DIO - Area Manager

Job summary

Do you want to play a leading role in managing and improving the Defence estate in support of military capability? The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) provides the infrastructure, accommodation, operational facilities and specialist assets that Defence people need to live, work, train and deploy across the UK and overseas.

Regional Delivery Scotland and Northern Ireland is seeking an experienced and motivated Area Manager, based in Northern Ireland, to lead estate delivery and hard facilities management services across Northern Ireland and the West of Scotland. This is an exciting opportunity to influence strategic estate decisions, lead high-performing teams and deliver vital infrastructure services across a diverse and operationally critical portfolio which includes operational military establishments, infrastructure assets and accommodation.

This is a varied and visible senior leadership role, offering the opportunity to shape service delivery across a diverse and operationally important Defence estate while supporting customers to deliver their outputs safely, effectively and compliantly.

This post is 37 hours per week. The Ministry of Defence supports flexible working where business needs allow. However, due to the volume, complexity and safety-critical nature of the work, the role is not suitable for reduced hours or job share arrangements.

A full UK driving licence is essential, as many sites across the region are not accessible by public transport. The role is primarily site-based in Northern Ireland, with responsibility for Northern Ireland and the West of Scotland as part of the Scotland and Northern Ireland Area team. Travel will be required across Scotland and Northern Ireland and, occasionally, elsewhere in the UK. Approximately 60% of working time will be spent at your permanent duty station or other MOD sites.

Job description

Defence customers, who include Front Line Commands and wider MOD stakeholders, rely on a safe, compliant and operationally effective estate to deliver their outputs. You will manage hard facilities management services and support soft facilities management enablers across Northern Ireland and the West of Scotland, ensuring buildings, infrastructure and facilities are maintained to appropriate standards.

You will lead a geographically dispersed area team of Facilities Managers based across Northern Ireland and the West of Scotland, ensuring the team works coherently, follows agreed delivery processes, manages local priorities and supports the successful delivery of maintenance, new build and refurbishment programmes.

You will be responsible for developing the area team, improving performance, managing resources and resilience, supporting professional development and creating an inclusive, motivated and delivery-focused working environment in line with DIO leadership expectations.

As a key member of the Scotland and Northern Ireland Senior Management Team, you will contribute to regional priorities, support change and continuous improvement, and help ensure consistent delivery across the Scotland and Northern Ireland Area.

You will make informed decisions, balance competing operational, financial and compliance priorities, provide guidance to DIO personnel, maximise the effective use of resources and ensure budgets are managed in accordance with delegated authority.

You will build effective and trusted relationships with Defence customers, industry suppliers and colleagues across DIO, acting as a professional estate adviser and senior point of contact for the area.

You will hold suppliers to account for safe, effective and value-for-money service delivery, ensuring performance issues, statutory compliance risks, defects and customer concerns are addressed promptly and escalated where required. The role offers the successful candidate the opportunity to make a significant contribution to Defence outputs through the delivery of facilities management contracts and a substantial programme of estate construction projects.

The post places you at the heart of estate management, within DIO’s Regional Delivery Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Person specification

Leadership and Management

• Lead, manage and motivate geographically dispersed teams, setting clear direction and maintaining delivery across multiple locations.
• Line manage staff, develop capability, manage performance and ensure consistent delivery of DIO outputs through a dispersed area team.
• Lead change, improve ways of working and embed a culture of continuous improvement aligned to business priorities.
• Plan, prioritise and deploy people, resources and activity effectively to meet operational, compliance and customer requirements.

Communication / Engagement and Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with Defence customers, Front Line Commands, suppliers, contractors and colleagues across DIO.
• Engage suppliers at regional level to communicate priorities, standards, behaviours and performance expectations.
• Communicate clearly, influence effectively, resolve issues and support effective working relationships across organisational boundaries.
• Act as a trusted estate adviser, providing clear, professional advice and support to customers and stakeholders.

Programme Management

• Manage facilities management and project or programme delivery, including contracts, delivery teams and quality outcomes.
• Prioritise and deliver repair, lifecycle replacement, maintenance and additional works activity.
• Develop prioritised estate management programmes aligned to operational need, compliance requirements and wider estate strategy.
• Support project teams delivering works from minor requirements to complex, multi-million-pound projects.

Budget / Financial Management

• Manage delegated budgets, forecast expenditure and prioritise spend against operational need, compliance, contractual commitments and value for money.
• Maintain robust financial governance, including business cases, approvals, accruals, contract variations and escalation of financial risks or pressures.

Contract Management

• Lead hard FM contract management by assuring service delivery, reviewing performance and applying contract management processes and procedures.
• Hold suppliers to account for service delivery, statutory and mandatory compliance, performance, defects, disputes and non-compliance.
• Identify contractual benefits, support change control and maintain auditable contract management records aligned to regional priorities.

Assurance, Safety and Performance Reporting

• Lead a safety-first culture and ensure the estate remains safe, compliant, legally assured and maintained to the standards required by Defence customers.
• Assure contracted services, maintenance activity and project outputs against agreed standards, statutory duties, mandated requirements and customer outcomes.
• Identify, assess, mitigate and monitor risks across facilities management and estate delivery.
• Use performance data, risk registers, assurance findings and customer insight to drive corrective action, continuous improvement and clear reporting.
• Ensure infrastructure investment, maintenance activity and engineering projects are delivered safely, compliantly and in accordance with Defence and customer requirements.

Desired Criteria

• Qualifications - either a degree (BSc) in construction, facilities management or engineering related subject relevant to the maintenance of the MOD estate. Alternat