Head of Property Services

HC-One Ltd.; Darlington; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Head of Property Services to lead their property function, ensuring compliance and operational efficiency across care homes. This pivotal role involves strategic oversight of building management, asset maintenance, and budget management exceeding £20 million annually. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills and a background in facilities management, committed to delivering high-quality environments for residents. This position offers a blend of office and home working, along with opportunities for professional growth and development in a supportive environment.

Benefits

25 Days Annual Leave

Award-Winning Learning and Development

GP Online Consultation

Colleague Discounts

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to develop and motivate teams.
• Experience managing building compliance and facility operations.

Responsibilities

• Ensure property services align with the company’s ethos and care delivery model.
• Manage an annual budget exceeding £20 million, optimising cost-efficiency.

Skills

Leadership Skills

Building Compliance Management

Project Management

Financial Management

Problem Solving

Communication Skills

IT Skills

Education

Degree in Architecture, Building, Engineering, Facilities Management, Project Management, or Surveying

Postgraduate or Professional Qualifications

Tools

Microsoft Office

CAFM Systems

Job description

About The Role

The Head of Property Services at HC-One plays a crucial role in ensuring that the property function aligns seamlessly with the company’s ethos of delivering exceptional care.

This role is responsible for maintaining a safe, compliant, and well-managed environment that supports the well-being of residents and the operational efficiency of care homes. With a budgetary responsibility exceeding £20 million per annum, the position requires strategic oversight of building compliance, maintenance, asset management, and capital expenditure.

The Head of Property Services will lead a dedicated team, work closely with health and safety and operational colleagues, and drive continuous improvement in service delivery. Additionally, the role involves setting objectives, managing performance, overseeing compliance, and ensuring that property service functions operate effectively, cost-efficiently, and in line with company values.

Roles & Responsibilities

Strategic Alignment & Leadership

1. Ensure property services align with the company’s ethos and care delivery model.
2. Develop strong relationships with operational teams and support functions to enhance service delivery.
3. Provide leadership to the property service managers and help desk team, ensuring optimal support to care homes.
4. Oversee recruitment, performance management, and objective setting for the property team.

Compliance & Risk Management

1. Drive 100% compliance in Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) and remedial service lines.
2. Manage the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) and Water Risk Assessment (WRA) processes, ensuring full audit trails.
3. Work closely with the health and safety team to address overlapping responsibilities.
4. Act as a point of escalation for out-of-hours emergencies.

Property & Asset Management

1. Oversee building compliance, maintenance, capital expenditure, and asset management.
2. Ensure all service lines are professionally tendered, with comprehensive SLAs and contractor management.
3. Support the integration and disposal of care homes as needed.
4. Work closely with the major projects team to align strategies, specifications, and quality standards.

Financial & Operational Efficiency

1. Manage an annual budget exceeding £20 million, optimising cost-efficiency and effectiveness.
2. Identify and implement operational efficiencies to reduce overheads.
3. Ensure IT and CAFM systems are fit for purpose, sourcing alternatives where necessary.
4. Produce reports on contractor performance, KPIs, and compliance for senior management.

Governance & Policy Development

1. Maintain and update property services policies and procedures in line with company culture.
2. Ensure reporting systems are effective and provide insights for decision-making.
3. Provide leadership cover for the Director of Property as required.

We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced professional to lead our property services function. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in facilities management, estates, or a related field, with the leadership qualities to manage a multi-site, multi-disciplinary team in a complex organisation. They will be strategic, meticulous, and committed to delivering high-quality environments that support the well-being of our residents.

Essential Requirements:

1. Degree in a relevant discipline (architecture, building, engineering, facilities management, project management, surveying) or significant equivalent experience.
2. Strong leadership skills with the ability to develop and motivate teams.
3. Experience managing building compliance, engineering projects, and facility operations.
4. Thorough understanding of management techniques in large, complex organisations.
5. Excellent planning, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
6. Full driving license and willingness to travel.
7. Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office and CAFM systems.
8. Ability to identify and address poor performance and quality issues effectively.
9. Cost planning, budgeting, and financial management expertise.
10. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a focus on customer service.

Desirable Skills & Experience:

1. Postgraduate or professional qualifications in a relevant field.
2. Project management expertise.
3. Experience in healthcare or a related sector.
4. History of developing care homes to outstanding compliance standards.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a dynamic professional to make a real impact, ensuring our property services function supports the delivery of the kindest care to our residents. The role offers a blend of office and home working, with occasional travel across the UK or region as required. Additionally, the successful candidate will be part of a weekend and Bank Holiday on-call rota, ensuring continuity of service and support when needed.

About HC-One

At HC-One, kindness is more than a word; it is a belief that caring for people means understanding what matters most to them, so we can support them to lead their best life. Our team embodies five key qualities, known as Kindness the HC-One Way: curiosity, compassion, creativity, courage, and reliability.

We champion inclusivity, fostering a workplace where everyone feels valued and can be themselves. Our diverse workforce helps us better represent the communities we serve.

Our dedicated colleagues strive to deliver outstanding care, and we support their professional and personal growth through robust career pathways, CPD, and postgraduate programs. HC-One invests in our team, offering opportunities to progress into regional and national roles.

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. All colleagues receive appropriate training to recognize and respond to signs of abuse, harm, or neglect. We ensure everyone knows how to seek advice and report concerns, including escalation if necessary.

We invite applicants from all backgrounds to join our HC-One family, committed to providing a quick and supportive onboarding process.

What HC-One offer

Complimenting your salary, you will enjoy access to a huge variety of benefits and services to support your physical and psychological well-being and throughout your career we will invest in you and you will enjoy additional support and benefits including:

1. Award-winning learning and development
2. 25 days annual leave
3. An opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues as part of an outstanding and committed team.
4. GP online - providing around the clock GP consultation via an interactive app - available to you and your children under 16
5. Colleague discounts – Access to over 1600 high street discounts including carefully selected discount partners
6. Wellbeing - free of charge access to an independent and confidential Employee Assistance Programme. This gives Colleagues and their family access to 24/7 365 support for a whole range of issues including physical, mental and financial issues

We want you to have an amazing experience working at HC-One, starting with our commitment to providing the quickest possible turnaround from the point of making you a job offer to you starting with us on day one.