Head of Maintenance

at  Vision Express

Role overview
As Head of Maintenance, you will play a critical role in ensuring that our stores for Vision Express and EssilorLouxttica across the UK & IRE operate seamlessly, maintaining standards that our colleagues and customers expect.
You’ll lead a dedicated internal team, work in partnership with our preferred maintenance suppliers who are responsible for the upkeep, repair and optimisation. You will ensure that all maintenance activities align, committing to safety and innovation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Facilities and Maintenance Leadership: Develop and implement maintenance strategies across hard and soft services, ensuring all facilities operate efficiently and meet Vision Express’s standards.
• Hard and Soft Services, manage infrastructure maintenance (HVAC, plumbing, electrical) and soft services such as cleaning, waste management, security, and catering for a safe and welcoming environment.
• Third-Party Contractor Management: Establish and maintain strong relationships with external vendors, monitoring SLAs and KPIs to ensure high service quality and cost efficiency.
• Continuous Improvement and Cost Savings: Drive cost-saving initiatives through competitive tendering, strategic sourcing, and process improvements to enhance operational efficiency.
• Health, Safety, and Compliance: Ensure adherence to health, safety, and environmental regulations, conducting regular audits and risk assessments.
• Team Leadership and Development: Lead and support internal team of 5, including Assistant Facilities Manager, Coordinators, Health & Safety Advisor and Senior, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth.
• Budget Management and Resource Optimisation: Manage budgets effectively, optimising resource allocation across all services while maintaining quality and efficiency.

You will have regular interaction with Heads of Industrial locations within the Grand Vision and EssilorLuxottica estate ensuring that maintenance services are being delivered to contract and aligned to business requirements.
This role requires a proactive leader with a deep technical understanding, strong project management skills, and a commitment to delivering excellent customer experiences through well-maintained facilities. Responsibilities include.
You’ll be responsible for 723 optical and sun stores and 2 support offices in Ruddington, Nottingham and Kensington, London.
Who are we?
We are Vision Express - with over 550 stores across the UK and Ireland, we have something for everyone. Whether you want to work in a busy city centre flagship, a smaller village store or in one of our coastal locations, we’re sure we will have the perfect solution for you!
Did you know, we are also part of the EssilorLuxottica family? EssilorLuxottica is the global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of lenses, frames and sunglasses! We are home to the most loved and widely-recognised vision care and eyewear brands in the world. Their priority eyewear brands include Ray-Ban, Oakley, Costa, Vogue Eyewear, Persol and Oliver Peoples, complemented by over 20 prestigious licensed brands

Benefits of working at vision express:

• Pension scheme
• Life Assurance
• Free eyewear annually with eligibility from day one of joining us!
• Free parking for all Vision Express colleagues
• Opportunities to get involved in the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
• Discounts for friends and family
• Employee Assistant Program offering confidential support and advice on everything from financial support to emotional support and everything in-between
• 33 days annual leave - increasing with your length of service, plus the opportunity to buy or sell holiday
• Flexible health related benefits, such as; Health Cash plan, Additional Life cover, Critical Illness cover and Dental Plan
• Opportunities to join a company wide community with peer to peer knowledge, sharing and collaborating through our internal channels
• Flexible lifestyle benefits, such as; Gymflex, Dining Cards, Discounted Travel Insurance, Experience Days, and even discounted bicycles through our Cycle to Work Scheme
• And so much more!

• Strategic Facilities and Maintenance Leadership: Develop and implement maintenance strategies across hard and soft services, ensuring all facilities operate efficiently and meet Vision Express’s standards.
• Hard and Soft Services, manage infrastructure maintenance (HVAC, plumbing, electrical) and soft services such as cleaning, waste management, security, and catering for a safe and welcoming environment.
• Third-Party Contractor Management: Establish and maintain strong relationships with external vendors, monitoring SLAs and KPIs to ensure high service quality and cost efficiency.
• Continuous Improvement and Cost Savings: Drive cost-saving initiatives through competitive tendering, strategic sourcing, and process improvements to enhance operational efficiency.
• Health, Safety, and Compliance: Ensure adherence to health, safety, and environmental regulations, conducting regular audits and risk assessments.
• Team Leadership and Development: Lead and support internal team of 5, including Assistant Facilities Manager, Coordinators, Health & Safety Advisor and Senior, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth.
• Budget Management and Resource Optimisation: Manage budgets effectively, optimising resource allocation across all services while maintaining quality and efficiency