We have a great opportunity for an experienced Head of
Workplace Services to shape and lead a first‑class workplace experience across
our UK offices. This is a strategic role at the heart of how our people and
clients experience Osborne Clarke – combining commercial ownership, supplier
leadership and operational excellence to deliver a consistent, 5* environment
in a modern, progressive law firm. The role can be based in either our London,
Bristol or Reading office with regular travel between all three offices and
some hybrid working.
The team
Workplace Services support both employees and business needs
creating a comfortable, efficient and well equipped environment. From
maintaining a clean, pleasant and safe workplace, to providing services
focusing on Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Security and Insurance, Post and
Records Management. The team is comprised of Workplace Services Managers,
Coordinators, and our Boardrooms Receptionists across 3 UK offices.
The role
As Head of Workplace Services, you will have end‑to‑end
responsibility for the strategy, performance and continuous improvement of
Workplace Services across our UK portfolio. Working through Workplace Managers
and a network of external suppliers, you will ensure services are safe,
compliant and commercially robust, while supporting our culture, sustainability
ambitions and ways of working. You will act as the firm’s subject
matter expert on Workplace and FM, partnering closely with senior stakeholders
and Business Services teams.
Key responsibilities include:
- Design and oversee all Workplace services, including front
of house, to deliver a consistent, professional and welcoming 5* client and
colleague experience across all UK offices by using feedback and data to drive
continuous improvement, setting clear service expectations with suppliers and
internal teams, and promoting a customer‑focused culture in all contract,
cost, process and systems decisions.
- Develop and maintain strategic relationships with key
Workplace suppliers and partners, providing oversight and direction across all
UK offices so that contracts, KPIs and SLAs support the firm’s Workplace
strategy and desired client and colleague experience.
- Hold overall budgeting responsibility for all Workplace
Services, monitoring financial performance and working with suppliers,
Workplace Managers and Finance to address variances, leading negotiations and
commercial discussions to secure value for money, identifying cost efficiencies
that protect safety, compliance and experience, and providing clear management
information and commentary for senior stakeholders.
- Lead Workplace-related procurement and supplier selection
through to contract award, manage performance and address underperformance
across all Workplace services, oversee the mobilisation and demobilisation of
contracts to minimise disruption, and support moves and changes (including
restacks, fit‑outs and space optimisation). Also the need to ensure
suppliers and contracts are aligned to OC's values, new or changed
environments, champion environmental initiatives and drive innovation with
effective use of technology (including AI and automation where appropriate).
- Ensure Workplace services comply with all relevant
legislation, regulations and industry standards by owning the Workplace risk
register and Business Continuity Plan, leading audits and assessments
(including for external accreditations and ISO certifications), and overseeing
robust, proportionate and up‑to‑date risk assessments across all
UK offices.
- Contribute to the planning and delivery of Workplace
projects (including restacks, fit‑outs and space optimisation),
provide input on space planning and layouts, and lead continuous improvement
initiatives with Workplace Managers and suppliers to enhance operational
readiness, efficiency, effectiveness and client and colleague experience, ensuring
agreed changes are embedded and benefits realised.
We are looking for someone with experience of:
- Workplace / Facilities Management, ideally in a total
facilities management environment with a strong focus on hard services
(M&E).
- Managing outsourced Workplace/FM services (for example
M&E, cleaning, catering), including commercial and performance management
of contracts.
- Workplace or FM procurement, including involvement in
tenders, supplier evaluation and contract award.
- Managing budgets and delivering financial efficiencies while
maintaining service quality and compliance.
- Contributing to or leading Workplace projects, such as
restacks, fit outs or space optimisation, and working with design tools (for
example CAD) or equivalent.
- External audits and accreditations (such as ISO related
audits) and of managing associated improvement actions.
- Knowledge of health & safety legislation and best
practice, including experience with risk assessments and compliance processes.
- Front of house operations in a professional or corporate
environment, including reception, meeting spaces and telephony.
- Strong client and colleague focus, able to balance service
quality, user experience, cost and risk in decision making.
- Commercial awareness, with strong analytical skills and the
ability to interpret and present data and management information in a clear and
meaningful way.
- Planning and translating strategy into practical actions and
priorities.
- Stakeholder and supplier management, with the ability to
influence, challenge and build trusted relationships at all levels.
- Being collaborative and team oriented, comfortable working
across functions and locations to deliver shared goals.
- Being organised and resilient, able to manage multiple
workstreams and deadlines in a dynamic environment.
- Clear and confident communication, both written and verbal.
- Commitment to continuous improvement, innovation and
learning, and open to new ways of working and technologies.
- Acting as a role model for professionalism, integrity and
the firm’s values, and supports the development of others through coaching,
feedback and sharing expertise.
- Microsoft Office tools (for example Outlook, Excel,
PowerPoint, Word).
- Working with FM/Workplace CAFM systems and data, and with
booking and AV systems.
Salary and benefits
We offer competitive salaries and generous benefits. We value the health and wellbeing of our people and our wide range of initiatives and benefits support this.
Our recruitment process
Please note that although we include closing dates for our roles as a guide, we review and progress applications on a rolling basis. At Osborne Clarke we do not make any recruitment decisions using automated decision-making.
We are committed to providing an environment where you can perform to the best of your abilities at every stage of your recruitment experience and beyond. If you require any adjustments to be made during the application stage, interview process, or when working with us, please let us know in confidence.