Property Manager

Role Overview

As Property Manager, you will oversee the maintenance and continuous improvement of the Blue Diamond Garden Centre Group portfolio across the UK and Channel Islands. You will balance reactive facilities management with a proactive, strategic approach, ensuring our sites remain safe, functional, and attractive. By fostering strong relationships with site leadership and building a high-performing, competitive contractor network, you will deliver efficient, cost-effective solutions that support our operational excellence.

Facilities Management & Reactive Maintenance

• Manage day-to-day property and facilities requests via our management system, ensuring timely resolution and high standards.
• Review, prioritise, and allocate jobs to appropriate contractors, monitoring progress through to completion.
• Collaborate with centre teams to understand requirements and ensure works are completed satisfactorily.
• Identify practical, cost-effective solutions for individual property issues, escalating significant or recurring problems when necessary.
• Provide expert maintenance advice, shifting the focus from purely reactive repairs to long-term, preventative solutions.

Contractor Management & Development

• Cultivate a strong, reliable, and competitive contractor network across the UK and Channel Islands.
• Manage existing relationships, monitoring workmanship, communication, and performance.
• Identify gaps in coverage or expertise; research, vet, and onboard new contractors as required.
• Review contractor rates and service offerings to ensure value for money and consistent quality.
• Ensure all works are supported by appropriate documentation, including quotations, reports, and photographic evidence.

Strategic Site Support

• Act as the primary point of contact for property and facilities matters for Garden Centre Managers.
• Review property standards and identify proactive maintenance opportunities, providing on-site advice where required.
• Develop and follow up on action plans with centre teams, sharing best practices to ensure consistent standards across the Group.

Cost Management, Standards & Risk

• Obtain and challenge competitive quotations to reduce expenditure without compromising quality, compliance, or the customer experience.
• Monitor maintenance budgets, identify opportunities for Group-wide savings, and support the wider Property & Development team with forecasting.
• Proactively identify safety or property risks and ensure specialist contractors are utilised where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate records of all works, inspections, and contractor performance data.

Key Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in property, facilities, or estates management.
• Strong background in managing contractors and external suppliers, with a solid understanding of commercial building services.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with a focus on practical, cost-effective delivery.
• Strong organisational skills, capable of managing multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
• Commercial acumen – confident in reviewing, negotiating, and challenging quotations.
• Proficiency in IT, specifically with facilities or property management systems.
• Full UK driving licence and the willingness to travel frequently across the UK and Channel Islands.

Personal Attributes

• Proactive: You anticipate issues before they escalate.
• Practical: You focus on achievable, common-sense solutions.
• Commercially Minded: You are driven by achieving the right outcome at the right cost.
• Collaborative: You are approachable and enjoy working directly with site teams.
• Detail-Oriented: You ensure every job is properly instructed, completed, and closed out.
• Improvement-Focused: You are always looking for better ways of working and long-term value.

What Success Looks Like

• High and consistent property standards maintained across the Group.
• A reliable, high-performing, and cost-effective contractor network.
• A shift in culture from reactive repairs to proactive, preventative property management.
• Strong, trusted relationships with Garden Centre Management teams.
• Efficient budget management and a reduction in recurring maintenance issues.
• Safe, functional, and attractive garden centres that enhance the customer experience.