Director of Property & Fleet
Full-Time, Permanent
Location: Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands (Hybrid / 3 days per week in office)
Company Info
Dignity is one of the UK’s largest providers of end-of-life services and funeral plans with a national network of 675 funeral branches, 46 crematoria and 28 cemeteries. We have a rich and diverse history with our oldest Funeral business being established in 1812 and many more having served their communities for generations.
As a business, we firmly believe that our customers sit at the heart of what we do - we help them to say goodbye, to remember and to celebrate the life of those lost. We listen, understand their wishes, and offer enhanced choice and value for money to meet and exceed their expectations. What we do matters to our customers and therefore it matters to us that we do it to the very best of our ability.
It is an exciting time to be thinking about joining the team at Dignity. We are currently embarking upon an exciting period of change and transformation following the successful takeover and privatisation of the business last year. We are investing heavily, focusing on our standards, technology, ways of working and growth capability. No part of the business will go untouched. We are unapologetic in our mission to be the very best.
It is through the ongoing dedication of our people, our commitment to responsible business practice and making a meaningful contribution to society that we will ensure we fulfil both our purpose and potential.
The Role Background
We are seeking an exceptional and ambitious Director of Property and Fleet to join our leadership team and play a pivotal role in managing and transforming our extensive estate and fleet operations. This is a unique opportunity for a strategic leader to oversee a diverse property portfolio that includes funeral homes, care centres, crematoria, and office spaces, ensuring that all facilities are maintained to the highest standards and remain legally compliant, while fostering a culture of service excellence and continuous improvement across the team.
As Director of Property and Fleet, you will be responsible for providing clear and effective leadership to the property, fleet, and procurement teams, focusing on creating a cohesive internal customer service approach. You will drive a culture of proactive management, ensuring our facilities are fit for purpose and all statutory checks and preventative maintenance works are scheduled and delivered efficiently.
Key Responsibilities Include:
- Provides leadership to property, fleet, and procurement teams, ensuring cohesive internal customer service and professional development.
- Leads the creation and implementation of the Group’s strategy for property, fleet, and procurement.
- Manages the commercial and residential property estate with proactive maintenance and scheduled checks.
- Ensures facilities management delivers value through effective internal and third-party relationships.
- Oversees reactive maintenance processes for site leaders.
- Ensures cost-effective management and compliance of residential properties.
- Collaborates on Capex requests to ensure financial and commercial alignment with committee expectations.
- Manages property sales and leaseback transactions as needed.
- Oversees compliance with local government, regulatory, and legal property requirements.
- Ensures the Group's fleet is legally compliant and efficient.
- Leads negotiations to ensure value for money in property and fleet relationships.
- Oversees the procurement framework, ensuring controls and safeguards are in place for spending and services.
You can download the full Job Description at the bottom of this page.
This role is ideal for a candidate who has:
- Experience managing large, complex property estates and multi-site operations.
- Led significant upgrade programmes, including those tied to regulatory compliance.
- Strong understanding of environmental legislation, health and safety, and landlord-tenant law.
- Proven experience implementing standardised processes and optimising operations.
- Demonstrated leadership across multifunctional teams with the ability to influence and manage diverse stakeholders.
- Commercial acumen, capable of developing sound financial proposals.
- Degree-level education (or equivalent), with RICS chartered status (desirable) and IOSH/NEBOSH certification.
What we provide to you:
- Competitive Annual Salary
- Bonus Opportunity
- Car Allowance
- BUPA Private Healthcare Scheme (Family cover)
- 27 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays.
What are the next steps?
To apply for this position, please click the 'Apply' button to submit your application. A member of our Talent Acquisition Team will contact you shortly.
FCA Statement
Please note that this role is subject to meeting regulatory requirements. As an FCA-regulated organisation, we are committed to adopting the highest standards and we do this by employing individuals with the appropriate skills, experience and integrity to protect both the company and our clients. If you are considered for a role, you will be providing your permission for us to conduct the relevant checks and assessments that will be carried out during the recruitment and onboarding process. The nature of the checks will depend on whether the role is subject to the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR).
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement
Our Vision is to connect with our clients, colleagues, company and communities based on our principles whilst celebrating our differences.
We aim to empower leaders and colleagues to seek out and understand new voices and perspectives; to be vocal about inequity and exclusion, and to take decisive, informed and bold action to promote inclusion and belonging.
Any unsolicited submissions from agencies will be accepted as a direct application from the candidate and no fees will be payable.
We reserve the right depending on application numbers to close or extend the closing dates for positions; we would therefore recommend an early application.
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