UKB National Facilities Manager

Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom

Arriva is a leading European passenger transport partner, operating in 11 countries across the UK and Europe. With around 35,000 colleagues delivering more than 1.5 billion passenger journeys each year, we connect people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably. With strong roots dating back to 1938 and an ambitious growth and sustainability agenda, Arriva is focused on building a strong and sustainable future.

We are seeking an experienced and strategic National UK Bus Facilities Manager to lead and shape facilities management across our UK Bus estate.

This is a national leadership role with responsibility for ensuring our operational, engineering, depot, and office facilities are safe, compliant, efficient, and fit for purpose. Acting as the client-side owner of the Facilities Management function, you will provide strategic direction, governance, and leadership across a complex, multi-site estate.

Working closely with senior operational leaders and key stakeholders, you will ensure facilities management services support operational performance, regulatory compliance, colleague wellbeing, customer experience, and long‑term business objectives.

This role will be on a hybrid working basis, a minimum of 3 days per week in the Doxford office, with the remainder focused on where you can best deliver for your colleagues while maintaining a healthy work‑life balance.

• Lead the review of existing FM contract arrangements, identifying opportunities to improve operational performance, commercial value, compliance, and governance.
• Support the design and implementation of the future FM operating model, including outsourced, hybrid, and in‑house delivery solutions.
• Develop service specifications, scopes of work, KPIs, governance frameworks, reporting requirements, and mobilisation plans for FM contracts.
• Partner with Procurement to manage tender processes, supplier selection, contract award, mobilisation, implementation, and ongoing performance management.
• Act as the client-side owner of national FM contracts, ensuring services are delivered effectively and deliver value for the business.

• Build strong partnerships with depot management teams, engineering functions, operational leaders, and Responsible Persons across the estate.
• Ensure FM processes and service delivery arrangements support safe and efficient operations across all locations.
• Provide governance and assurance that works instructed through FM providers are delivered safely, compliantly, and to agreed service levels.
• Monitor service provider performance, stakeholder feedback, audit findings, and operational trends to drive continuous improvement.
• Lead the resolution of service, compliance, and performance issues where standards fall below expectation.

• Develop, procure, and manage national property compliance contracts and specialist service providers, including:
  • Asbestos Management
  • Fire Risk Assessments
  • Water Hygiene
  • Gutter Cleaning
  • Specialist Property Services
• Ensure consistency, governance, reporting, and value for money across all compliance programmes.
• Work closely with the Property Project Coordinator to implement scalable processes, contractor governance frameworks, compliance monitoring, and reporting structures.
• Drive standardisation and identify opportunities to improve compliance visibility and operational efficiency across the estate.

• Manage national FM operating budgets and supplier expenditure.
• Support maintenance investment planning, lifecycle management, and prioritisation of remedial works.
• Ensure robust financial controls, forecasting, approval processes, and value-for-money decision making.
• Balance operational priorities, compliance obligations, risk management, and commercial considerations when allocating resources and expenditure.

• Lead the governance and assurance of statutory and regulatory property compliance across the UK estate.
• Provide clear visibility of compliance performance, risk exposure, contractor effectiveness, and remedial…