Operations Director - Kings Cross Estate

Purpose of the Role

People, Planet, Performance, Progress – King’s Cross’ ambition is to be a global exemplar of progressive city life. Inclusive, humane, modern urban city living.

The Operations Director will deliver strategic leadership and stakeholder management across all areas of operation within the King’s Cross portfolio, which encompasses a 67-acre, mixed-use development combining high-end retail, Food & Beverage and commercial offices. The Operation Director will drive key operations, communication, leadership strategies, and financial management of service charge budgets.

An inspiring leader, the Operations Director will be the face King’s Cross Estate Services (KCES), driving opportunity and best practice across all areas and in all roles. They will act as a key ambassador for King’s Cross, overseeing internal teams, managing customer relationships, and curating an exceptional experience for all visitors, and businesses.

The successful candidate will collaborate with a wide array of high-profile stakeholders and ensure King’s Cross’ brand,

values, and standards are upheld at every stage. Delivering an unparalleled level of service and sustainability, exceeding

expectations and creating an environment that inspires all who engage with it.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Vision

Lead, motivate and manage a high-performing team dedicated to delivering an exceptional experience across all areas, encouraging collaboration and accountability.

Set team goals, manage performance, and foster a positive, service-oriented culture, aligned to the vision for King’s Cross.

Lead on the management and support of all outsourced service providers and contractors.

Understand and work to the strategic goals for King’s Cross, ensuring alignment with the vision to become a global showcase for progressive, modern work spaces and community.

Build a one team ethos, common culture and quality standards across KCES, which includes all service partner teams.

Live the King’s Cross values, adopting leadership behaviours that set an example to others.

Leading compliance and adherence to the Property Management Agreement (PMA) and legal and financial obligations.

Operations

Build, lead, develop and inspire the KCES teams as laid out in the organisational structure (both directly employed and service partners) to deliver the highest standards of service, providing first line day-to-day management and driving of excellence.

Working with the General Manager and Savills management colleagues to ensure the PMA scope is delivered and all SLAs and KPIs are met in a timely manner.

Ensure standardised and consistent systems and procedures, standard documents and templates, maintain an audit ready stance, identification and reduction of risk, consistent high standards of service excellence across all operational areas.

To be responsible for the implementation of agreed best practice in accordance with Savills’ policies and procedures.

Undertake performance management reviews for direct reports and action any training or personal development requirements.

Oversee as appropriate team recruitment, training and on-boarding to drive brand values, team fit and standard across all areas of the team.

Inform the owners of any occupier matters that may influence valuation/investment considerations including assistance in monitoring occupiers’ compliance with lease obligations and covenants.

Ensure communication and reporting to occupiers and the owners is timely and accurate.

Ensure that the building insurers are alerted to potential claims, that a full investigate is completed and that supporting documentation and evidence is provide.

To understand the principal terms of occupier leases as they affect the property management of the building and the owners’ obligations to provide services including clarity on the extent of the common areas and any demised services.

Ensure that the procurement of all supplies and services at the property is undertaken in accordance with the terms of the PMA and Savills’ Supply Chain+ procurement policies to ensure the highest standards and responsible practice.

Ensure that all operational activities comply with relevant legislation e.g. Health & Safety at Work Act, Martyn’s Law (Terrorism Act), Data Protection Act, Equality Act etc.

Ensure high quality health and safety practices are maintained in accordance with best practice guidelines from Savills’ Safety+ team and the completion Service Excellent Metric (SEMs) and DataStation actions.

Ensure all aspects of KCES’ and Savills’ ESG policies and ambitions are implemented. Proactively seek resolutions to reach and drive sustainability targets and social value.

Work with the Head of Technical Services and Engineering Managers to ensure the maintenance and fabric at the properties and across the estate is managed appropriately by the Property and Estate Management teams.

Oversee the provision of utilities and billing processes for occupiers and landlord via the Engineering teams and promoting best practice and energy utilisation intensity (EUI)

Work with appointed professional consultants - Building Surveyors, Architects/Designers, MEP, VT and Energy Brokers for the good of King’s Cross.

Track current, new and emerging industry trends and best practice to the benefit of the wider team.

Financial Management

In conjunction with surveyors and client accounting teams, ensure the thorough preparation of service charge budgets, the monitoring of agreed budgets including the owners’ business plans, formal quarterly variance reporting and service charge reconciliations, including non-recoverable budgets.

Oversee the teams management of the annual service charge budgets and ensure that key activities are completed on time and with the effective use of multi-team resources.

Liaise with the client accounting teams and management surveyors to collaborate on outstanding monies.

Monitor operational financial performance, optimising value for money whilst maintaining and developing leading service levels in line with the asset strategy for Kings Cross. Customer Engagement and Communication

Be the operational face of KCES, driving engagement across key stakeholders including occupiers, site team and wider partners.

Work closely with the General Manager ensuring the agreed strategy and King’s Cross Values are adopted and embedded by the whole operations team and wider King’s Cross Estate.

Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring seamless integration and functionality across all areas.

Develop and implement operational strategies and best practice to maintain a high quality, customer-focused environment.

Be an escalation point for all occupiers, ensuring their needs are understood and met, addressing any issues that arise, through a customer centric lens.

Work closely with asset managers and leasing team on key tenancy issues.

Develop excellent relationships with the owners and their advisers, reporting on all aspects of the management of the estate and properties through regular formal written reports and meetings in addition to ad-hoc communication as required.

Establish and implement the property action plans in support of the King’s Cross strategy with a view to providing a high standard of customer service that enhances the customer experience and develops a property partnership community, embedding responsibility in all decision making.

Liaising with the Neighbourhood Manager regularly, meet with occupier representatives to fully understand their wants and needs within the property and communicate that sentiment to the owners.

Manage the on-site service partner senior relationships to ensure optimal customer satisfaction and reduce impact when service interruptions occur.

Liaising with the Head of Purpose and Enablement, Neighbourhood and Community Managers undertake periodic customer feedback sessions and respond to occupier feedback with a view to achieving positive outcomes and consistent high levels of customer satisfaction.

This Job Description is not an exhaustive list of duties, and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your role within the organisation. Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Proven experience across large, high-quality, high-footfall destinations and mixed-use portfolios.

Extensive experience in estate management and commercial property management.

Good understanding of technical services such as building services maintenance, proptech, vertical transportation, hard and soft landscaping etc.

Understanding of UK property law, health and safety, GDPR and environmental regulations.

Exceptional leadership and stakeholder management skills.

Professional, measured approach with strong work ethic

Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with complex, multi-stakeholder engagements.

Strong problem-solving skills and a strategic mindset.

Experience in driving a positive culture and managing standards and values across a team.

Driving relationship management

Experienced in being a point of escalation for internal team members, clients and service partners .

Interest in sustainability and ESG initiatives, and driving change and impact across assets.

Experience of setting and managing multiple, complex service charge budgets.

Thorough knowledge of the RICS’ professional statement on service charges management.

Excellent communication skills and relationship builder

NEBOSH General and NEB

Please see our Benefits Booklet for more information.