Head of Operations

Sodexo; Dublin; On-site; EUR 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing platform

Employee Assistance Programme

24hr virtual GP

Pension Plan

Learning & development tools

Bike to Work Scheme

Enhanced benefits & leave policies

Job summary

Sodexo is seeking a Head of Operations to lead Integrated Facilities Management at St James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin. The role drives end-to-end operations for a high-volume manufacturing site with 150+ staff and subcontractors, ensuring safety, quality and compliance while delivering value for the client.

You will oversee Hard/Soft FM, security, catering, waste, and workplace services, align with SLAs, and guide cost control, budgeting and strategic improvements across the contract.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a senior management role within Integrated Facilities Management.
• Proven experience leading large, diverse, high-performing teams.
• Demonstrable experience in a manufacturing environment, ideally GMP compliant.
• Proven responsibility for P&L and financial management.
• Strong client relationship and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the full Integrated Facilities Management portfolio (Hard/Soft FM, Security, Catering, Cleaning, Waste, Grounds).
• Ensure services meet contractual requirements, SLAs, KPIs and client expectations.
• Own the financial performance of the contract, including budgeting, forecasting and cost control.
• Lead a large multidisciplinary team to foster safety, service excellence and accountability.
• Develop strong relationships with senior client stakeholders as trusted operational advisor.
• Drive continuous improvement, innovation, and operational excellence within GMP-sensitive environment.
• Oversee governance, risk management, and audit processes.

Skills

Senior leadership

P&L management

Manufacturing environment

Problem solving

Communication

Stakeholder management

IT proficiency

Tools

Microsoft Office

Outlook

SharePoint

Job description

Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of Operations to lead the delivery of Integrated Facilities Management services at the iconic St James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin.

This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for the end-to-end operational delivery of a complex, high-volume manufacturing environment. You will provide strategic direction while remaining closely connected to day-to-day operations, ensuring that services are delivered safely, efficiently, compliantly and to the highest possible standards.

You will lead a diverse team of more than 150 employees, alongside external subcontractors, and will be responsible for ensuring that the site continues to deliver outstanding workplace and customer experiences while supporting the client’s operational and strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the full Integrated Facilities Management portfolio, including Hard FM, Soft FM, Security, Catering, Cleaning, Waste Management, Grounds Maintenance and Workplace Services.
• Ensure all services are delivered in line with contractual requirements, SLAs, KPIs and client expectations.
• Take overall accountability for the financial performance of the contract, including budgeting, forecasting, cost control and P&L management.
• Lead and inspire a large, multidisciplinary team, developing a high-performance culture focused on safety, service excellence and accountability.
• Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with senior client stakeholders, acting as a trusted operational advisor.
• Champion continuous improvement, innovation and operational excellence, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, quality and customer experience.
• Ensure full compliance with statutory, regulatory, health & safety, environmental and food-safety requirements within a GMP-sensitive manufacturing environment.
• Maintain robust governance, performance monitoring, risk management and audit processes.
• Oversee asset management and lifecycle planning to maximise reliability, efficiency and value from critical infrastructure and equipment.
• Lead transformation, mobilisation and special projects, ensuring effective implementation and business continuity.
• Embed a strong zero-harm safety culture across all operations.
• Ensure business continuity, crisis management and emergency response plans are maintained, tested and effective.
• Identify and manage operational, financial and reputational risks.
• Drive sustainability initiatives, including energy efficiency and waste reduction.
• Identify and deliver cost-saving, efficiency and revenue-growth opportunities while maintaining service quality and compliance.
• Provide strategic oversight of the security function, ensuring compliance with corporate and CTPAT standards.
• Work collaboratively with Operations, HR, Finance, Procurement, Property and Corporate Functions to deliver business objectives.

About You

You will be an accomplished senior operations or facilities management leader with a proven track record of managing complex, multidisciplinary teams and delivering high-quality services within a demanding environment.

You will ideally bring:

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a senior management or leadership position within Integrated Facilities Management.
• Proven experience managing large, diverse, high-performing teams.
• Demonstrable experience working within a manufacturing environment, ideally with strong GMP compliance experience.
• Proven responsibility for P&L and financial management.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to interpret complex financial and operational information.
• Excellent client relationship and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong problem-solving abilities, with the confidence to remain calm and decisive under pressure.
• Experience managing multiple priorities in a complex and fast-moving environment.
• Experience with project works and subcontractor management.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and customer service skills.
• A proactive, decisive and commercially minded approach, with a strong sense of ownership.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office, Outlook and SharePoint.

Desirable Qualifications

• IOSH or NEBOSH Health & Safety qualification.

Why Sodexo?:

Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it’s a chance to be part of something greater.

Belong in a company and team that values you for you.

Act with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions.

Thrive in your own way.

We also offer a range of perks, rewards and benefits for our colleagues and their families:

• Unlimited access to an online platform offering wellbeing support
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to help with everyday issues or life's larger problems, including legal and financial advice, support with work or personal issues impacting your wellbeing
• Access to a 24hr virtual GP Service
• Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering great deals 24/7 across popular high street retailers (also open to friends and family)Save for your future by becoming a member of the Pension Plan
• Opportunities to enable colleagues to grow and succeed throughout their career at Sodexo, including a variety of learning and development tools
• Bike to Work Scheme to help colleagues to do their bit for the environment whilst keeping fit
• Sodexo UK and Irelands enhanced benefits and leave policies

A little more about Sodexo:

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all. As the global leader in services that improve the Quality of Life, we operate in 55 countries, serving over 100million consumers each day through our unique combination of On-Site Food and FM Services, Benefits & Rewards Services and Personal & Home Services.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer. We are a forces friendly employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities. We encourage our employees to get involved with our Employee Networks such as Pride, Sodexo Parents & Carers, Sodexo Disability, Ability network, SoTogether, Generations and Origins.

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. We run a Disability Confident interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.