Overview
As School Technical Manager, you will coordinate the technical support activities across the School of Mathematical & Physical Sciences within the Faculty of Science. You will work with the School Manager to optimise technical staffing, equipment and facilities across multiple laboratories and workshops. You will lead technical staff, delivering a comprehensive technical support service to ensure research, teaching and workshop infrastructure is managed efficiently and effectively.
Main duties and responsibilities
- Lead, manage and deliver an efficient technical service across the School, ensuring staff possess the skills and motivation to deliver high‑quality work.
- Develop strategy, implement change and drive continual improvement in service delivery in collaboration with School leadership and other Technical Managers.
- Proactively manage technical resources, including core and grant‑funded infrastructure, equipment, consumables and running costs, and plan resource needs for 5‑10 year horizons.
- Work with the School Safety Officer to manage health, welfare and safety in laboratories, workshops, workrooms and office spaces, ensuring compliance with H&S legislation.
- Plan and maintain the School’s physical infrastructure, liaising with Estates and Facilities Management where required.
- Manage equipment service contracts and ensure compliance with disposal policy and regulations.
- Oversee specific budgets related to the technical workforce or delegated technical work areas.
- Liaise with key University professional services (Estates, Facilities, IT, Health and Safety, Campus Services, Finance and HR) to deliver a full technical support service.
- Lead School business continuity planning and act as local incident manager for School incidents.
- Represent the School in University and Faculty committees and working groups as required.
- Provide detailed input to the annual Planning Round to secure technical resources that meet the School’s future needs, including staff skill development and robust business cases for investment.
- Carry out other duties commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.
Person Specification
Essential criteria
- Good honours degree or equivalent experience.
- Experience managing technical facilities, staff and operations in higher education or a complex environment.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, demonstrating long‑term planning and organisational skills.
- Strategic thinking and the ability to develop and deliver plans that support organisational objectives.
- Experience reviewing individual and team performance, embedding strategy into performance planning and motivating high‑performance staff.
- Comprehensive knowledge of Health and Safety regulations.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, able to present high‑quality reports and complex information to both specialist and non‑specialist audiences.
- Proactive adaptation of own skills to new circumstances and flexible working to meet current and future requirements.
Desirable criteria
- Broad-ranging technical expertise, including up‑to‑date knowledge of the School’s specialist areas.
Further Information
Grade: 8
Salary: £48,822 – £58,225 per annum with potential to progress to £65,509 through sustained exceptional contribution.
Work arrangement: Full‑time
Line manager: School Manager
Direct reports: Technical Staff within the School.
Our website: https://sheffield.ac.uk/mps
We are a Disability Confident Employer.
School Technical Manager in Sheffield employer: Diversity Dashboard
Diversity Dashboard is an exceptional employer that prioritises inclusivity and professional growth, making it an ideal place for those passionate about tackling inequality and poverty. With a flexible working environment in the vibrant city of Edinburgh, employees benefit from a supportive work culture that encourages collaboration and continuous learning, ensuring that every team member can thrive in their role while making a meaningful impact in the community.
