Account Director
19 days ago
Darlington
The Retail Key Account Director is responsible for the strategic leadership, operational excellence, and commercial performance of all cleaning services delivered across a national portfolio of retail stores. The role ensures safe, secure, welcoming, and compliant environments for customers, and colleagues while driving continuous improvement, contract performance, and value creation. • Define and deliver a national strategy for cleaning services aligned with client objectives., • Act as the senior subject-matter expert for health & safety, customer safety, and cleaning excellence within retail environments., • Lead nationwide initiatives covering innovation, technology adoption, sustainability, and service transformation., • Represent the organisation at senior level meetings, client forums, and industry bodies., • Oversee cleaning operations across multiple retails locations, • Ensure consistent high service standards, customer experience, and brand alignment across all sites., • Establish and monitor KPIs, SLAs, and performance frameworks, driving accountability at regional and local levels., • Manage critical incidents, high-risk events, and business continuity planning., • Preparation and delivery of monthly and quarterly client review presentations., • Ensure full compliance with UK legislation and industry standards, including:, • Health & Safety at Work Act, • COSHH and cleaning compliance, • Equality, Safeguarding, and Data Protection requirements, • Lead risk assessments, audits, and governance reviews across the national estate., • Act as the escalation point for serious incidents, reputational risk, and client concerns., • Hold full P&L responsibility for multi million pound contract., • Manage budgets, cost control, margin delivery, and value engineering., • Lead contract negotiations, mobilisations, retentions, and renewals., • Identify growth opportunities, added-value services, and innovation pathways., • Develop senior relationships with:, • Serve as the primary national escalation point for key clients., • Support bids, tenders, and proposals relating to shopping centre security and cleaning., • Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing soft services team at each centre., • Drive engagement, diversity, wellbeing, and talent development across large frontline workforces., • Ensure robust succession planning and capability building., • Champion a culture of professionalism, accountability, and customer focus., • Proven senior leadership experience in multi-site FM operations, ideally within:, • Strong understanding of cleaning industry, standards, and best practice., • Demonstrable experience managing large-scale P&L and complex contracts., • Ability to operate credibly atclient, and executive level., • Excellent people leadership skills across geographically dispersed teams., • Commercially astute, data-driven, and outcome focused., • Willingness to travel extensively across the UK. #J-18808-Ljbffr