Facilities Manager

Advocate Group; Welwyn Garden City; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The Advocate Group is recruiting an experienced Facilities Manager to oversee operations at our distribution centre and head office in the UK. You will lead maintenance, safety, and asset management while driving continuous improvement and cost efficiency across sites.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years of FM in large facilities, strong governance, and health & safety expertise. The role emphasizes sustainability, contractor management, and proactive leadership to support business growth.

Qualifications

• 5+ years FM experience in large distribution, logistics, or industrial settings.
• Experience managing multiple sites and budgets; drive improvement.
• Strong knowledge of UK health and safety legislation; audits.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day FM across distribution centre and head office to stay safe and compliant.
• Manage maintenance, inspections, repairs and contractor relationships.
• Oversee budgets, CAPEX and supplier contracts for cost efficiency.
• Lead facilities projects, safety and environmental compliance initiatives.
• Develop asset registers and coordinate sustainability programs.

Skills

Facilities management

Contractor management

Budget management

Multi-site oversight

Health and safety

Governance & compliance

Sustainability initiatives

Stakeholder management

Leadership & development

Education

IWFM Level 4 or above

IOSH Managing Safely or NEBOSH GC

IWFM membership or equivalent

Job description

Ready to take the next step in your facilities management career with a globally recognised food and consumer goods business? This is an exciting opportunity to join a fast-moving organisation with a strong heritage and a focus on operational excellence, continuous improvement and business growth.

As the Facilities Manager, you'll play a key role in ensuring the safety, compliance and efficiency of the company’s operational sites. You'll have the opportunity to shape facilities standards, lead improvement initiatives and make a tangible impact across the business.

The Role:

• Lead day-to-day facilities management across a distribution centre and head office, ensuring buildings, infrastructure and equipment remain safe, compliant and fully operational.
• Work closely with the Factory General Manager and wider teams to maintain consistent facilities standards, governance and maintenance planning across both sites.
• Develop and implement facilities and asset management strategies aligned with operational needs, business growth and sustainability objectives.
• Manage planned preventative maintenance (PPM), statutory inspections, repairs and reactive maintenance, minimising disruption to operations.
• Oversee contractor and supplier relationships, monitoring SLAs, KPIs, service quality and value for money.
• Manage facilities budgets, capital expenditure and supplier contracts, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
• Lead facilities-related capital projects, including warehouse improvements, office refurbishments and infrastructure upgrades.
• Drive health and safety, fire safety, environmental compliance and audit readiness, ensuring standards are consistently met.
• Maintain warehouse infrastructure, including loading bays, dock doors, shutters and racking systems, supporting safe and efficient distribution operations.
• Develop and maintain asset registers, identifying maintenance, refurbishment and replacement requirements.
• Lead sustainability and environmental initiatives, including waste management, recycling and opportunities to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering and external service providers to drive continuous improvement.
• Lead and develop the facilities team, fostering a proactive culture of accountability, safety and operational excellence.

About You:

• At least 5 years’ experience in facilities management within a large distribution, logistics, manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Experience managing facilities across multiple sites, with the ability to balance operational priorities and maintain consistent standards.
• Strong knowledge of UK health and safety legislation, facilities compliance, statutory inspections and audit requirements.
• Proven experience managing contractors, supplier contracts, SLAs and KPIs, with a focus on performance and value for money.
• Experience managing facilities budgets, capital expenditure and improvement projects.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach, with the confidence to identify issues, challenge existing ways of working and implement improvements.
• IWFM Level 4 or above, or an equivalent facilities management qualification.
• IOSH Managing Safely, NEBOSH General Certificate or a similar health and safety qualification.
• Membership of IWFM, IOSH or another relevant professional body.

The Advocate Group is a leading recruitment partner in the UK FMCG and consumer product sectors.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of race, sex, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age.

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The Advocate Group is acting as an employment agency in relation to this vacancy.