Manager- Soft Services

Job Summary:

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Soft Services Manager to lead soft services operations for a major Facilities Management project in Abu Dhabi.

The ideal candidate will be a strong, assertive, and hands-on operational leader with solid FM industry experience, particularly within infrastructure, landscaping, public realm, or large-scale outdoor environments.

The role requires an individual with the confidence and presence to effectively manage the client, consultants, subcontractors, suppliers, supervisors, and a large frontline workforce, while maintaining high standards of service delivery, presentation, HSE, and contractual compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

Soft Services Operations

• Lead the day-to-day delivery of all soft services across the project.
• Manage services including landscaping, irrigation, cleaning, waste management, pest control, hygiene services, and other associated soft services.
• Ensure all services are delivered consistently in accordance with contractual requirements, SLAs, KPIs, and agreed service standards.
• Conduct regular site inspections and proactively identify service gaps, quality concerns, landscaping issues, and operational risks.
• Establish detailed inspection schedules, checklists, deployment plans, and corrective action trackers.
• Ensure corrective and preventive actions are implemented within agreed timelines.

Landscaping & Infrastructure

• Take a lead role in managing landscaping and public realm maintenance across infrastructure assets and outdoor areas.
• Oversee soft landscaping, hard landscaping interfaces, irrigation systems, horticultural activities, pruning, fertilization, pest and disease control, and seasonal planting.
• Monitor plant health, irrigation performance, water consumption, soil conditions, and overall landscape presentation.
• Coordinate landscaping activities around roads, walkways, public spaces, infrastructure corridors, and other operational areas.
• Work closely with engineering and infrastructure teams where soft services activities interface with utilities, civil assets, drainage, irrigation networks, street furniture, and other infrastructure.
• Ensure landscaping activities comply with relevant Abu Dhabi requirements, environmental standards, and project specifications.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary operational point of contact for the client on all soft services matters.
• Build and maintain a strong professional relationship with the client through proactive communication and consistent delivery.
• Attend client meetings, site walks, inspections, audits, and performance reviews.
• Present service performance, operational challenges, improvement plans, and corrective actions confidently.
• Handle escalations effectively and ensure issues are resolved promptly.
• Coordinate with relevant authorities, consultants, contractors, and other stakeholders where required.

Contractor & Workforce Management

• Manage subcontractors and specialist service providers, ensuring strict adherence to contractual scope, SLA/KPI requirements, quality standards, and HSE expectations.
• Lead supervisors, team leaders, gardeners, cleaners, and other frontline resources.
• Ensure appropriate manpower deployment, rostering, productivity, equipment utilization, and supervision across all operational areas.
• Monitor contractor performance and implement improvement or corrective action plans for underperformance.
• Ensure adequate machinery, tools, consumables, chemicals, fertilizers, PPE, and landscaping materials are available for operations.
• Maintain strong discipline, accountability, and productivity across the workforce.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Facilities Management, Agriculture, Horticulture, Landscaping, Engineering, Environmental Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 8–12 years of relevant experience, with substantial experience within the Facilities Management industry.
• Minimum 3–5 years in a managerial capacity handling Soft services operations.
• Strong landscaping experience is essential.
• Previous experience managing soft services within infrastructure, public realm, communities, municipalities, roads, transportation, large outdoor developments, or similar large-scale projects is strongly preferred.
• Good understanding of landscaping, irrigation, horticulture, cleaning, waste management, and pest control operations.
• Strong experience managing large frontline teams and multiple subcontractors.
• Good understanding of SLA/KPI management, CAFM, audits, HSE compliance, and operational reporting.
• UAE experience, preferably Abu Dhabi, would be highly advantageous.
• IOSH, NEBOSH, or relevant FM/HSE certification would be an advantage.