Salaries and Costs
Cardiff employers use recruitment agencies, staffing agencies, and employment firms to benchmark pay and plan headcount with confidence. Typical FM salaries in the city include £26,000 to £32,000 for a facilities coordinator, £35,000 to £50,000 for a facilities manager, and £45,000 to £60,000 for an estates manager, with maintenance technicians in the £28,000 to £34,000 range and multiskilled M and E engineers around £34,000 to £42,000. Soft services roles such as security officer and cleaner often sit at £11-£13 per hour, with supervisors above that level. Recruitment fees for permanent hires often range from 12 per cent to 20 per cent of basic salary, while temp agencies quote hourly pay rates plus an agency margin and holiday accrual. Clear scopes, agreed service levels, and realistic start dates help manage agency costs and keep retention on track.
Qualifications
Facilities teams in Cardiff value IOSH Managing Safely and NEBOSH certificates for managers and supervisors. Engineers often hold City and Guilds Level 3 qualifications in electrical or mechanical disciplines, F-Gas certification for HVAC, and 18th Edition certification for electricians. Front-of-house leads benefit from customer service awards, while CAFM users gain from Excel skills and vendor training in systems such as Planon or Concept.
Regional or geographic variations
Cardiff’s job market spans city centre estates, healthcare sites, education campuses, and industrial parks along the M4 corridor. Central Square, Cardiff Bay, and St David’s drive demand for soft services and front-of-house teams. Llanishen, Pentwyn, and Pontprennau create a steady need for engineers and caretakers across business parks, with Cardiff Gate and St Mellons close to commuter links for the Valleys. Travel times on the A48 and M4 shape rota planning and callout coverage, so recruiters often prioritise candidates within a practical radius.
Hiring challenges
Local employers report pressure on multiskilled maintenance talent, CAFM-literate coordinators, and night shift security supervisors. Competing demand from data centres, healthcare estates, and large venues narrows the pool in peak periods. Recruitment consultants advise clear salary bands, paid callout, and funded training to secure offers in a busy labour market. Where retention is a concern, on-the-job upskilling and stable rotas help reduce churn across the workforce.
Roles and career paths
Agencies in Cardiff place facilities coordinators, facilities managers, assistant FMs, and head of facilities, along with caretakers, handyman roles, cleaners, porters, and security officers. Hard services demand covers electrical maintenance, HVAC, plumbing, building fabric, and BMS monitoring. Career paths run from helpdesk or technician into supervisor, then facilities manager or estates manager, with executive search used for senior FM, head of estates, and regional roles.
Local hiring challenges
Large public sector estates, major retail sites, and event venues create spikes in demand around planned works and match days. The Principality Stadium, the Bay, and city centre office schemes bring high footfall and extended hours, which raises the need for temporary, permanent, and contract work at short notice. Temp agencies can stabilise cover during refurb projects, with permanent hires planned around seasonal budgets and academic terms for university sites in Cathays and Llandaff.
Key sectors or employers in the region
Healthcare and education anchor many FM teams across Cardiff and Vale, joined by offices at Central Square, retail in and around St David’s, and logistics on the M4. Hospitality, leisure, and public buildings in the Bay require strong soft services coverage. Local businesses in Trowbridge, Roath, and Canton often seek part-time caretakers and multi-site mobile engineers. Agencies with FM focus help employers hire staff fast and help candidates pick roles that fit travel needs and shift patterns.
Regulatory or compliance standards
DBS checks are common at schools and healthcare settings. Engineers need right-to-work verification, evidence of City & Guilds or NVQ, and up-to-date H&S training. Managers often request ISO awareness, contractor control knowledge, and permit-to-work experience, with asbestos awareness and Legionella control widely requested across estates teams.
Industry-specific training or licences
IPAF and PASMA are common for contractors handling access equipment. CSCS or ECS cards are required for many projects, with confined spaces and L8 training valued for plant room duties. Security roles often require SIA licences, with first aid at work and fire marshal training useful across front-of-house and night teams.
Market and trend snapshots
The Cardiff labour market remains active across mixed-use developments and public sector frameworks.
Helpdesk and CAFM skills command a premium during busy periods, and mobile engineers with a clean licence remain in demand. Recruitment agencies in Cardiff report steady requests for out-of-hours cover and for planned maintenance teams tied to energy-efficiency works and compliance schedules. Register with an agency to stay in the loop on short-term assignments and step up to longer contracts when they land.
How to work with agencies
Local employers in Cardiff often brief recruitment consultants with site size, asset list, and shift patterns so shortlists match real needs. Set pay rates in line with the market and share any flexibility on training, overtime, or callout. Candidates and job seekers who want to find employees for their own teams later can use temp-to-perm routes commonly offered by recruitment agencies, with transparent conversion fees that help everyone plan ahead. Most agencies cover temporary, permanent, and contract work, from helpdesk staff to senior FM leaders.
Quick facts and frequently asked questions
Do agencies in Cardiff cover both soft services and hard services?
Yes, recruiters place cleaners, security, and front-of-house staff, along with engineers, caretakers, and managers, across estate teams.
What are the common recruitment fees for permanent FM roles in Cardiff?
Many employment firms quote 12 per cent to 20 per cent of basic salary, subject to exclusivity and volume.
Can I register with an agency for short-notice shifts?
Yes, temp agencies keep standby pools for events, night cover, and planned works, and they call when shifts match your profile.
How quickly can an employer hire staff through an agency?
Same-day cover is possible for temp needs, and one to three weeks is typical for permanent shortlists when references and checks are ready.
Which Cardiff areas generate the most FM vacancies?
City centre offices, Cardiff Bay venues, Central Square, and business parks at Cardiff Gate, St Mellons, and Llanishen create steady demand year-round.
Do agencies run executive searches for senior FM hires?
Yes, search partners handle head of estates, regional FM, and director-level posts for larger portfolios and framework clients.
What documents should candidates bring to register with an agency?
Right-to-work ID, proof of address, qualifications, and recent references help speed up onboarding and site clearances.
Are agency costs different for night shifts or weekends?
Pay rates and margins often rise for nights and weekends, so budgets should reflect rota patterns and callout terms.