United Kingdom · Operations · Principal/Manager (12-16 years)

Director, Global Facilities Operations

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

Free to start: a plan built for this role, and a Future Fluency module to try first. No card.

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One email: what AI is changing in this job, and where to start free. With a link back here. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

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  • Experience bandPrincipal/Manager (12-16 years)
  • Direct reports5-8 reports
  • Reports toVP, Global Facilities & Real Estate (L6)
  • UK framework levelUsually someone running a function, or a director

Also advertised as Head of Global Workplace · VP of Corporate Real Estate & Facilities · Global Facilities & Property Director

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

IWFM Extended Level 6 Diploma in Facilities Management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · Level 6 · covers 3 of 10 standards
IWFM Level 6 Certificate in Facilities Management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · Level 6 · covers 3 of 10 standards
IWFM Level 7 Extended Diploma in Facilities Management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · Level 7 · covers 1 of 10 standards
IWFM Level 5 Certificate in Facilities Management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · Level 5 · covers 8 of 10 standards
IWFM Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management Practice Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · Level 4 · covers 7 of 10 standards
IWFM Level 5 Award in Facilities Management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · Level 5 · covers 5 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Strategic facilities management support services operations IWFM Extended Level 6 Diploma in Facilities Management
Managing Staff and Customers in Facilities Management IWFM Level 7 Extended Diploma in Facilities Management
Managing health and safety in facilities management IWFM Level 5 Certificate in Facilities Management
Oversee works and maintenance facilities IWFM Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management Practice

The future skills this job leans on

Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
Frontier Fluency the next wave, beyond mainstream AI
Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner
Systems Fluency seeing the whole picture
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director, Global Facilities Operations

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Strategic facilities management support services operations Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · covers 3 of 10 standards Level 6
  2. Managing Staff and Customers in Facilities Management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 7
  3. Managing health and safety in facilities management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · covers 8 of 10 standards Level 5
  4. Oversee works and maintenance facilities Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · covers 7 of 10 standards Level 4
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director, Global Facilities Operations?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • Advanced Data Storytelling for Executive Buy-in
  • Integrated Digital Twin & Metaverse for Facilities Planning
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director, Global Facilities Operations plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

3What this role really is

This role means overseeing how global offices and operational sites run, setting the standard for managing a company's physical footprint across continents.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

IWMS/CMMS (e.g., Archibus, iOFFICE, Planon) Strategic

Leading global platform selection, implementation, and integration with ERP/HRIS. Defining enterprise-wide KPIs and ensuring data integrity across all regional instances. You're the architect of how we manage our assets digitally.

BMS/BAS (e.g., Johnson Controls Metasys, Siemens Desigo) Architect

Developing the enterprise strategy for smart building technology, approving capital for system upgrades, and setting global energy management policies. You'll understand the data these systems generate and how to use it strategically.

Lease Administration Software (e.g., CoStar, Tango) Strategic

Modelling the financial impact of complex global lease scenarios (renew vs. relocate, buy vs. lease). Directing global lease negotiation strategy and making final decisions on portfolio changes based on comprehensive financial and operational data.

CAD & Space Planning Software (e.g., AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam Revu) Strategic

Developing and implementing global workplace design standards. Approving major capital construction projects and using aggregated space utilisation data from these tools to drive portfolio strategy and efficiency.

Financial Planning Software (e.g., Anaplan, Oracle EPM, SAP RE-FX) Strategic

Owning the multi-year global real estate & facilities capital plan. Presenting and defending the budget to the CFO/Board, and modelling Total Cost of Occupancy (TCO) for the entire portfolio to inform strategic investment decisions.

Executive Dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) Expert

Designing and presenting interactive dashboards to the C-Suite and Board. You'll integrate data from all underlying systems to tell a clear, strategic story about global portfolio performance, risks, and opportunities.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Global Facilities OpEx Budget Allocation N/A (manages site-level budget) Proposes regional OpEx budget to Director Approves allocation of global OpEx budget up to £500K; recommends larger allocations to VP
Global Capital Project Approval N/A (submits requisitions) Develops business cases for regional projects up to £50K Approves capital projects up to £500K; presents and defends projects over £500K to VP/Capital Committee
Global Vendor Selection & Contract Negotiation N/A (uses approved vendors) Selects local vendors within approved list; negotiates small contracts up to £20K Selects and approves global facilities vendors up to £100K; leads negotiation strategy for major global contracts (e.g., FM providers, IWMS platforms) with Legal support
Global Workplace Policy & Design Standards N/A (follows policy) Provides input on regional policy implementation Defines and implements global workplace policies and design standards; gains buy-in from HR and regional leadership
Team Hiring & Performance Management N/A Provides input on junior hires; informal mentoring Full authority for hiring, performance reviews, and promotions for direct reports (regional/functional Facilities Managers)

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Global OpEx & CapEx Budget Adherence
How well you manage and control the operational and capital expenditure budgets for the entire global facilities portfolio.
Target · Achieve +/- 3% variance to approved annual global budget.

If the global OpEx budget is £20M, staying within £19.4M to £20.6M for the year. This means you've got a tight grip on spending and can justify any deviations.

Total Cost of Occupancy (TCO) Reduction
Driving down the overall cost of owning or leasing our spaces, looking beyond just rent to include all associated expenses.
Target · Reduce global TCO by 5% year-on-year through strategic initiatives.

Identifying and implementing a new global energy management system that saves £1M across the portfolio, contributing to a 5% TCO reduction.

Critical Systems Uptime
Ensuring our essential infrastructure (power, cooling, network) at critical sites (like data centres or major offices) is always running.
Target · Maintain 99.999% (five nines) uptime for designated critical operational sites.

Zero unplanned outages exceeding 5 minutes at any critical data centre in a given quarter. This is about preventing business-stopping failures.

Global Health & Safety Incident Rate
The frequency of workplace accidents or safety breaches across all our global facilities.
Target · Reduce reportable incidents by 10% year-on-year.

Implementing a new global safety training programme that results in a measurable decrease in minor injuries reported across all sites.

Workplace Experience & Employee Satisfaction
How happy our employees are with their physical work environment, including comfort, functionality, and amenities.
  • Improvements in relevant sections of the annual employee engagement survey (e.g., 'I have the resources and environment to do my best work'). You'll know you're doing well when HR leaders proactively ask for your input on employee retention strategies, and you see positive comments in internal comms channels about office improvements.
Strategic Alignment & Partnership
How effectively you partner with other departments (like HR, IT, and regional Ops) to ensure facilities strategy supports their goals.
  • You're regularly invited to strategic planning meetings outside of your direct function. Regional Ops leaders proactively seek your advice on site expansions or changes. You're seen as a trusted advisor, not just 'the facilities person'. Feedback from executive peers will highlight your collaborative approach and ability to translate facilities needs into broader business impact.
Global Standardisation & Process Maturity
Developing and embedding consistent, effective facilities management processes and standards across all global regions.
  • Regional teams are consistently following global playbooks for maintenance, vendor management, and space planning. Audit results show high compliance with global standards. New initiatives (e.g., a new IWMS system) are adopted smoothly because you've built a clear, logical process for implementation and training. You'll see fewer 'that's not how we do it here' arguments.
Sustainability & ESG Programme Impact
Driving our environmental, social, and governance goals within the built environment, reducing our carbon footprint and improving resource efficiency.
  • Achieving recognised green building certifications (e.g., LEED, BREEAM) for new or renovated sites. Measurable reductions in energy and water consumption across the portfolio, reported in our annual ESG report. Positive feedback from the Board or external auditors on our sustainability initiatives within facilities. You'll be able to point to concrete examples of environmental improvements.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Solving Complex Global Puzzles

You thrive on figuring out how to implement a consistent security protocol across a site in Tokyo, a factory in Mexico, and an office in London, navigating different cultures and regulations. You love the challenge of optimising a multi-million pound global budget to get the most impact.

Successfully rolling out a new global IWMS system that actually gets adopted by every regional team, despite initial resistance, and seeing the data flow in consistently.

Building & Leading High-Performing Teams

You get a real buzz from mentoring your regional Facilities Managers, helping them grow, and seeing them solve big problems independently. You enjoy creating a clear vision and empowering your team to deliver on it globally.

Developing a regional manager into a global functional lead, or seeing your team consistently exceed performance targets because of the frameworks you've put in place.

Tangible Impact on the Business & People

You're motivated by seeing your strategic decisions directly improve employee comfort, reduce operational risk, or save the company millions. You like knowing that your work genuinely enables others to do theirs, even if it's behind the scenes.

Implementing a new global workplace strategy that demonstrably increases employee collaboration scores and reduces our real estate footprint by 15%.

What frustrates people
  • The constant battle for capital expenditure against 'sexier' projects.
  • Dealing with the legacy of deferred maintenance from previous regimes.
  • Implementing global standards that clash with deeply ingrained local practices.
  • The 'always on' nature of critical facilities management, leading to unexpected out-of-hours calls.
  • The perception of Facilities as a cost centre rather than a strategic enabler.
What this role does not give you
  • A predictable 9-to-5 schedule with no surprises.
  • A role where all your projects are immediately visible and celebrated.
  • Complete autonomy without needing to justify decisions to multiple stakeholders.
  • A quiet, solitary work environment; this is a highly collaborative and often reactive role.

8Who you work with

This role directly impacts our global operational efficiency, employee experience, and financial performance through effective management of our physical assets. You'll be making decisions that affect our capital expenditure, operational costs, and our ability to attract and retain talent by providing great places to work. Essentially, you're the backbone ensuring our global footprint enables, rather than hinders, our business ambitions.

Inside the business
  • Regional Operations Directors
  • HR Leadership (Global & Regional)
  • Finance Business Partners (especially CapEx/OpEx teams)
  • IT Infrastructure & Security Teams
  • Legal & Compliance Departments
Outside the business
  • Global Property Management Firms
  • Key Facilities Service Providers (e.g., cleaning, security, catering)
  • Architects and Design Consultants
  • Regulatory Bodies (Health & Safety, Environmental)
  • Local Government & Planning Authorities

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Extensive experience (12+ years) in facilities management and corporate real estate, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing multi-site or regional portfolios.
  • Demonstrable experience in developing and executing global facilities strategies, including budget ownership and team leadership.
  • Proven track record of managing significant CapEx and OpEx budgets (ideally £5M+ annually) and delivering cost savings.
  • Strong understanding of IWMS/CMMS platforms and how to use them to drive operational efficiency and data insights.
  • Experience in managing critical environments (e.g., data centres, manufacturing sites) and developing robust business continuity plans.
  • A degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

AI-Powered Portfolio Optimisation

AI will move beyond individual tasks to provide holistic recommendations for your entire global portfolio. This means using AI to suggest optimal lease terms, identify underutilised assets for disposition, and even predict future space needs based on business growth models.

Machine Learning for Forecasting · Optimisation Algorithms · Data Integration Architectures

  • This month: Read up on AI applications in corporate real estate and facilities management.
  • Next quarter: Identify a specific portfolio challenge (e.g., reducing vacant space) and explore how AI could help solve it.
  • Month 3-6: Work with our data science or IT teams to explore a proof-of-concept for an AI-driven optimisation model.
  • Month 6-12: Champion a pilot project to use AI for a specific portfolio optimisation task in one region.

Quick win: Start identifying data sources that could be valuable for future AI analysis – the cleaner your data, the better the AI.

Cybersecurity for Operational Technology (OT)

As more of our building systems (BMS, access control, IoT sensors) become connected, they also become potential targets for cyber attacks. You'll need to understand the unique cybersecurity risks of Operational Technology (OT) and work with IT to protect our physical infrastructure.

OT vs. IT Security Differences · Threat Modelling for Building Systems · Incident Response for OT Systems

  • This month: Have a coffee with our IT Security lead and ask them about OT security risks.
  • Next quarter: Read an introductory guide or whitepaper on industrial control system (ICS) security.
  • Month 3-6: Review our current building system architecture with IT to identify potential vulnerabilities.
  • Month 6-12: Work with IT to develop a basic OT cybersecurity risk assessment and mitigation plan for a critical site.

Quick win: Ensure all your smart building devices and systems are on a segmented network, separate from the main corporate IT network. It's a simple, effective first step.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend industry conferences (e.g., IFMA World Workplace, CoreNet Global Summits) to stay current on trends and network with peers.
  • Participate in online forums or professional groups dedicated to global facilities and corporate real estate.
  • Undertake short courses or executive education programmes on topics like advanced negotiation, international business law, or data analytics for operations.
  • Read industry publications and thought leadership pieces from major real estate consultancies (e.g., JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield).

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Advanced Data Storytelling for Executive Buy-in

With more data from smart buildings and IWMS systems, the challenge isn't collecting it, it's making sense of it and using it to influence senior leaders. You'll need to translate complex operational metrics into compelling narratives that justify multi-million pound investments.

  • Narrative Structure for Data
  • Visualisation Best Practices
  • Audience-Centric Communication
  • Scenario Modelling & Impact Assessment

Integrated Digital Twin & Metaverse for Facilities Planning

While still early, the concept of a 'digital twin' of our entire global portfolio, where you can simulate changes, run scenarios, and even conduct virtual tours, is gaining traction. This will transform how we plan space, manage assets, and respond to emergencies, moving beyond static CAD drawings.

  • BIM (Building Information Modelling)
  • IoT Sensor Integration
  • Virtual & Augmented Reality (VR/AR)
  • Simulation & Predictive Analytics

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Global Portfolio Strategy
  • Total Cost of Occupancy (TCO) Modelling
  • Long-Range Capital Planning
  • Business Continuity & Critical Environments Management
  • Workplace Experience & Change Management
  • Sustainability (ESG) for the Built Environment

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Regional Manager, Facilities & Real Estate (L4)

    3-5 years

    Skills to master

    • Managing a full regional P&L, leading a team of site managers, developing regional strategies, and successfully delivering multi-site projects. You'd be accountable for all facilities operations across a significant geographic area.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently exceeding regional budget targets and identifying significant cost savings.
    • Successfully implementing a major regional initiative (e.g., a new space planning strategy, a regional maintenance programme).
    • Demonstrable ability to lead and develop a team of facilities professionals.
    • Strong relationships with regional business unit leaders, seen as a trusted partner.
  2. 2

    Senior Facilities Manager (L3) for a Critical Global Site

    5-8 years

    Skills to master

    • Deep expertise in managing a very large, complex, or critical facility (e.g., a global HQ, a major data centre, a large R&D campus). This includes managing significant site budgets, critical systems, and a large operational team. You'd also be mentoring junior staff.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Maintaining exceptional uptime for critical systems and achieving zero major safety incidents.
    • Successfully managing complex vendor relationships and large-scale site projects (e.g., major renovations, system upgrades).
    • Demonstrating strong leadership and problem-solving skills during site-level crises.
    • Proactively identifying and implementing site-specific operational efficiencies.
  3. 3

    Head of a Facilities Specialism (e.g., Global Head of Workplace Design, Global Head of EHS)

    4-6 years

    Skills to master

    • Developing and implementing global standards and programmes for a specific area of facilities (e.g., all workplace design, all environmental health & safety, all maintenance strategy). This role would involve influencing regional teams without direct line management, and deep subject matter expertise.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully rolling out a new global programme or standard across multiple regions.
    • Recognised as a subject matter expert within the organisation for your specialism.
    • Strong ability to influence and gain buy-in from diverse stakeholders globally.
    • Demonstrable impact on global metrics related to your specialism (e.g., H&S incident reduction, energy savings).

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to wider operational leadership, such as Chief Operating Officer, or to a specialised path in global real estate strategy.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director, Global Facilities Operations is actually changing.

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Strategic facilities management support services operations, worked against Director, Global Facilities Operations.

Strategic facilities management support services operations Level 6

Applied to your work in Director, Global Facilities Operations

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to develop strategies for the effective delivery of support services within facilities management. Learners will identify opportunities for implementing new services and evaluate existing processes for compliance and performance. This will equip them with the skills to optimise support service operations and ensure alignment with legislative requirements and industry standards.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director, Global Facilities Operations
  • Global Portfolio Strategy
  • Total Cost of Occupancy (TCO) Modelling
  • Long-Range Capital Planning
  • Business Continuity & Critical Environments Management
  • Workplace Experience & Change Management
  • Sustainability (ESG) for the Built Environment
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director, Global Facilities Operations is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. One level up

    • Full ownership of the entire global real estate portfolio strategy (acquisitions, dispositions, major lease negotiations).
    • Leading significant capital allocation decisions across the entire business unit.
    • Developing and defending the multi-year capital plan to the Board.
    • Shaping the company's overall physical footprint and its impact on market position.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, running global facilities means juggling a million things. Imagine if you could cut through the noise, automate the tedious bits, and make smarter, faster decisions across your entire portfolio. Well, you can. AI isn't just for tech gurus; it's a game-changer for Operations leaders like you.

We're not talking about robots cleaning floors (yet!). We're talking about smart tools that handle the data grunt work, predict problems before they happen, and even help you write those tricky executive summaries. This isn't just about saving time; it's about shifting your focus from reactive firefighting to proactive, strategic leadership. Here's how AI can actually help you in this role:

Predictive Maintenance Automation

Imagine AI analysing real-time sensor data from HVAC units, chillers, and critical equipment across all your global sites. It spots anomalies, predicts failures before they happen, and automatically generates a detailed work order in your CMMS, even scheduling a technician and ordering the necessary parts. You'll move from reactive repairs to proactive prevention, saving millions in downtime.

Global Space Utilisation Intelligence

AI pulls data from badge swipes, WiFi logins, and occupancy sensors across your entire portfolio. It gives you a dynamic, real-time picture of how space is actually used, not just how you think it's used. It'll recommend office consolidations, identify underused zones, and model the financial impact of new hybrid work policies. This means multi-million pound portfolio optimisation decisions, backed by hard data.

AI-Powered Lease Abstraction & Risk Analysis

Forget spending weeks manually reviewing hundreds of complex global lease documents. An AI engine can scan them in minutes, extracting critical data points (renewal dates, CAM caps, co-tenancy clauses, insurance requirements) into a central database. It'll flag risks and inconsistencies, giving you a comprehensive overview of your portfolio's obligations and opportunities, fast.

Executive Narrative Generation

AI can draft your monthly and quarterly business review narratives. It converts raw operational data—energy consumption, project spend, work order volume, space utilisation—into concise, business-focused summaries for the C-suite. It highlights key trends, risks, and achievements, freeing you up to focus on strategy and what those numbers actually mean, rather than wordsmithing.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director, Global Facilities Operations?

Common routes in include Regional Manager, Facilities & Real Estate (3-5 years), Senior Facilities Manager for a Critical Global Site (5-8 years) and Head of a Facilities Specialism (e.g., Global Head of Workplace Design, Global Head of EHS) (4-6 years). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director, Global Facilities Operations progress to?

This role can lead on to VP, Global Facilities & Real Estate (3-5 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director, Global Facilities Operations?

Increasingly, Advanced Data Storytelling for Executive Buy-in and Integrated Digital Twin & Metaverse for Facilities Planning. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 6

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

More jobs in operations

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.

If you leave this industry

The skills built in this role transfer well. These include global operations management, capital planning, team leadership and stakeholder influence. They can lead to other operational leadership roles, such as Head of Supply Chain or Head of Procurement. They can also lead to broader business unit leadership, especially in companies with significant physical assets.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my Director, Global Facilities Operations plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.