Works Department Manager in Christchurch

Kelleher Group Maintenance (KGM) is a growing M&E, Gas, and Specialist Works Contractor with a tailored, client-first approach to building maintenance. With nearly 50 years of industry experience, KGM has a strong track record of delivering high-quality results. Our culture is rooted in safety, service excellence, and environmental responsibility.

We are now seeking an experienced and proactive Works Department Manager to join our team and take a central role in ensuring the smooth delivery of all works.

About the Role

We are looking for someone to join our existing works department team and act as the link between management, works administration, and the Parts/Purchasing Department. You will ensure that all jobs requiring materials, plant, or equipment are coordinated efficiently and managed as one seamless process. You will oversee the scheduling of engineers, allocation of resources, and communication with residents and clients, while making sure invoicing and reporting are accurate and timely. You will also manage the works administration team, ensuring all daily tasks are completed, chased, and up to standard. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who can take initiative, make decisions independently, solve problems, and drive process improvements. Common sense, organisation, and accountability are essential, as you will be central to the smooth delivery of all works across the department.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage jobs from order to completion, ensuring materials, plant, engineers, and subcontractors are coordinated efficiently.
• Act as the bridge between management, works administration, and Parts/Purchasing, ensuring jobs requiring materials or plant are managed as a single workflow.
• Oversee engineer schedules and diaries, ensuring jobs are allocated efficiently and completed without delay.
• Manage the works administration team, ensuring all daily tasks, updates, and reporting are maintained accurately.
• Maintain regular communication with residents and clients, providing updates on job progress and completion timelines.
• Ensure accurate invoicing and reporting, working with finance to maintain cash flow and track KPIs.
• Allocate work to engineers and subcontractors efficiently, taking into account location, urgency, and resource availability.
• Track job progress using CAFM/CRM or job management systems, logging updates in real time.
• Generate reports on open jobs, completion rates, and team performance.
• Handle high-priority or emergency jobs, coordinating resources and communications effectively.
• Identify and implement opportunities to streamline processes and improve department efficiency.
• Attend client meetings, prepare minutes, and ensure follow-up actions are completed.
• Deal professionally with complaints or escalations.
• Raise and manage purchase orders for materials in coordination with the Parts/Purchasing Department.

Who We are Looking For

• 3+ years’ experience in planning, scheduling, or works management within construction, FM, or maintenance.
• Proven senior management experience, able to report to Directors and take departmental ownership.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing staff and improving processes.
• Excellent organisation, prioritisation, and time management skills.
• Confident in decision-making, problem-solving, and taking initiative independently.
• Proficient in job management, CRM, and scheduling systems, with strong Microsoft Excel skills.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with a professional telephone manner.
• Experience coordinating engineers, subcontractors, and multiple sites efficiently.
• Ability to remain calm and make effective decisions under pressure.
• Experience in the social housing sector is preferred but not essential.

Key Details

• Start time: 8:00am daily — coordinating engineers
• Location: Bexleyheath Broadway, DA8
• Reporting to: Senior Management