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St James Quarter (SJQ) is a world-renowned retail-led mixed-use destination comprising 850,000sf of prime retail, food and leisure space, a multi-screen cinema, a world class “W” hotel, 152 private apartments and a 4-star aparthotel.

The Operations Services Manager is a key management role monitoring and managing the seamless operations of St James Quarter (SJQ) with a dedicated focus on the three soft services of security, presentation and guests services whilst actively promoting the world class Guest Experience. Overseeing the daily running of SJQ from a security, safety, cleanliness and waste management to ensure a seamless and stress-free end to end experience whilst working closely with all teams and ensuring that all activities are undertaken by putting the ESG strategy of SJQ in the heart of all decisions.

The Operations Services Manager will also endorse the responsibility of the duty management strategy at all times for SJQ with a dedicated focus towards the out of hours and week ends.

The position interfaces with all teams to ensure that SJQ operates with a guest-centric focus every day. The Operations Services Manager must be a leader and a role model.

The job holder will be front and centre for the duty management team and will be the main point of contact for the security service partner, the presentation service partner and with extension the waste removal partner whilst supporting the Operations and Sustainability Director to develop the one team approach throughout. He/ she will be the guardian to ensure that all are fit for purpose and all staff are compliant with the standards and behaviours commensurate with the shopping, dining, entertaining and catering experiences (including experiences of the car park, Hotels, leisure, F&B) at St James Quarter. Working within the framework of safety & security, and supporting initiatives to drive footfall, the Operations Services Manager will ensure the guest experience remains a key element as the global flagship of the JV’s St James Quarter.The Soft Systems Manager will also work very closely with the Operations and Sustainability Director in the discharging of his duties.

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  Provide direct support to the Operations and Sustainability Director and deputise in his absence.

• Maintain overall control of the security operations, paying particular regards to incident response

• Maintain overall control of the cleaning operations to ensure a consistent and high standard of cleaning throughout the scheme and back of house areas.

• Maintain overall control of the waste management systems in place ensuring effective waste management and controls.

• Maintain overall control and day to day management of the guests services team to ensure that we deliver a world class geust experience at all times

• Set and manage operational procedures and processes and continuously review them to ensure best practice in line with St James Quarter and Savills policies & procedures.

• To take ownership of service delivery to agreed standards and being fully accountable for the management of both the Cleaning and Security operations.

• Ensuring all onsite documentation is maintained to the highest standard to include documentation related to all current relevant legislation including the compliance and audit regulations

• Ensure that all H&S / insurance documents are updated and kept on site in respect of the retained contractors.

• Active contribution and participation to the annual budgets for the soft services of security and presentation.

• Ensure effective management of the operational cost to service charge delivering these in line with the Business Plan.

• Responsible for Tender, monitor and review of the above soft services contracts in conjunction with Savills team in accordance with the operating budgets.

• Liaise with the car park operator in accordance with their Operational duties and KPI’s including for common soft services where appropriate.

• Liaise with the residential managing agent, concierge team on common soft services

• Assist the Operations and Sustainability Director in monitoring and driving centre performance in line with the Business Plan.

• Ensure compliance at all times with operational standards.

• Ensure world class levels of guest service and operational standards are maintained at all times.

• Oversee incident management and initiate effective escalation and recording on datastation, managing contingency plans and their relationship to the wider community.

• Provide effective leadership to ensure the development and encouragement of all operational staff to meet both business and personal objectives.

• Ensure that all operational activities comply with relevant legislation e.g Health & Safety at Work Act, Data Protection Act etc,

• Optimise use of available Staffing resource to ensure service, cleanliness, security and safety across the scheme.

• Undertake performance management reviews and action any training or development required.

• Input to recruitment to ensure management vacancies are filled with suitable staff.

• Ensure new employees have a full induction and training (specifically statutory) requirements are constantly monitored.

• Manage the management team’s rotas including lieu and leave to ensure effective management levels cover at all times.

• Investigate and provide all documented support to accident/incident and insurance investigations.

• Ensure preparations for daily operations are in place and implemented in a collaborative manner across St James Quarter daily working alongside other key teams including Operations, Retail & Hospitality, Marketing & Tourism and Technical services.

• Ensure all guests receive a welcoming environment and positive lasting impression of SJQ.

• Manage all costs related to presentation and security budgets linked to guests

• Liaise with Facilities Management team on any FM related issues, ensuring the SJQ is always guest-ready and taking any corrective actions where required.

• Assist guests during any incidents during any abnormal operations. During incidents involving Security, Health & Safety matters, take lead in service recovery with Guests including follow-up action in line with SJQ Policy. Be the Silver / Gold point of contact in event of incident.

• Collaboratively work with Retail, Marketing & Tourism teams to ensure alignment with their daily plan & be completely aware of daily, weekly and monthly marketing promotions and campaigns.

• Organise and attend daily Morning Huddle, ensuring all key teams provide an update on their plan for a day.

• Assist with regular daily inspections of all facilities (including key boutiques) along with SJQ Directors to ensure they are compliant with standards, noting any corrective actions (and ensuring these are addressed with the relevant teams) and that all facilities are clean, working and friendly at all times.

• Prepare daily performance reports with commentary on key actions/learnings and provide any hospitality performance data to senior leadership as required.

• Maintain overall control and day to day management of the guests services team which includes all guest services including (but not restricted to) Guest mobility (including pet and family mobility services), Dropit, Collect +, left luggage to ensure that we deliver a world class guest experience at all times.

Team Management

• Particular strength will be required in people management so that operatives and teams are working in partnership to deliver operational excellence.

• Lead and support several direct reports, including holding regular one-to-ones, and creating development plans for the team.

• Lead contact for the duty management rota.

• Ensure the team deliver exceptional service to all guests.

• Active contribution to all operational linked meetings and coordination of strategic implementation of resources to opening of the elements of the multi use asset, events, activations, snagging and construction related matters

• Work with the Senior leadership team and Operations management team to forward plan staffing ensuring capacity is met, with particular attention paid to how the service is scaled during peak without sacrificing on SLAs.

• Ensuring all team members are valued employees and have clear development plans.

• Work alongside HR and Learning and Development teams to deliver mandatory and inspiring training programme for all team members and participate, where necessary.

• Encourage training which empowers the team and gets new team members up to speed and achieve scale during peak quickly. World class customer service being the goal.

• Identify training needs for your direct reports and work with the Operations and Sustainability Director on training plans for the operational teams.

• Working with all SJQ team member and contractors towards achievement of their goals.

• Ensure that both in-house team members and contractors are smart and well presented at all times.

Communication

• Ensure effective operational communication including meetings, handovers and reporting.

• Attend daily/weekly/monthly business progress meetings and team meetings as required.

• Forge and maintain positive relations with retailers, F&B, cinema, hotels, car park operator and assist in occupier initiatives utilising skills and expertise of the team to facilitate.

• Written reports to aid in company communication both internally and externally should prove concise and sound.

• Communication of the Business Plan objectives should be applied to all levels of the business.

• Liaise with retail partners to ensure compliance with Operational Handbook

• Ensure that the Operations Report is accurate up to date at all times.

Brand Enhancement

• Ensure effective operational management of any special events for the overall guest experience.

• Ensure that the Centre Brand Guidelines are always adhered to and develop the team to deliver world class guest service.

• Ensure close liaison with the senior leadership team including Operational Management, Retail & Hospitality, Technical Services, Marketing and Business

• Development Manager, to understand team involvement and requirements for forthcoming events and activities.

• Consistently exceed guest expectations and deliver long term, sustainable customer satisfaction both internally and externally.

H&S operations

• Ensure all accidents and near misses are recorded and serious incidents that occur.

• Attend all serious incidents within SJQ and act as gold when necessary.

• Control and re-order first aid kit supplies ensuring that there are sufficient staff on site to administer first aid, as and when needed.

• Maintain the emergency ‘Grab Bag’ and monthly checks of same.

• Ensure that fire and H&S regulations are adhered to in all parts of the Centre by inspection, checking the signs, advising on defects, improvements required, etc.

• Monitor and maintain H&S Records in accordance with the frequency required by the site H&S manual.

• Patrol the public areas on a regular / irregular basis throughout the day checking on cleanliness, maintenance, landscaping, security etc.

• Ensure compliance with all statutory requirements and codes of practice, H&S requirements.

• Ensure that all insurance risk control requirements and, where appropriate, recommendations, are undertaken.

• Ensure that daily checks are undertaken of the common areas within SJQ and that all necessary remedial works are undertaken within a reasonable time period. Where remedial works are required immediately, the area in question must be cordoned off and made safe for all visitors, retailers, etc.

• Ensure that H&S policy is complied with at all times.

Public Relations & Liaison

• Establishing, developing and maintaining good relations / partnerships with various authorities and local agencies, notably:

• Local authority

• Emergency Services (Police, Fire & Rescue Services, Paramedics)

• RACS

• Lothian buses / LNER / Tram and other public / private transport providers

• Internal businesses forming the mixed use asset

Quality Assurance

• Adhering to all quality assurance requirements.

Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following:

Background & Skills

• Preferred experience in similar role ideally within either the Retail, Hotel or Tourism and Travel industries.

• Able to manage complexity and able to deliver with short deadlines.

• Outstanding stakeholder management, strong relationship building and influencing skills.

• Ability to work in a team environment and autonomously. High energy, calm under pressure, real team player.

• Demonstrates drive, resilience, open and innovation when working in a dynamic and fast paced environment. Decisive and collaborative in equal measures.

• Experience in managing and coordinating crisis and emergency response.

• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal & communication skills.

• Fluent in English, other European languages would be desirable.

Requirements – Personal Characteristics

• Able to work weekends/late nights.

• Able to have difficult conversations, clearly explains initiatives in sufficient detail to gain understanding, and the support of internal and external customers and partners.

• Considered a ‘go to’ person recognised as a role model internally and externally.

• Credible across service areas, creates positive working environments, manages conflict.

• Demonstrates high personal standards, able to identify positive behaviours in others.

• Demonstrates consistent excellence in standards, behaviours, knowledge and skills.

• Develops knowledge and skills of others to deliver objectives.

• Experienced in influencing people, including people senior to their role.

• Experienced in training, coaching and developing others.

• Innovative and creative, challenges accepted beliefs.

• Motivated to participate in development opportunities that increase capability and performance.

• Self - aware, positive interpersonal skills yet determined. Bounces back after setbacks.

• Willing to integrate across service areas, cross functional customer experience improvements are developed and implemented to the benefit of the organisation.

Requirements – Qualifications

• Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

• Proven experience in operational management and customer service management.

• Proven experience in developing others.

• Preferable to be Social media Savvy.

• Demonstrates drive, resilience, open and innovation when working in a dynamic and fast paced environment. Decisive and collaborative in equal measures.

• Experience in managing and coordinating crisis and emergency response.

• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal & communication skills.

• Fluent in English, other European languages would be desirable.

Role dimensions

• Direct Reports (Presentation Operations manager, Security onsite manager, Security Duty Managers, Waste partner account Manager, Guests Services team Leaders)

• Soft Service Partners (Presentation, Security, Waste)

• SJQ team Headcount (circa 130 including Contact Staff)

• Service Charge Budget (circa £6M)

• Scheme Size (1.7M sq. Ft)

• Retailers/Leisure units (circa 110)

• Car Parking Spaces (1,659)

• Residential (152 no)

• 244 bed W Hotel and 75 bed Roomzzz Aparthotel

• Energy Centre (ENGIE Heating & Cooling under Lease)

• 24-hour operation (18 hours trading)

Key Contacts

• SJQ: Managing Director, Operations and Sustainability Director, Technical services Director, Commercial and Retail Director, Food and Beverage Director, Senior Managers.

• Retailers/ F&B, leisure and Hotels: Store Managers and Occupier Forums.

• Savills Management: Client Relationship Manager, Head Of PM, HR & training, Finance, Operations Support Team, Technical Services, H&S Manager, Security, Insights and Research.

• Nuveen: Asset Director, Asset Manager, Project Director, Project Manager.

• Contractors/Employment Partners: Directors/Senior Management at all Head Contractors & Employment Partners.

Working Hours

40 hours

Salary

£50k + up top 10% bonus