Head of Workplace, Infrastructure & Facilities

At McLaren, our mission is to set the standard for high performance in sport. Everyone, in every part of the team, has a role to play. So if you want to test your ideas with the world watching... And measure your progress in milliseconds... And play your part in racing history... You belong here. High performance starts with you.

Purpose of the role 

The Head of Workplace Infrastructure & Facilities is responsible for the strategic oversight, operational management, and continuous optimisation of McLaren Racing’s physical assets, workspaces, and infrastructure systems. This role will develop, manage and deliver infrastructure and facilities change programmes across all of our sites, with a key focus on improving efficiency, quality, reliability, minimising disruption and striving for workplace excellence. 

Leading a team of specialist professionals, this role will ensure proper maintenance of our critical infrastructure, machinery and equipment to ensure continuous operations for our manufacturing and testing teams, and general functions across our sites. They will manage property, vendor relationships, and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, while representing and developing the organisations Facilities Management requirements. 

Role dimensions 

The Head of Workplace Infrastructure and Facilities will lead a team whose mission is the successful delivery of the strategic agenda but also the operational, day-to-day “business as usual” work. You will work with, and be accountable to, the Director of Procurement. 

This role will work closely with the Programme Management Office for programmes and major projects, and the Procurement team to manage OEM servicing, maintenance and contractors, and across the wider team to understand the business needs and deliver exceptional service to our stakeholders. There will also be close liaison and relationship management with the wider business and Group and in particular our Production, Build, Vehicle Testing and Technology teams to support the maintenance and development of their equipment and facilities. 

Your primary role will be to manage the day-to-day activity and priorities of the team, map out and drive the facilities and workplace excellence plan across all our race facilities, to manage the delivery of key initiatives and ensure cross-functional alignment, coordination and collaboration with stakeholders across the business.  

Flexibility in working hours will be required as well as some domestic and international travel from time to time. 

Principal accountabilities  

• Responsibility for the development and delivery of an effective and efficient facilities services management and maintenance plan, with a focus on continuous improvement. 

• Working with the procurement team to ensure performance and continuous review of contracted services ensuring they deliver the best standards and meet our service level agreements. 

• Oversight and management of onsite capacity, space utilisation and capacity planning. 

• Involvement in business continuity, disaster recovery planning alongside MRL and Group colleagues. 

• Ensuring the facilities that we provide have a minimal environmental impact and maximise social and local benefit. 

• Actively working with the Production, Health & Safety and Sustainability teams to influence our waste management strategy beyond legal and regulatory compliance. 

• Oversee cap-ex budget, contract management and facilities programmes, both business-as-usual and new. 

• Lead and collaborate in multi-disciplinary and cross functional project teams to deliver specific projects and programmes of activities, bringing together the skills and experience needed to deliver a wide range of shared initiatives and objectives. 

• Collaboration with McLaren Group, representing McLaren Racing interests in relation to all onsite facilities and services including car parking, restaurant/catering and maintenance. 

• Ensure effective allocation of expenditure for reactive repairs and maintenance, within budget and timescales. 

• Champion and drive operational excellence and organise a regular housekeeping programme to maintain the premises to the highest possible standards, including a longer-term maintenance plan. 

• Develop a capital expenditure plan that will be used to prioritise and approve all capital Infrastructure and Facilities projects. 

• Develop and maintain the short, medium and long-term facilities management strategy and plan. 

• Be an excellent leader injecting positivity and passion into the team, creating opportunities for development, supporting people to be their best and supporting a high performing work environment. 

• Keeping abreast of developments in the wider workplace, Infrastructure and Facilities industry and strategic initiatives being developed across the team, working closely with key stakeholders in the organisation, to lead the wider facilities and workplace agenda. 

To join our race for performance, we’re looking for a proven senior FM professional to manage the team with extensive experience in workplace facilities, planning, prioritising and goal setting, including the ability to lead multiple projects, determine project urgency and create detailed action plans. 

Desirable experience: 

• Degree in Facilities Management, Building Services, Construction Management, or relevant engineering/business discipline or relevant experience .

• IWFM level 6 Diploma in Facilities Management or equivalent qualification. 

• In-depth working knowledge of CDM Regulations 2015. 

• NEBOSH or a demonstrated experience and in-depth knowledge on health & safety, legal maintenance requirements of a given facility both office and warehouse/depot.

• IOSH (if not already covered by NEBOSH).

• Project Management Certification (e.g. Prince2, APM PMQ etc). 

• Relevant professional membership: Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM), Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). 

• Significant experience in multiple/mixed use facilities management or similar role with transferable skills, with an interest in sustainability and workplace excellence.

• General knowledge of lease arrangement formats, legal clauses and general facilities and construction industry regulations. 

• Experience in the scoping and development of new Services and Construction contracts as well as the relevant procurement and negotiation skills. 

• Well organised and able to maintain schedules. 

• Be able to build a strong network across the business and wider group, working both on-site and remotely. 

• A strong employee centric mindset. 

• High attention to detail.

Personal attributes:  

• Results driven; a proven winner, someone who is  driven and comes with an outstanding work ethic and expects the best from themselves and their people.  

• Credible, and has gravitas, acting as a role model for the McLaren values, with excellent interpersonal, relationship and communication skills.  

• Experienced in facilities and employee workplace experience that positively supports wellbeing at the cutting edge. 

• Strategic, providing a clear strategy, vision and direction for the business.  

• Challenging; supportively challenging others to strive for more, both in innovation and in meeting stakeholder needs. 

• A Leader; leading and fostering an innovative culture through empowering and developing your team.  

• Accountable; display ownership; Understanding the impact of your leadership behaviour on the business and demonstrating behaviours that empathetically support a high-performance culture across the team.  

• Collaborative; engaging with employees, stakeholders and partners. 

• A role model; someone that role models the right behaviours and values for our employees,  external partners, internal stakeholders and your team.  You’ll also be a champion for best practice in sustainability and diversity and inclusion. 

What can McLaren offer?

We constantly strive to be better tomorrow than we are today. Our ambition is to be the most pioneering and exhilarating racing team in the world, and our collective task is to set the standards for high performance in sport. We show up every day with energy and enthusiasm, ready to play our part.

We encourage and support diversity, equity and inclusion. We will actively promote a culture that values difference and eliminates discrimination in our workplace.

McLaren Racing is based at the iconic McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) near Woking. Here at McLaren, we offer hybrid working with 4 days a week based in the MTC.

Our state of the art, sustainable campus offers many facilities including a gym, restaurant and indoor and outdoor break-out areas, as well as direct access to park and common land. The MTC is connected to Woking mainline station via regular shuttle buses, from which London Waterloo is a 30 minute train ride.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including private healthcare, car schemes, life insurance and generous pension contributions.