Job Details

Facilities Operations Manager (Soft FM)

Employer: London Borough of Harrow
Pay Grade: MG2
Directorate: Housing and Regeneration – Property
Reports to: Head of FM & Compliance

Job Overview

The London Borough of Harrow is seeking an experienced Facilities Operations Manager (Soft FM) to lead the delivery of cleaning, catering, security and hub management services across the Council’s estate. The successful candidate will ensure high service standards, statutory compliance, effective workforce management and value for money across all operational services.

This is a senior management role with responsibility for a delegated budget of £10 million, overseeing service leads, managing contracts and ensuring council buildings remain safe, clean, secure and operationally effective.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee cleaning, catering, security and hub management services across council sites.
• Manage and support service leads, ensuring consistent service quality and effective frontline operations.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety legislation, COSHH, food hygiene, security requirements and risk assessments.
• Oversee mandatory staff training, including relevant SIA licensing and food safety qualifications.
• Manage the Soft FM revenue budget, including payroll, consumables, equipment and operational expenditure.
• Monitor external contractors and suppliers, ensuring compliance with service-level agreements (SLAs) and value for money.
• Lead procurement activities, developing specifications that support sustainability and social value.
• Oversee workforce planning, staff rotas, performance management, employee relations and staff engagement.
• Work closely with technical facilities and maintenance teams to coordinate services across the council’s estate.
• Provide operational reports and advice to senior management, supporting effective estate management and continuous improvement.
• Ensure facilities data is accurate and up to date within the Concerto system.

Essential Requirements

• Degree or professional qualification in Facilities Management or a related discipline.
• Professional accreditation with IWFM and IOSH, as specified in the role requirements.
• Significant experience managing large-scale cleaning, catering and/or security services within a complex organisation.
• Proven experience leading multi-tiered frontline teams and managing service leads.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, physical security, environmental health and health and safety regulations.
• Experience managing multi-million-pound revenue budgets, including significant payroll costs.
• Experience in workforce planning, employee relations and performance management.
• Strong contract management, procurement and supplier performance management skills.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to advise senior leaders and engage with a diverse workforce.
• Experience working in a political environment and advising Cabinet members and Portfolio Holders.

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to travel regularly between council sites across the borough.
• Participation in the Council’s emergency on-call rota for building security and operational incidents.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and maintaining relevant professional accreditation.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a confident, strategic facilities management professional with experience overseeing multiple Soft FM services, managing substantial budgets and leading large operational teams. They will have a strong understanding of statutory compliance, service improvement and commercial management, with the leadership skills needed to deliver safe, efficient and customer-focused services across a complex estate.