Strategic Account Manager
Location: Belfast
Reports to: Director of Operations
Role Purpose
The Strategic Account Manager will provide leadership and strategic direction across a designated portfolio of contracts, driving operational excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement. The post holder will be responsible for optimising service delivery, strengthening client relationships, and ensuring contractual, financial, and operational objectives are achieved.
This is a highly visible leadership role, requiring exceptional stakeholder management skills, commercial acumen, and the ability to foster a high-performance culture. The successful candidate will work closely with clients, internal stakeholders, and operational teams to deliver service excellence while supporting the long-term growth and sustainability of the business.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
- Provide strategic and operational leadership across a portfolio of cleaning contracts.
- Lead, support, and develop Operations Managers and Service Delivery Managers to deliver consistently high standards of service.
- Ensure contractual obligations, service level agreements, and key performance indicators are achieved and exceeded where possible.
- Maintain operational control of contracted labour hours, additional works, materials, equipment, and associated costs.
- Work closely with the Director of Operations to deliver business objectives and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Drive innovation, efficiency, and best practice throughout all service operations.
Strategic Management
- Develop and implement account strategies aligned with client objectives and the organisation's vision and values.
- Build and maintain effective working relationships with clients, suppliers, service partners, and key stakeholders.
- Champion a collaborative "One Team" culture across all contracted services.
- Share and implement best practices across the wider portfolio and business.
- Promote and support the implementation of group-wide strategic initiatives.
- Foster a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Identify performance gaps and work collaboratively with senior leadership to implement effective solutions.
People Management
- Lead and support all recruitment activities, ensuring workforce requirements are effectively planned and communicated.
- Champion the organisation's purpose, values, and culture across all teams.
- Ensure investigations, disciplinary hearings, grievance processes, and employee relations matters are managed fairly and consistently in line with company policy and employment legislation.
- Oversee employee performance management processes, including appraisals, objective setting, probation reviews, welfare meetings, and performance improvement plans.
- Ensure payroll systems are accurately maintained and employees are paid correctly and on time.
- Manage annual leave planning to support operational requirements.
- Monitor absence and attendance management processes, including the application of the Bradford Factor where appropriate.
- Create an engaged, motivated, and high-performing workforce through coaching, mentoring, and development.
Financial Management
- Maintain full accountability for contract profitability and budget performance.
- Manage P&L performance across the assigned portfolio, identifying opportunities to improve financial outcomes.
- Prepare quotations, business cases, and pricing proposals for additional services.
- Ensure accurate invoicing and contract financial administration.
- Manage subcontractor performance and associated contract costs.
- Review payroll reporting and support resolution of pay-related queries.
- Deliver financial targets while maintaining high service standards.
Training & Development
- Work closely with the Operational Excellence Manager to identify training needs and development opportunities.
- Promote a culture of learning, development, and continuous professional improvement.
- Ensure robust induction programmes are delivered for all new employees.
- Maintain accurate training records and compliance documentation.
- Implement development plans to support employee growth and succession planning.
- Ensure mandatory and client-specific training requirements are fully achieved.
Client Relationship Management & Reporting
- Build trusted partnerships with key client stakeholders.
- Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual client review meetings.
- Produce and present operational and performance reports, including KPI analysis and improvement plans.
- Provide regular financial and operational updates to the Director of Operations.
- Develop and present innovative service improvement initiatives.
- Manage complaints, compliments, and corrective action processes.
- Communicate employee relations, operational, and health and safety matters through the appropriate reporting channels.
- Produce ad hoc reports and presentations as required by the client, Director of Operations, or wider business.
Compliance, Governance & Business Continuity
- Ensure full compliance with all relevant legislation, industry standards, company policies, and contractual requirements.
- Maintain compliance with Health & Safety legislation and promote a strong safety culture across all sites.
- Ensure adherence to GDPR, ISO standards, and employment legislation.
- Oversee contract governance processes and audit programmes.
- Complete quality and compliance audits in line with agreed schedules.
- Support business continuity planning and risk management activities.
- Ensure corrective actions are identified, implemented, and monitored effectively.
Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability
- Promote Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives across the contract portfolio.
- Support environmental, sustainability, and social value objectives in line with public sector procurement requirements.
- Develop and implement initiatives that support community engagement, sustainability, and environmental best practice.
- Drive innovation in sustainable cleaning practices, including the adoption of environmentally responsible solutions.
Person Specification
Essential Requirements
- Significant senior management experience within the cleaning or facilities management sector.
- Proven experience managing large-scale public sector or government contracts.
- Demonstrable experience managing contracts exceeding £2 million in annual value and operating across 50+ multiple sites.
- Strong commercial and financial management experience, including full P&L responsibility.
- Exceptional client relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Proven ability to lead, develop, and motivate high-performing teams.
- Experience delivering service transformation, innovation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Strong understanding of workforce planning, operational performance management, and service delivery.
- Experience introducing innovative technologies and solutions, including robotics and automation where appropriate.
- Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and influencing skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
- Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a demanding environment.
- Customer-focused with a commitment to delivering service excellence.
Desirable Requirements
- Formal qualification in Management, Facilities Management, or a related discipline.
- Experience managing NEC3 or NEC4 contracts.
- Project Management qualification or equivalent experience.
- Experience within Waste Management services.
- IOSH Managing Safely, NEBOSH, or equivalent Health & Safety qualification.
- Knowledge of sustainability strategies and environmentally sustainable cleaning solutions.
- Experience working within highly regulated public sector environments.
‘For nearly 50 years, we’ve played a vital role in helping our customers succeed. Built on strong, long‑standing relationships, our business is powered by people who are deeply connected to the communities where we live and work.
Our purpose guides every action and decision we make, “to proudly create safer and healthier communities today, for tomorrow.” It reflects who we are, what we stand for, and the impact we strive to make every day.
Across our team of 27,000 dedicated professionals from 157 countries, that purpose comes to life through commitment, care, and a shared responsibility to the people we serve—now and for generations to come. 'When you join Bidvest Noonan, you’re joining a team where your work has real impact, where your career can grow, where you belong, and where you help shape a safer, healthier future for us all.’
