Facilities Manager – Life sciences

Manchester, Lancashire
Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited

As the Site & Facilities Manager, you will be the operational backbone of our client’s UK site. You will oversee the seamless integration of offices, chemical laboratories, and warehouse/distribution hub. This role demands a proactive person capable of managing complex building systems, ensuring rigorous safety compliance, and driving efficiency across all site infrastructure. This is a single site role based in Manchester. Core ResponsibilitiesFacilities & Asset Management

• Operational Oversight: Manage day-to-day operations for the entire estate, ensuring the facility is open, secure (keyholder), and fully functional for production and lab teams.
• Maintenance Strategy: Lead both Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) and reactive repairs for all plant, equipment, and building fabric using SFG20 maintenance standards where applicable.
• Utilities & Infrastructure: Maintain reliability and compliance for critical site services, including HVAC, Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) for chemical safety, compressed air, power, and water.
• Projects & Space Planning: Lead refurbishments, site improvement projects, and strategic space planning to accommodate business growth and operational shifts.

Contractor & Commercial Management

• Supply Chain: Source, appoint, and monitor external service providers, negotiating high-value contracts and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Supervision: Ensure all contractor work is executed safely, on time, and strictly to specification, managing the Permit to Work system.
• Financial Control: Oversee the facilities budget, identifying cost-saving opportunities and ensuring commercial efficiency in all procurement.

Safety, Compliance & Quality

• Risk & Audit:Conduct regular site inspections, statutory inspections, and risk assessments to maintain a “Safety First” culture.
• Regulatory Documentation: Manage all permits, contractor RAMS, external risk assessments and remedial actions and all related safety documentation to ensure the site is audit-ready at all times.
• Waste: Ensure waste is effectively managed, and is removed from site regularly, using certified contractors.
• Incident Response: Serve as the primary contact for facilities-related emergencies and safety matters, including out-of-hours support when required.
• Procedures: Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and provide facilities-related training to the wider workforce.

Health & Safety Excellence

• Promote a rigorous safety culture by reporting all near misses and preventing accidents through proactive site management.
• Ensure the correct use of PPE and mechanical lifting equipment across the warehouse and production zones.
• Uphold the company’s Health & Safety Policy as the site’s primary safety champion.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Experience: Ideally proven track record in Facilities Management, specifically within scientific, laboratory, or chemical distribution environments.
• Technical Knowledge: Deep understanding of UK building systems and H&S legislation (COSHH, DSEAR, and General Health & Safety at Work).
• Leadership: Experience in line management of internal staff and the robust management of external technical contractors, as well as leading post-audit remedial actions.
• Qualifications: A relevant professional qualification such as IWFM Level 4/5 or a NEBOSH General Certificate.
• Communication: Strong IT literacy (Office 365) with the ability to present complex facilities’ data to the leadership team clearly.

What you need to do nowIf you’re interested in this role, click ‘apply now’ to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.If this job isn’t quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.

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