Vehicle and Machinery Lead

Salary: Up to £40,000 per annum (DOE)

Location: Ashford, Kent

We’re currently recruiting for a Senior Mechanic to support our operational division as the new Vehicle and Machinery Manager. This is a unique, custom-built role developed to maintain both our company vehicles and agricultural/horticultural equipment.

This key role will be as much on the tools as on the laptop, overseeing the management of one member of staff, as well as the maintenance of 1,500+ pieces of equipment and 70+ vehicles which include tractors, vans, trailers, ride-on mowers, hand tools and waste containers. At times you will be expected to travel across the county to our various satellite depots or customer sites to keep our equipment in perfect working order. You will also be required to keep proactive maintenance schedules for all equipment and arrange for relevant external inspections or maintenance (such as MOTs).

This is a varied position which requires someone with the mechanical capabilities to keep our fleet and equipment fully mobile, efficient and compliant. You must also understand computers to be able to successfully manage your assets successfully. A full UK driving license is an essential requirement for this role. Agricultural or specialised mechanical experience would be preferred.

In return we will offer you:

• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays
• Never work a birthday again! You receive an extra day off for it to enjoy however you wish!
• Generous discount scheme, including gym and retail.
• Life assurance cover
• Health cash plan initiative
• A culture of progression and development
• Plus many more perks

Key duties:

• Manage and work with a Workshop Fitter and in liaison with our operations team to maintain and repair our plant, equipment and vehicles
• Organise and carry out maintenance and repairs in a timely manner to minimise downtime and ensure the vehicle/plant is roadworthy and legally compliant
• Complete all relevant documentation to ensure compliance with current legislation and company policy and procedures
• Liaise with grounds maintenance contract managers to determine whether equipment can be purchased, disposed-of or sold on a proactive annual basis
• Conduct regular preventative maintenance on vehicles and plant including inspections, routine servicing and preparing vehicles for MOT testing, all with constant regard for the health and safety of self, other employees, and those with whom your duties involve contact
• Assess requirements and maintain adequate resources of materials and equipment, an aspect of this will be the ability to effectively liaise with suppliers and clients to ensure that budgeted costs and timescales are met

What we need from you:

• Demonstrable management experience within a similar field
• Competent use of Microsoft Office packages (Excel, Word, Etc.)
• Good organisational skills and a strong ability to coordinate a service and repair schedule whilst managing unplanned works
• Proven knowledge of Health and Safety within this sector
• Knowledge of all aspects of vehicle, horticultural/agricultural plant, and equipment desired
• Understanding and ability to interpret task sheets and data sheets relevant to the vehicle/plant
• Previous experience as an Agricultural Mechanical Technician or Agricultural Plant Machinery Engineer would be beneficial

About Commercial Services Group:

Commercial Services Group (CSG) is one of the largest providers of public sector and education procurement and support services globally, with revenues of c£800M, 1,800 staff across 33 trading brands, providing services ranging from: HR Services, IT Services, Energy, Education Resources, Procurement and many more. Its operational division includes both Landscape Services - a specialist provider of outdoor maintenance and management services – and CSG Managing Waste, who manage and maintain a number of Kent-based waste sites and transfer stations. Wholly owned by Kent County Council, CSG supports over 15,000 customers in 86 countries and collaborates with a supply chain of c1,000 suppliers.