Senior Facilities Manager

University of Sussex; Falmer; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Sussex invites applications for a Senior Facilities Manager to lead day-to-day facilities delivery across the estate, ensuring clean, safe, compliant and available operations. Working within the SEF Joint Venture Partnership, you will supervise Campus and Residential/Building Managers, guiding a team of supervisors and operatives to deliver best-in-class facilities services.

The role focuses on stakeholder relations at senior levels, a customer-centric approach, and proactive,

Job description

The University of Sussex is home to one of the most beautiful campus locations in Britain. Situated in rolling parkland on the edge of the lively city of Brighton & Hove, the campus combines award-winning architecture with green open spaces. Over the past two decades, Sussex has doubled in size in terms of activity, with the University accommodating this growth within its existing campus. The University has invested significantly across its estate, delivering new academic and student accommodation facilities, social and hospitality space and upgrading critical infrastructure.

Facilities Management is provided through a unique Joint Venture Partnership, known as SEF. The University of Sussex is majority shareholder in the Partnership and, from 1 July 2025, OCS will join the Partnership and also provide administrative and management services to the LLP.

Our shared mission is to enhance the University campus by ensuring it operates smoothly and efficiently, aligning with the University's values and commitment to sustainability. Together, we are dedicated to making the campus a better place for students, staff, and the broader community. The partnership is built on the core values of Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment, guiding how we work and deliver services.

The Senior Facilities Manager leads day-to-day facilities delivery across the estate and turns the operational plan into what actually happens in the buildings. Clean, safe, compliant and available is the standard. The post is the first escalation above the Facilities Managers and provides operational cover and decision-making authority in the absence of the Head of Operations.

The post manages the Campus Facilities Managers and the Residential Facilities Managers /Building Managers. Supervisors, co-ordinators and operatives report to those managers, not to the Senior Facilities Manager. The role delivers through its managers and is judged on how well they perform.

The successful candidate will have an exceptional knowledge and track record of delivering and leading best-in-class facilities management services, incorporating the development of relationships with senior stakeholder groups, across a similarly dynamic and high-footfall estate. Your background, coupled with your knowledge, will enable you to display a customer-centric approach, proactively approaching challenges and being solution-orientated.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 13th September 2026.