Assistant Facilities Manager

The Vacancy

Assistant Facilities Manager

Location: Cambridgeshire

We are looking for a proactive and technically confident Assistant Facilities Manager to support the safe, efficient, and compliant operation of our facilities in Cambridgeshire. This is a key role for someone who can confidently manage contractor activities, support compliance processes, and contribute to the smooth running of a busy, multi‑stakeholder environment.

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🔧 About the Role

As Assistant Facilities Manager, you will:

• Support the Facilities Manager with the delivery of day‑to‑day facilities operations.
• Assist in reviewing, authorising and managing permits‑to‑work and associated documentation.
• Ensure contractors are fully inducted, authorised, and working in line with WPS Health & Safety and CDM requirements.
• Act as a key liaison between Facilities, contractors, and internal stakeholders.
• Monitor site activities, ensuring safe working practices and high standards of performance.
• Help maintain FM and permit systems, ensuring information is accurate and up to date.
• Support audits, inspections, compliance checks, and reporting activities.
• Suggest improvements to FM processes, systems, and ways of working.
• Maintain site plans and ensure visibility of all live works and areas of activity.

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🤝 What We’re Looking For

Essential:

• Background in Facilities Management, Engineering, Construction, or M&E.
• Working knowledge of UK Health & Safety legislation and CDM.
• Strong IT skills (Outlook, Excel, Word; experience with FM or permit systems desirable).
• Confident communicator able to engage with contractors, colleagues, and senior stakeholders.
• Experience supporting maintenance, compliance, or project activities.
• Ability to challenge unsafe practices or incomplete documentation confidently and professionally.

Desirable:

• Health & Safety qualifications (NEBOSH, IOSH, or similar).
• Experience carrying out H&S audits or compliance reviews.
• Formal technical qualification (Engineering/Construction/M&E).
• Experience as an Authorised Person in any permit‑related area (e.g., hot work, LOTO, working at height, confined spaces).
• Membership of a relevant professional body (IOSH/APs/CIOB/RICS).
• Experience managing multiple works or projects in a live operational environment.

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🌟 What You’ll Bring

• Strong communication and collaborative working style
• Leadership capability and confidence to influence contractors and stakeholders
• Innovative mindset with a focus on continuous improvement
• Results‑driven approach with high personal integrity

Given the nature of this position, you will need to undergo a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) at offer stage. Applicants with criminal convictions will be assessed individually, and we assure you that we do not discriminate based on an applicant’s criminal record or the details of any disclosed offenses. Additionally, certain roles may be subject to additional pre-employment checks.

To learn more about the checks included in this process, please click on the following link: National Security Vetting

Work for Wates

Wates is one of the UK’s leading family-owned development, building and property maintenance companies.  Founded over 125 years ago, we have a proud legacy in the built environment.

We are driven by our purpose, ‘reimagining places for people to thrive’ and our three promises:

• Thriving places – working with customers, partners and communities to create places that are more sustainable, inclusive, and full of opportunity.
• Thriving planet – protecting nature and taking action on climate change by collaborating and innovating with our partners.
• Thriving people – creating opportunities and relationships so that everyone who works for and with us feels included, invested in and treated with care.

We are proud to be recognised as Gold Investors in People and as a Disability Confident employer.  We also ensure that our recruitment processes do not treat anyone less favourably due to an offending background.