Job Description

Job number

COO01267

Faculties

Chief Operating Officer (COO) Team

Departments

Property Division

Salary or Salary range

Competitive

Location/campus

South Kensington Campus - Hybrid

Contract type work pattern

Full time - Open ended

Posting End Date

17 Aug 2025

About the role

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Imperial College London is seeking a visionary and dynamic leader to take on the role of Director of South Kensington. This is a pivotal position responsible for the strategic leadership and operational excellence of our flagship campus. The successful candidate will drive transformation, foster a sense of belonging, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, integrated facilities management services that support Imperial's ambitious growth and research goals

What you would be doing

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You will lead the planning, development, and delivery of facilities management services across the campus, overseeing a diverse portfolio including maintenance, property management, safety and security, cleaning, and grounds maintenance. Budget Management experience is vital as you will be accountable for a 10m operational budget and 340,000m of estate, ensuring services are delivered to the highest standards of professionalism, customer satisfaction, and operational uptime.



You will champion a new Facilities Management strategy, embedding sustainability and value-for-money principles, while leveraging digital platforms and data analytics to optimise performance. Operating within a matrix model, you will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, lead multidisciplinary teams, and represent the campus in strategic forums. Your leadership will be instrumental in shaping South Kensington into a campus of the future, aligned with Imperial's values and strategic direction.

What we are looking for

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Degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline; postgraduate management qualification desirable Substantial strategic and operational leadership experience in property and facilities management Proven ability to lead cultural change and embed customer-centric service excellence Strong knowledge of relevant legislation, sustainability practices, and FM performance management Experience managing large budgets and multidisciplinary teams Skilled in stakeholder engagement, negotiation, and strategic planning Familiarity with CAFM and BMS systems (e.g., Planon, Trend) Experience in higher education or complex multi-disciplinary environments Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion Ability to inspire and develop teams, with a focus on succession planning and professional growth

What we can offer you

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At Imperial, our values--respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation--guide everything we do. You'll be part of a supportive and forward-thinking team, working on projects that directly contribute to the safety and wellbeing of our community. We are committed to creating an inclusive working environment and welcome applications from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage interest from individuals who are underrepresented in our workforce. The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity. Benefit from a sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days' annual leave and generous pension schemes). Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day one, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and cycle-to-work scheme. Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel. Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

Further information

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If you require any further details on the role please contact the Head of Recruitment, Jack Leyshon-Richards by email - j.leyshon-richards@imperial.ac.uk

Closing Date: Midnight on Sunday, 10 August 2025

Available documents

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Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

We reserve the right to close the advert prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.



If you encounter any technical issues while applying online, please don't hesitate to email us at support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk. We're here to help.

About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.



Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world's toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.



As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you'll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.



This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you'll join us at Imperial College London.

Our Culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination, and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.



Our values are at the root of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation.