Our client is a public sector organisation who are seeking an Interim Head of FM to join their large in-house facilities team. They are looking for a senior FM professional to operationally lead and manage the day to day delivery of a wide-range of facilities management services including all aspects of soft FM/customer facing service lines such as reception, security, grounds, portering and cleaning. Total team of c.150 staff.

Summary of Key Responsibilities

• Creating a culture of service excellence
• Management of operational performance across their in-house teams and contracted suppliers ensuring adherence to SLA’s and KPI’s
• Departmental leadership including the mentoring and training of staff
• Change management and transformation

Person Specification

The successful post holder will possess a significant background in leading the delivery of best in class facilities services across a similar large multi-site operation with a focus on delivering high levels of customer service. In addition to developed leadership ability within a comparable collegiate and collaborative environment, you will also possess strong commercial and contract management acumen.

They are seeking a high energy individual with a can do approach who excels in ‘making a difference’.

This is an interim assignment for c.3-6 months whilst they make a substantive appointment which the interim candidate is welcome to apply for. The post will commence ASAP.

The University of Sussex is a leading higher education and research institution. The first of the new wave of UK universities founded in the 1960s, receiving its Royal Charter in 1961, Sussex is a successful, growing University with a top-30 place in the major UK higher education league tables.  The University has a beautiful and diverse estate located in Falmer, to the east of Brighton and Hove.  It is situated in the South Downs National Park and has amongst its buildings a core heritage estate designed by Sir Basil Spence.

The University of Sussex is seeking to make the appointment of a Deputy Director of Estates & Facilities Management to lead on the delivery of estate and infrastructure improvement projects across the campus portfolio. Reporting to the Director of Estates, Facilities Management & Commercial Services, the postholder will be responsible for leading the strategic planning and delivery of Estates Operations across the whole University campus environment. The role requires high level of collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, particularly our delivery partners, Sussex Estates and Facilities (SEF) and Chartwells.

As a Senior leader within the Estates Division, you will have had extensive experience in designing and implementing master planning and real estate development, property, sustainability and space management. Designing transformational programmes of work and working closely with stakeholders to deliver a wide ranging and challenging portfolio of projects, ensuring that you take people on the journey with you.

You will also have extensive experience in the delivery of a full range of Facilities Management services, either client side or through a contracting model. Understanding building services and the importance of defining and delivering asset management plans across a mixed estate of new and listed properties. You will have had experience in defining asset investment programmes of work delivering across the full scope of building services and general estate management. You will need to have experience in manging teams at a senior level to devise and deliver estate wide strategies to transform service delivery in a demanding operational environment.

For a confidential discussion please contact our advisors Michael Hewlett or Ben Duffill of The Management Recruitment Group at michael.hewlett@mrgglobal.com or ben.duffill@mrgglobal.com

Closing date for online applications is Sunday 7^th June 2026.

The candidate pack can be viewed at Deputy Director of Estates

The Management Recruitment Group has been exclusively retained for this campaign. All direct and third-party applications will be forwarded to them.