Head of Facilities

Location: Babraham Research Park, Cambridge

Type: Full time, permanent

Salary: Competitive / Hours: 40 per week

Office based position with hybrid working flexibility

Your role in our team

We are looking for a passionate Head of Facilities to lead our Facilities Management function through the next stage of significant growth and transformation and deliver a high-quality, professional Facility Management service to internal stakeholders ensuring services support the delivery of bit.bio strategic goals.

Reporting to the SVP, Technical Operations & Cell Manufacturing, the Head of Facilities will provide strategic leadership, management and direction on facilities management, building operations, general and reactive maintenance, PPM maintenance delivery, health & safety activities, cleaning contracts, and catering services on site.

The Head of Facilities is responsible for ensuring that the workplace is a safe environment and proactively leading day to day on health and safety activities. Managing and continually improving safe systems of work, ensuring that the business is compliant with all its health and safety obligations, and our contractual obligations to the campus, landlord and insurers.

Your key responsibilities will include:

Facilities Management

• Provide leadership and direction for Hard and Soft Facilities Management functions and ensure the effective management and technical control of all day to day reactive and proactive services for the business. 
• Provide robust and effective oversight of the planning, administering and direction of service contracts, including development of service specifications and performance management of contracts and contractors. 
• In collaboration with Finance, monitor and control use of the agreed facilities budgets ensuring value for money and effective control of expenditure. Proactively monitoring of Campus invoicing with Finance to ensure accuracy.
• Ensure maintenance and all other facilities support requests are scheduled and planned with internal stakeholders. Ensure arrangements are in place with regards to contractor permits to work, method statements and risk assessments, and that contractors are appropriately coordinated and supervised on site. 
• Management of the Facilities Coordinator and oversee day to day equipment management activities, in accordance with the equipment lifecycle process and manufacturer specifications. 
• Provide space planning expertise, coordinating remodelling and refurbishment initiatives, and forecasting space needs.
• Provide expertise in facilities management building projects and future capital projects.
• Coordinate facilities management contracts, reviews, and negotiations. 
• Be the central point of contact with landlord and Babraham campus facilities teams.
• Manage catering activities, issues, and ensure safety compliance is followed.
• Manage cleaning company to ensure SLA is met and meeting bit.bio standards.
• Liaise with finance on Insurance activities where required.
• Line management responsibilities for the Facilities Coordinator and Lab Support team; implementing and monitoring objectives, personal development plans that support the needs of the individual.

In the event of a Facilities out of hours emergency, you must have the ability to respond and coordinate issues.

Health and Safety

• Lead the ongoing improvements in Health & Safety, delivering and executing safety programs and initiatives, monitoring, and reporting on safety compliance activities to the site head. 
• Work closely with external consultants on safety projects and training activities where required.
• Responsible for completing and regularly reviewing risk assessments for building and equipment activities, retaining records as required.
• Manage Incident Management activities; Investigate and report incidents and accidents, develop and implement corrective action plans to prevent recurrence. Reporting such events to the leadership team and governing bodies as required.
• Coordinate regular training sessions on site safety for all bit.bio employees, obtaining support from external consultants where required in specialised areas.
• Active Safety Committee member working closely with the Safety Team members.
• Chair the Safety Committee meetings and ensure actions are tracked, completed, and meetings are scheduled and documented.
• Provide health and safety update communications to the company regularly.
• Work alongside external consultants on health and safety audit activities.
• Liaising with the HR team in relation to employee well-being and safety. 
• Leading on expectant parent risk assessments and monitoring process, reporting any issues to HR and managers where needed.
• Providing site safety inductions to new starters and contractors.

You…

• Have a Certified Health and Safety Qualification: NEBOSH or IOSH or similar high-level training or equivalent experience
• Have a Professional Qualification in Facilities, Building or Property Management, or equivalent industry experience
• Have a progressive, dynamic and flexible approach to the delivery of facilities management services
• Possess strong influencing skills to engage employees in health/safety practices
• Are able to prioritise workload, handling multiple requests/ variable topics/projects throughout the day with ease
• Have a flexible 'can-do' nature with the ability to manage stakeholders at all levels and remain calm under pressure
• Have an empathetic nature, are self-aware, confident and assertive
• Must be comfortable with this role involving standing and walking up to 60% of the time and potentially lifting heavy items
• Must be available for occasional weekend working , out of hours working or call-outs

With essential experience in…

• Significant experience in Facilities / Building Management.
• Significant experience in managing Health and Safety for a business, having a strong understanding of the legislation and employer obligations.
• Previous building fit-out project experience
• Extensive technical experience and understanding in building fabric, M&E infrastructure, building compliance. 
• Experience in managing maintenance services and coordinating building projects.
• Ability to analyse and resolve problems quickly, develop opportunities and implement innovate solutions/approaches.
• Budget management experience.
• Strong stakeholder management experience

…and possibly…

• ACDP Biological Safety Training (giving an understanding of biosafety, GMO, laboratory containment levels, laboratory design)
• Disaster recovery training
• Scientific background
• Understanding of Laboratory Management activities
• Previous experience in a fire safety officer role
• Understanding of GLP, familiarity with GMP Laboratory Design