Operations & Soft Services Manager

Operations & Soft Services Manager

Location: Grangegorman, Dublin
Salary: €50,000 - €60,000 per annum
Contract: Full Time, Permanent

Are you an experienced Facilities Management professional with a strong background in operational leadership, soft services and commercial performance? Sodexo is looking for an Operations & Soft Services Manager to lead the delivery of integrated facilities services across our high-profile Grangegorman PPP contract in Dublin.

This is an exciting opportunity for a hands-on leader who can manage a large, multidisciplinary team, build strong client relationships and drive service excellence across a busy third-level education environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop a team of approximately 50 employees, including managers, supervisors and frontline staff.
• Oversee the delivery of hard and soft Facilities Management services, ensuring contractual compliance and consistently high service standards.
• Manage cleaning, security, grounds maintenance, waste management, caretaking and associated support services.
• Coordinate planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and reactive maintenance activities alongside service partners and specialist contractors.
• Act as the key operational contact for the client, building strong relationships through proactive communication and effective stakeholder management.
• Monitor contractual KPIs and SLAs, driving continuous improvement and ensuring service delivery meets agreed expectations.
• Support budget management, forecasting and financial reporting, controlling labour, supplier and consumable costs.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, introduce innovative solutions and enhance the value delivered to the client.
• Manage subcontractors and supply chain partners, ensuring safe, compliant and cost-effective service delivery.
• Lead health and safety initiatives, audits, inspections and compliance activities, ensuring corrective actions are completed promptly.
• Oversee recruitment, training, performance management, employee engagement and development.
• Maintain accurate operational and compliance records using CAFM systems, Safeguard, SEMS and relevant auditing platforms.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience managing large-scale Facilities Management contracts encompassing both hard and soft services.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with experience developing and motivating high-performing teams.
• Commercial awareness and experience managing budgets, cost control and financial performance.
• Excellent client relationship, communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• A strong understanding of health and safety legislation, statutory compliance and quality management systems.
• Experience monitoring KPIs, managing SLAs, conducting audits and driving continuous improvement.
• Good IT skills, including experience with CAFM systems, auditing platforms and Microsoft Office.
• The ability to manage competing priorities, resolve operational challenges and deliver results in a demanding environment.
• Flexibility to support emergency response and out-of-hours operational requirements when needed.

Desirable

• IOSH Managing Safely, NEBOSH or an equivalent health and safety qualification.
• Experience within higher education, PPP contracts or outsourced Facilities Management.
• A track record of delivering operational transformation, innovation and service improvements.
• Knowledge of PPP contractual requirements and performance management frameworks.

Why Sodexo?

Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it’s a chance to be part of something greater.

Belong in a company and team that values you for you.

Act with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions.

Thrive in your own way.

We also offer a range of perks, rewards and benefits for our colleagues and their families:

• Unlimited access to an online platform offering wellbeing support
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to help with everyday issues or life's larger problems, including legal and financial advice, support with work or personal issues impacting your wellbeing
• Access to a 24hr virtual GP Service
• Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering great deals 24/7 across popular high street retailers (also open to friends and family)
• Save for your future by becoming a member of the Pension Plan
• Opportunities to enable colleagues to grow and succeed throughout their career at Sodexo, including a variety of learning and development tools
• Bike to Work Scheme to help colleagues to do their bit for the environment whilst keeping fit
• Sodexo UK and Irelands enhanced benefits and leave policies

A little more about Sodexo

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better every day for everyone to build a better life for all. As the global leader in services that improve the Quality of Life, we operate in 55 countries, serving over 100million consumers each day through our unique combination of On-Site Food and FM Services, Benefits & Rewards Services and Personal & Home Services.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer. We are a forces friendly employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities. We encourage our employees to get involved with our Employee Networks such as Pride, Sodexo Parents & Carers, Sodexo Disability, Ability network, SoTogether, Generations and Origins.

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. We run a Disability Confident interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.

Click here to read more about what we do to promote an inclusive culture.

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we are in receipt of a high number of applications

File Downloads

• HR-5933_Benefits ROI 25 Brochure V9.pdf
• Operations & Soft Services Manager.docx