa $40m

• A good understanding of contracts and negotiations with strong organisation and communication skills

• Able to solve advanced problems and effectively deal with a variety of options in complex situations

• Highly customer focused, with good Customer Relationship Management experience

• Combination of a bachelor's degree in engineering, business, real estate and/or operational experience in facilities management.

• Skilled communicator and presenter in large groups and one-on-one

CBRE GWS

CBRE Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) works with clients to make real estate a meaningful contributor to organizational productivity and performance. Our account management model is at the heart of our client-centric approach to delivering integrated real estate solutions. Each client is entrusted with a dedicated leader and is supported by regional and global resources, leveraging the industry's most robust platform. CBRE GWS delivers consistent, measurably superior outcomes for our clients at every stage of the lifecycle, and across industries and geographies.

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