School Technical Manager in Sheffield

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university. We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.

As School Technical Manager, you will coordinate the technical support activities across the School of Mathematical & Physical Sciences within the Faculty of Science. Working in collaboration with the School Manager, you will be responsible for optimising technical staffing, equipment and facilities across a diverse range of laboratories and workshops across multiple locations. You will have the ability to successfully lead the technical staff within the School and deliver a complete technical support service to ensure that all research and teaching laboratory, research facility and workshop infrastructure and equipment is managed efficiently and effectively to meet the needs of users, employing resources in an efficient and effective manner.

You will be required to provide leadership, direction, support and guidance to technical colleagues to include setting team and individual goals through the university’s Staff Review and Development Scheme (SRDS), management team meetings and staff welfare. You will possess excellent leadership, organisational and communication skills and have experience of delivering effective safety management approaches and methods within a technical workplace to ensure compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act and other statutory and regulatory requirements.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Work in partnership with the Head of School, and School Manager, to lead, manage and deliver an efficient technical service across the School.
• Develop strategy and implement and lead change, working collaboratively across the School and with Technical Managers across the Faculty to review and improve processes.
• Proactively manage technical resources, infrastructure, equipment, materials, consumables and running costs.
• Manage health, welfare and safety in the school’s laboratories, workshops, workrooms and office spaces.
• Responsible for the planning and maintenance of the School’s physical infrastructure.
• Manage equipment service contracts and ensure compliance with equipment and chemical disposal policy and regulations.
• Oversee specific budgets related to the technical workforce or technical work areas.
• Liaise with key contacts across all the University’s professional services to deliver a full technical support service.
• Responsible for the school business continuity planning.
• Act as local incident manager for incidents in the School.
• Provide detailed input into the annual Planning Round to ensure that technical resources continue to meet the needs of the School.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification:

• Experience of managing technical facilities, staff and operations in the Higher Education Sector.
• Ability to concurrently manage multiple work strands and projects.
• Ability to think, plan and act strategically.
• Experience of reviewing individual/team progress and performance.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Health and Safety regulations.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Experience of proactively adapting own skills to new circumstances.
• Broad ranging relevant technical expertise.

Further Information:

• Grade: 8
• Salary: £48,822 - £58,225 per annum with potential to progress to £65,509.
• Work arrangement: Full-time
• Line manager: School Manager
• Direct reports: Technical Staff within the School.

For informal enquiries about this job contact Julie Bradley, School Manager.

Next steps in the recruitment process: It is anticipated that the selection process will take place in August 2026. This will consist of an interview and presentation.

A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more. Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.