At Nido, we create more than just student accommodation – we build vibrant communities where students can thrive. As a fast growing student housing provider in Europe, we put people and the planet first, delivering exceptional spaces, conscious communities, and unparalleled experiences.
We are undertaking an ambitious and strategic journey to become Europe’s leading provider of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). With active expansion into key markets including Germany and Italy, we are building the foundations for long-term, pan-European growth.
The Operations Director will oversee operational performance across Nido Living’s Pan-European portfolio. This pivotal leadership role is responsible for delivering a best-in-class resident experience, ensuring safe and compliant operations, and optimising the commercial success of each market.
You will lead and develop a team of Regional and Property Managers, fostering collaboration, consistency, and accountability across different cultural and regulatory environments. Working closely with central functions — including Asset Management, Facilities, Sales & Marketing, Finance, Legal, and HR — you will help shape Nido’s pan-European operational strategy and support the company’s continued growth.
KEY TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES (include but are not limited to)
Operational Leadership
- Lead and oversee operations across Iberia, ensuring consistent delivery of Nido’s brand standards and service excellence.
- Drive a culture of accountability, innovation, and customer focus across all sites.
- Develop and implement operational strategies, processes, and standards to ensure efficiency, compliance, and scalability.
- Ensure all properties operate safely, compliantly, and profitably, meeting both local regulations and Nido’s internal policies.
- Empower, develop and nurture talent at all levels of the Operations structure
Health, Safety & Compliance
- Champion health, safety, and wellbeing across all markets — ensuring a proactive, preventative approach to risk management.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant European, national, and local compliance frameworks, adapting operational practices as needed.
- Foster a culture where every team member feels confident to identify and report safety concerns.
- Collaborate with central H&S and compliance teams to align local practices with company-wide standards.
People & Leadership
- Lead, motivate, and develop a diverse, multi-country operations team, ensuring high engagement and performance.
- Work with HR to take responsibility for recruitment, onboarding, development, and retention of operational leaders across Europe.
- Create a unified operational culture that celebrates local diversity while aligning to Nido’s values and behaviours.
- Set clear, measurable objectives for all teams and conduct regular reviews to support continuous improvement.
Customer Experience
- Champion Nido’s resident-first philosophy, ensuring all decisions and initiatives enhance the resident experience.
- Use customer feedback, data, and insights to drive innovation in service delivery.
- Maintain a strong understanding of local markets, universities, and resident demographics to tailor experiences effectively.
- Lead initiatives that strengthen Nido’s reputation for excellence and customer loyalty across all regions.
Revenue & Commercial Performance
- Oversee leasing and revenue performance across the European portfolio, ensuring consistent achievement of occupancy, retention, and sales targets.
- Collaborate with Sales & Marketing to ensure effective market strategies and quick adaptation to changing demand cycles.
- Lead annual budget setting and regular reforecasting, maintaining full ownership of financial performance across all markets.
- Identify and deliver operational efficiencies and margin improvements while maintaining quality and service standards.
Property & Asset Management
- Ensure all buildings are well-maintained, visually aligned with Nido’s brand, and operationally efficient.
- Partner with Asset Management, Portfolio Management and Facilities teams to plan and execute capital works and refurbishment projects.
- Drive cost efficiency and sustainability across property operations, ensuring value creation and long-term asset performance.
- Oversee the successful delivery of annual summer turnaround programmes and operational readiness for new academic cycles.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Build strong partnerships with internal teams to align strategy and ensure cohesive delivery across the business.
- Represent the European operations function within senior leadership forums, contributing insights and recommendations.
- Work closely with Asset Management and Development teams to support new property launches and market entries.
- Senior operational leadership experience within PBSA, hospitality, property, or a comparable customer-centric environment.
- Proven track record of leading multi-country operations within Europe, ideally across Spain, Portugal, Germany, or Italy.
- Strong financial acumen with full P&L responsibility across multiple sites.
- Excellent understanding of European regulatory environments relating to property operations, health & safety, and compliance.
- Outstanding leadership and people management skills with the ability to build high-performing, cross-cultural teams.
- Customer-obsessed mindset with a commitment to service excellence and resident satisfaction.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and influencing skills at all levels.
- Fluent in English and Spanish; additional European languages (particularly German, Portuguese, or Italian) highly desirable.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently across Europe.
KEY PERSONAL SKILLS & TRAITS
- Integrity: Commitment to upholding ethical standards, honesty, and integrity in financial reporting and decision-making, promoting a culture of transparency and accountability.
- Analytical Thinking: Proficiency in analysing complex financial data, identifying trends, and interpreting financial results to support strategic decision-making and risk management.
- Problem-Solving: Capacity to identify issues, assess alternative solutions, and implement effective problem-solving strategies to address challenges and optimise financial processes and controls.
- Resilience: Ability to remain composed and focused under pressure, demonstrating resilience and composure in challenging situations to lead the team effectively
