Interim Head of Property
| Posting date: | 09 October 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £58,000 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 30 October 2025 |
| Location: | B3 1DG |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | St John Ambulance |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: | 291262JCP |
Summary
Role: Interim Head of Property
Contract Type: FTC (24 months)
Closing date: 30/10/2025
Location: Birmingham & Sheffield
Please note there will be an element of travel to this role on an ad-hoc basis as and when required.
Our offer to you
We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, providing a supportive culture with opportunities to grow and develop your career, achieve a healthy work life balance and to be recognised for the great work you do. You will receive:
Competitive salary and pension scheme
33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
Hybrid, Flexible working
Cycle to work scheme Electric Vehicle Scheme
Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping
About You
You will be educated to degree level and/or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in Facilities & Estate Management across a large geographically spread portfolio. You’ll be a member of a relevant recognised professional body (RICS, IWFM, CIOB, CIBSE or similar) and hold a professional real estate recognised qualification. You will have strong experience of:
Delivering strategic and practical changes across a large estate portfolio including successful delivery of facilities management services,
influencing Key Stakeholders and demonstrating value for money across all transactions,
successfully managing a complex property estates and facilities portfolio, with associated staff, outsourced contracts and budgets,
leading and developing an effective and well-motivated, multi-disciplinary and multi-task estates and facilities management team.
About the Role
Professionally lead the estate and facilities service to ensure the delivery of high-quality services from the resources available and in line with relevant policies, procedures and practices
Ensure the provision of strategic leadership for the effective management of Property by ensuring all resources (both internal and outsource) across Estates, Health and Safety and Facilities management interact appropriately and work collaboratively towards common goals
Be directly responsible for providing informed, timely and accurate advice to the Board and Senior Management Team on all major aspects of Estates and Facilities Management on the retained estate
Prepare, balance and manage the Property budgets and properly administer the budgets allocated in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Capital and Revenue budget allocations. Provide value for money and assurance on all Property related activities
Lead the Property team in reducing operational costs in the portfolio through individual actions and wider ranging bundling of service delivery through partners
Lead the Property Team to provide a first-class business partnering service to the wider community, including acting as a critical friend and offering advice where required
Effectively communicate with a wide range of external individuals and organisations including the Health and Safety Executive, technical contractors and architects. Chair meetings of internal and external senior staff, including technical project staff and consultants
Lead in managing all estates and facilities operational functions including building, electrical and mechanical services, estates contract management, statutory compliance, cyclical and minor works programs and Utilities/energy management contracts and services
Ensure terms of property leases are regularly reviewed and health & safety compliance is maintained and updated. This will include liaison with solicitors, surveyors, landlords and other professionals
Ensure robust Key Performance Indicators are developed and aimed at maximising the net financial efficiency of the services while placing a constant focus of ensuring that quality and safety are maintained to the standards set
Negotiate with suppliers, contractors and lessors to achieve win/win outcomes, providing contracts and leases which protect our interests and support the strategic programme delivery
Preparation of all property business cases for acquisitions, leases, refurbishments and disposals, ensuring appropriate input from all affected stakeholders
Lead on specific large departmental projects, such as high value contract tenders, and oversee the tracking of progress against plans, and transition milestones, ensuring appropriate processes are in place to flag issues, risks and concerns with the relevant stakeholders, and securing value for money throughout
Find out more about us, including our new Ask Me campaign, at www.sja.org.uk
If you are a current St John Ambulance employee, please apply here: Click here
For all other candidates, or St John Ambulance volunteers wishing to apply: please apply below
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive high volume of applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
'St John Ambulance is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice. Therefore, all successful applicants will undergo pre-employment checks, including DBS Clearance, as part of the onboarding process, if applicable to the nature of the role'.
Please note: St John does not accept speculative CVs and will only review CVs sent in application for an advertised vacancy.
Contract Type: FTC (24 months)
Closing date: 30/10/2025
Location: Birmingham & Sheffield
Please note there will be an element of travel to this role on an ad-hoc basis as and when required.
Our offer to you
We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, providing a supportive culture with opportunities to grow and develop your career, achieve a healthy work life balance and to be recognised for the great work you do. You will receive:
Competitive salary and pension scheme
33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
Hybrid, Flexible working
Cycle to work scheme Electric Vehicle Scheme
Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping
About You
You will be educated to degree level and/or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in Facilities & Estate Management across a large geographically spread portfolio. You’ll be a member of a relevant recognised professional body (RICS, IWFM, CIOB, CIBSE or similar) and hold a professional real estate recognised qualification. You will have strong experience of:
Delivering strategic and practical changes across a large estate portfolio including successful delivery of facilities management services,
influencing Key Stakeholders and demonstrating value for money across all transactions,
successfully managing a complex property estates and facilities portfolio, with associated staff, outsourced contracts and budgets,
leading and developing an effective and well-motivated, multi-disciplinary and multi-task estates and facilities management team.
About the Role
Professionally lead the estate and facilities service to ensure the delivery of high-quality services from the resources available and in line with relevant policies, procedures and practices
Ensure the provision of strategic leadership for the effective management of Property by ensuring all resources (both internal and outsource) across Estates, Health and Safety and Facilities management interact appropriately and work collaboratively towards common goals
Be directly responsible for providing informed, timely and accurate advice to the Board and Senior Management Team on all major aspects of Estates and Facilities Management on the retained estate
Prepare, balance and manage the Property budgets and properly administer the budgets allocated in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Capital and Revenue budget allocations. Provide value for money and assurance on all Property related activities
Lead the Property team in reducing operational costs in the portfolio through individual actions and wider ranging bundling of service delivery through partners
Lead the Property Team to provide a first-class business partnering service to the wider community, including acting as a critical friend and offering advice where required
Effectively communicate with a wide range of external individuals and organisations including the Health and Safety Executive, technical contractors and architects. Chair meetings of internal and external senior staff, including technical project staff and consultants
Lead in managing all estates and facilities operational functions including building, electrical and mechanical services, estates contract management, statutory compliance, cyclical and minor works programs and Utilities/energy management contracts and services
Ensure terms of property leases are regularly reviewed and health & safety compliance is maintained and updated. This will include liaison with solicitors, surveyors, landlords and other professionals
Ensure robust Key Performance Indicators are developed and aimed at maximising the net financial efficiency of the services while placing a constant focus of ensuring that quality and safety are maintained to the standards set
Negotiate with suppliers, contractors and lessors to achieve win/win outcomes, providing contracts and leases which protect our interests and support the strategic programme delivery
Preparation of all property business cases for acquisitions, leases, refurbishments and disposals, ensuring appropriate input from all affected stakeholders
Lead on specific large departmental projects, such as high value contract tenders, and oversee the tracking of progress against plans, and transition milestones, ensuring appropriate processes are in place to flag issues, risks and concerns with the relevant stakeholders, and securing value for money throughout
Find out more about us, including our new Ask Me campaign, at www.sja.org.uk
If you are a current St John Ambulance employee, please apply here: Click here
For all other candidates, or St John Ambulance volunteers wishing to apply: please apply below
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive high volume of applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
'St John Ambulance is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice. Therefore, all successful applicants will undergo pre-employment checks, including DBS Clearance, as part of the onboarding process, if applicable to the nature of the role'.
Please note: St John does not accept speculative CVs and will only review CVs sent in application for an advertised vacancy.