Job DescriptionWe're Hiring: Chief Operations Officer (Facility Management & Engineering Services)
IFS Group is entering an exciting growth phase — and we're looking for a Chief Operations Officer to help us get there.
Our operations span soft and hard facility management, engineering services, project delivery, and customer-facing solutions across multiple clients and sites. As we scale, we need an operator who can turn strategy into execution, bring structure to complexity, and be the steady hand that clients and teams trust every day.
This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives in the field, not behind a desk — someone who earns credibility fast, builds discipline into operations, and frees the leadership team to focus on growth.
The Role
As COO, you'll be the operational backbone of the Group — coordinating people, projects, and clients across our full portfolio.
You will:
- Oversee end-to-end operations across facility management (soft & hard services) and engineering service lines
- Serve as the primary point of leadership for service delivery, customer satisfaction, and operational performance
- Drive projects from planning through delivery, ensuring quality, timelines, and budgets are met
- Lead and align operations, customer service, and sales support functions
- Translate strategy into clear operational plans and measurable KPIs
- Strengthen client relationships and support business development and account growth
- Build accountability, structure, and performance discipline across teams
Who We're Looking For
- Strong background in facility management, engineering management, or complex service operations
- Must have hands on technical experience with Power, Electrical and or HVAC systems preferably COREN registered
- Highly organized, decisive, and execution-focused
- Confident engaging directly with clients, vendors, and internal teams
- Commercially minded, with a instinct for supporting sales and account growth
- Calm under pressure, adaptable, and able to juggle multiple priorities without dropping the ball
Requirements
Experience & Background
- 10+ years in technical operations, facility management, engineering services, or project management
- Proven track record coordinating multi-site operations or service portfolios
- Strong stakeholder management and customer-facing experience
- Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams
Why This Role Matters
This is a high-trust leadership position reporting directly to Group leadership. You will:
- Shape how the business runs day to day
- Be central to customer retention and account growth
- Help scale our systems, people, and performance
- Carry real authority — and real accountability
For the right person, this is a career-defining opportunity to help lead a respected, growing services group.
What's In It for You
- Work directly alongside visionary leadership
- Gain exposure across industries and top-level decision-making
- Competitive compensation, genuine growth opportunities, and visibility across West Africa
- Play a defining role in IFS Group's next chapter
IFS Group is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants based on qualifications and merit, without regard to race, gender, religion, disability, or other protected characteristics.
Benefits
competitive
Requirements5. Qualifications, Experience & Person Profile Essential Requirements • Minimum HND or B.Sc in Environmental Health, Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, or a related discipline • Recognised HSE qualification — NEBOSH General Certificate (or equivalent) is strongly preferred; ISPON membership or IOSH Managing Safely certification is acceptable at minimum • Minimum 5 years of relevant HSE experience, with at least 3 years in a facilities management, hospitality, or large commercial building environment • Demonstrable experience directly supervising cleaning, grounds, or soft services teams — this is not a purely administrative or desk-based HSE role; operational supervisory experience is non-negotiable • Working knowledge of COSHH regulations, chemical safety data sheets, and safe chemical handling procedures relevant to cleaning and grounds operations • Experience managing and coordinating pest control programmes in a large commercial or institutional facility • Competent in the preparation, review, and enforcement of risk assessments, method statements, and Permits to Work • Proficient in Microsoft Office — able to produce professional inspection reports, schedules, and management summaries independently The Person We Need • You walk the facility with sharp eyes — you notice the spill before a visitor slips on it, the weed before it becomes an eyesore, and the pest sign before it becomes an infestation • You lead by being present — your team knows your standards because they see you inspect, correct, and recognise good work every day, not once a week • You are firm on safety and standards without being inflexible — you know how to get compliance through training, respect, and clear expectations, not fear • You can write a professional incident report and present cleaning audit scores to a client in the same morning — and do both well