Director of Operations UK & Ireland

Hines; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading real estate investment manager in the UK is looking for a Director of Operations to oversee its portfolio across the UK and Ireland. The successful candidate will lead multifaceted operations, drive sales strategies, and ensure compliance while creating exceptional living experiences for residents. Ideal applicants will have extensive experience in student accommodation operations, strong commercial acumen, and excellent leadership skills. The role offers competitive compensation and a vibrant work culture built on excellence and growth.

Benefits

Comprehensive training

Competitive compensation

Robust benefits

Generous vacation packages

Qualifications

• Proven track record of managing multi-site operations.
• Deep understanding of health and safety, compliance, and property operations.
• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to inspire and develop teams.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the UK and Ireland aparto business operations.
• Ensure successful administration of talent management and governance.
• Lead the sales and operational strategy for the portfolio.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Problem-solving

Education

Experience in a similar Director of Operations role

Knowledge of UK and Irish regulatory frameworks

Job description

Overview

Who are we?

At aparto, we're more than just student accommodation, we're a community that acts as a home-away-from-home for students across the UK, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. We understand that university life is a significant transition for many, often marking the first time they've lived away from their families. That's why we strive to make aparto not just a place to stay, but a vibrant, supportive environment where students can make lifelong friends, discover new possibilities, and have experiences that will shape their futures.

Responsibilities

Responsible for oversight of the UK and Ireland aparto business. The portfolio is currently 10 properties across the UK, and 6 in Dublin, with further growth anticipated.

The successful candidate will maintain responsibility for financial performance and achievement of performance goals across all properties. They will ensure successful administration of talent management, operations, quality control, governance, procurement, and supporting investor/owner/client communication activities for UK and Ireland. They will ensure that our buildings operate safely, efficiently, and profitably, while delivering an outstanding resident experience that differentiates aparto in the market. They will be responsible for leading a team to drive continuous improvement, and partner closely with asset management, marketing, and finance to ensure the portfolio meets commercial objectives.

Operational Leadership

• Lead the sales and operational strategy for the UK & Ireland portfolio, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery across all properties.
• Oversee day-to-day operations, including H&S, compliance, facilities management, guest experience, and community engagement.
• Ensure all buildings operate in line with brand standards, legal requirements, and investor expectations.
• Oversee 3rd party client relationships.
• Develop industry wide network and pitch for new 3rd party mandates.

Commercial Performance

• Work closely with Asset Management to deliver annual budgets, operating plans, and financial targets.
• Work closely alongside the Marketing Managers to develop and deliver marketing strategy.
• Oversee the sales function including agent strategy.
• Monitor occupancy, revenue, cost control, and financial performance across the portfolio.
• Identify opportunities to enhance income, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency.

Property & Facilities Management

• Partner with the Facilities Management team to ensure buildings are well-maintained, safe, and aligned with lifecycle plans.
• Support mobilisation of new developments and refurbishments, ensuring smooth handover into operations.
• Oversee procurement and contractor performance to ensure value for money and service quality. Manage new mobilisations (including set up of systems, recruitment, marketing strategy) and oversee refurbishments.
• Deliver Environmental goals and ensure compliance.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with statutory and brand standards across all buildings.
• Oversee risk management, incident reporting, and audit processes.
• Drive a proactive safety culture across the operational teams.
• Ensure strict adherence with local market standards, laws and regulations.

Team Management & Culture

• Lead, coach, and develop Regional Operations Managers and central support teams.
• Build a culture of accountability, empowerment, and hospitality-led service.
• Ensure staffing models, recruitment, and training programmes support operational excellence and peak trading periods.
• Champion the aparto brand and ensure a consistently exceptional resident journey from enquiry to move-out.
• Work alongside Marketing Managers to support community programming, wellbeing initiatives, and service innovation.
• Use resident feedback, NPS, and data insights to drive continuous improvement.

Strategic Projects & Innovation

• Support initiatives to improve systems, processes, and resident experience.
• Support digital transformation across operations, including CRM, FM systems, and resident engagement platforms.
• Benchmark aparto against competitors and wider hospitality sectors to maintain market-leading standards.

Qualifications

Essential

• Experience in a similar Director of Operations role within student accommodation.
• Proven track record of managing multi-site operations.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience overseeing sales, delivering budgets and improving financial performance.
• Deep understanding of H&S, compliance, and property operations.
• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to inspire, influence, and develop teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable

• Experience mobilising new developments or large refurbishments.
• Experience working with private equity or institutional investors.
• Knowledge of UK and Irish regulatory frameworks for residential accommodation.
• Experience with summer lettings and/or hostel operations.
• Demonstrated success with new business pursuits, and third-party business.

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about delivering exceptional service.
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on, solutions-focused approach.
• Calm under pressure, resilient, and adaptable.
• Collaborative, transparent, and commercially minded.
• A natural leader who builds trust and drives performance.

Closing

At Hines, we strive for excellence as a leading global real estate investment manager, driven by our by our belief that real estate is fundamentally about people. Our diverse portfolio spans $93.2 billion of assets across such property types as living, office, retail, mixed-use, logistics and life science projects – all designed to enhance value, connection and inspiration. Our strategic approach integrates local expertise with global knowledge, taking calculated risks aligned with our convictions to exceed expectations and tailor solutions to our clients' needs.

While our projects are renowned for enhancing cities and pioneering sustainable practices, we recognize that the true driving force behind Hines' success is our 5,000 dedicated employees in 30 countries who draw on our 65-year history to build the world forward. This is why we prioritize investing in our people, offering comprehensive training, competitive compensation, robust benefits and generous vacation packages. By centering our focus on the growth and wellbeing of our team, we cultivate an inclusive environment where everyone, including our clients, can thrive.

Hines is proud to be named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2024. 1Includes both the global Hines organization and RIA AUM as of December 31, 2023.

We are an equal opportunity employer and support workforce diversity.

No calls or emails from third parties at this time please.