Interim Head of Facilities and Property

Norton Rose LLP; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - GBP 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading commercial law firm in Bristol is seeking an experienced Interim Head of Facilities & Property to lead the firm's property and facilities function through a strategic growth phase. This is a 2-year fixed-term contract requiring extensive senior-level experience in facilities management, strong operational judgment, and a deep understanding of health and safety compliance. The ideal candidate will facilitate critical projects throughout the estate while engaging effectively with stakeholders.

Benefits

Minimum of 25 days holiday

Discretionary bonus scheme

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Extensive senior-level experience in property and facilities leadership, ideally within a legal or professional services environment.
• An interim or contract background, or demonstrable ability to hit the ground running.
• Deep understanding of health & safety, compliance, and building operations.

Responsibilities

• Providing end-to-end leadership of the property and facilities function.
• Maintaining smooth, compliant and efficient day-to-day operations across a multi-site estate.
• Leading live property projects including refurbishments and office relocations.

Skills

Property and facilities leadership

Operational judgement

Stakeholder engagement

Health & safety compliance

Managing complex estates

Job description

Bevan Brittan is a leading commercial law firm. Alongside our recognised expertise in housing, local government, and health and social care, we are specialists in the construction, energy and resource management, higher education and financial services sectors.

Supported by our valued business services professionals, our award-winning and growing legal teams provide almost 2,000 organisations with commercial, corporate, property, finance, regulatory, employment and litigation (commercial and clinical negligence) legal and advisory services.

As a responsible business, we embrace four values: Relationships, Reputation, Responsible and Results. These give us a sense of purpose. They influence the decisions we make and how we work with each other. Importantly, they motivate us to deliver meaningful outcomes for our clients and the communities that we're part of.

Consistently recognised as one of The Times Best Law Firms and highly ranked across the legal directories, we are proud of our hard‑earned reputation. Our 2024/25 financial results confirmed both revenue and profit growth for the twelfth consecutive year, ensuring our ability to continue investing in our people.

Looking to the future, we're targeting ambitious growth and success. And we're looking for the best people to be part of it.

Join a team of experts and progressive thinkers

Bevan Brittan are seeking a highly experienced Interim Head of Facilities & Property to provide senior leadership during a key period of firmwide growth, delivery and transformation. This is a strategic role suited to an established interim who can quickly assess, prioritise and lead with confidence.

You will take ownership of the firm's property and facilities function, providing clear direction, maintaining high service standards and progressing key projects in flight and planned for the next 3 years.

This is a 2 year Fixed‑Term Contract.

The role

• Providing end‑to‑end leadership of the Bevan Brittan property and facilities function
• Maintaining smooth, compliant and efficient day‑to‑day operations across a multi‑site estate
• Leading and progressing live property projects (refurbishments, office relocations and space planning)
• Acting as senior lead for landlord, tenant and agent relationships, including rent reviews and dilapidations
• Managing procurement of hard and soft facilities end to end
• Managing landlord and tenant relationships and matters
• Stakeholder engagement; including influencing, managing and working collaboratively with key individuals
• Overseeing supplier performance, contracts and SLAs, ensuring continuity and value
• Accountability for health & safety, compliance, ISO standards and communicating with statutory bodies as needed
• Managing facilities budgets and maintaining financial discipline
• Providing calm, credible leadership to the Facilities team and external partners
• Working closely with senior stakeholders to support business priorities
• Communications with the business, stakeholders, suppliers, statutory bodies and regulators

What we are looking for from you

• Extensive senior‑level experience in property and facilities leadership, ideally within a legal or professional services environment
• An interim or contract background, or demonstrable ability to hit the ground running
• Excellent operational judgement
• Experience managing complex estates and multi‑supplier environments
• Deep understanding of H&S, compliance and building operations
• Commercially astute, pragmatic and solutions‑focused
• Comfortable operating at pace and handling competing priorities

Work with approachable people

When we ask colleagues what makes Bevan Brittan a great place to work, the most popular thing they say is “the people”. The overwhelming consensus is that we make time for each other. We welcome questions and support each other. Naturally, we look for new colleagues who align with our values.

Supported to be your best

We operate a hybrid working model based on the needs of our clients, teams and people. Our core business hours are 9am – 5:15pm Monday to Friday, but we're open to our people working more flexibly around those times and welcome a conversation with you if you have any questions about this. We try to offer you the flexibility to work your week in a way that suits you.

Learning, Development & Progression

We're committed to supporting your professional and personal development needs. This means that we offer a range of tailored training courses and you will have lots of opportunity to learn from those around you. We actively encourage progression and this is reflected in our annual review and promotion processes. You will be supported by your line manager to achieve your full potential.

As a Bevan Brittan employee, you'll have access to a variety of services that support your wellbeing. We've pledged our commitment to The Mindful Business Charter and lots of our people contribute to our Wellbeing Responsible Business strand, which organises an annual calendar of wellbeing events and initiatives.

• A minimum of 25 days holiday (plus the option to buy up to an additional 5 days)
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Private medical insurance through Vitality
• Biennial private health assessment through Nuffield Health
• Life assurance
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to work scheme

Embracing our differences and valuing inclusion

Our shared aim is that everyone is welcome and can feel comfortable being themselves at Bevan Brittan. To support this, we actively value and promote equality, diversity and inclusion in everything that we do. You'll be empowered and supported through our employee‑led networks, diverse colleagues, and a broad range of firm‑wide initiatives.

Recognising the unique contributions that a diverse workforce can bring to our business, we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We take great pride in being a Disability Confident Employer. If you need any adjustments throughout the recruitment process or have any questions, please get in touch with our recruitment team by emailing [e-mail]

Acting responsibly, now and for the future

To us, being a responsible business is second nature; a core part of Bevan Brittan's identity. Our colleagues are heavily involved in shaping and delivering activity across the four pillars of our Responsible Business strategy: Community Engagement; Environmental Sustainability; Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; and Wellbeing.

Our people deliver pro bono legal work for charities and not‑for‑profit organisations. We play an active role in our local communities and donated £100,000 across our four regional office charities last year. We are also proudly carbon neutral. We've achieved the UN's Climate Neutral Now accreditation and our environmental sustainability plan focuses on achieving our net zero carbon target by 2040.

Collectively, the four pillars ensure we look after our colleagues' wellbeing; offer an environment in which everyone can progress on merit, give something back to the communities in which we work; and protect the environment.