Executive Operations

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

1. Executive Operations | Johannesburg, Gauteng | Permanent

Lead operations at the executive level, shape the delivery model, and keep critical environments running at peak performance. This is a high-impact role for a seasoned facilities and engineering leader who can balance strategy, commercial performance, and operational excellence.

As Executive Operations, you will take full accountability for ensuring that all strategic and critical facilities meet both contractual and business requirements. You will design and refine the operating model across people, processes, and systems so that services are delivered effectively, safely, and economically. This includes oversight of multi-site facilities operations, technical maintenance, and engineering activities in complex environments.

You will lead a team of Contract Managers, Technical Managers, Senior Facilities Managers and Engineering Managers, providing direction, coaching and alignment to strategic objectives. Working closely with the Managing Executive and cross-functional stakeholders, you will drive performance, manage risk, and ensure that service delivery is fully aligned to customer expectations, compliance standards and the organisation’s commercial goals.

Our client is a leading facilities and engineering services organisation, partnering with blue-chip customers in highly regulated and critical environments. With a strong focus on quality, safety, and long-term relationships, they deliver integrated FM solutions that enable clients to focus on their core business. You will join a mature, professional leadership team with the mandate to optimise, innovate and grow.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and manage the facilities management operational budget (short and medium term), ensuring cost control, profitability and effective use of resources.
• Maximise gross profit through operational strategies, revenue enhancement initiatives and continuous efficiency improvements.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of short, medium and long-term capex plans and ensure they meet contractual and business needs.
• Own the customer relationship at an executive level, ensuring service standards meet or exceed agreed levels and that issues are proactively addressed.
• Translate customer requirements into clear FM deliverables and ensure contracts are retained and renewed through well-defined client retention and growth plans.
• Ensure a deep understanding of the client’s business environment and design operating strategies that support their strategic objectives.
• Drive communication and change management initiatives that embed the desired culture, behaviours and ways of working across operational teams.
• Define and oversee KPIs, SLA frameworks and contract compliance activities to ensure consistent operational standards.
• Work with Supply Chain to define supplier contract principles and performance standards, ensuring robust vendor and subcontractor management.
• Ensure service delivery adheres to quality, safety, environmental and risk management standards, including applicable statutory and client policies.
• Promote integrated use of systems (e.g. SAP, MS Office, MS Project) to support planning, reporting and performance management.

What You Bring

• Degree or BTech in Engineering, Facilities Management or a related field; a Management qualification (EDP, MBA or MBL) is advantageous.
• Approximately 15 years’ relevant working experience, including at least 8 years in FM and maintenance engineering and 8 years in senior management.
• Proven experience in large, complex facilities or property portfolios, with strong exposure to CRM and property management.
• Strong grounding in facilities management, general building maintenance, people management, supply chain, procurement and strategic sourcing.
• Demonstrated strength in commercial, contract and vendor management, including understanding of finance, law and auditing principles.
• Sound knowledge of OHS Act, ISO 9001 quality management and risk management systems, with a track record of driving compliance.
• Confident user of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project and Outlook (intermediate level) and exposure to SAP or similar enterprise systems.
• Leadership style that is proactive, results-oriented, resilient and able to perform under pressure, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong competencies in customer focus, negotiation, business acumen, analytical thinking, planning, relationship building and team leadership.

What Success Looks Like

• Operational budgets and capex plans are well controlled, transparent and consistently achieved, with improved profitability across key contracts.
• High levels of customer satisfaction, trust and engagement, reflected in contract renewals, extensions and growth opportunities.
• Robust operating models, KPIs and governance structures are implemented, with clear visibility of performance and contract compliance.
• Teams are aligned, engaged and capable, with strong supervisory practices and visible leadership presence across sites.
• Safety, quality and risk standards are embedded, with excellent adherence to statutory and client requirements and minimal incidents.
• The organisation is seen as a strategic partner in the client’s environment, not just a service provider, with a strong reputation for reliability and innovation.